Is your child ready to face food allergens?

Approximately 1 in 13 children, or about 2 students per classroom, have a food allergy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Allergic reactions can vary in severity and be triggered by a range of allergens.

Children with a food allergy typically need be more careful than their peers when it comes to school lunchrooms, class parties and even on the bus rides home from school.

“Children in unfamiliar environments, away from parental supervision are at risk of accidentally eating a food product containing an allergen,” explains Dr. Maaria Syed, a pediatric allergy and immunology physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital. “That’s why educating your child and those supervising your child on their foods allergies is so important.”

To help kids understand their allergies, Dr. Syed offers these six tips:

1. Start with the basics. Teach children what foods they are allergic to with concrete examples. For instance, if they are allergic to cow’s milk, they should know which foods contain the allergen, like butter, yogurt, cheese and ice cream. They should understand that the food will make them feel sick.
2. Create an action plan. Talk to your child about who can help them if you’re not around. Make sure that other adults are aware of the child’s allergies and know how to use an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) in case the child mistakenly eats something they are allergic to and has a reaction.
3. Don’t let allergens hold them back. Plan to provide the child with their own packed food for certain social events, like birthday parties. If you can mimic the host’s menu, it can help the child feel less excluded. For example, you may consider packing a vegan pizza if the child has a cow’s milk allergy.
4. Encourage speaking up. Empower kids to speak up about their food allergy. You can have the child practice at restaurants by telling wait staff what they are allergic to when seated. Teach them that it’s OK to politely say no when someone offers them food that they are unsure if they can eat.
5. Explain cross contamination. If kids are allergic to a certain food, they need to be careful that food does not encounter the food they are eating. A kid should avoid charcuterie boards, shared platters and buffets unless with a parent or trusted adult. If the family is out for ice cream, they can practice advocating for themselves by asking the employee to make sure that a clean ice cream scoop is used to avoid cross contamination.
6. Teach ingredient list reading. Show older children how to read food labels so they can make responsible and independent decisions before eating food.

Even with the best of intentions, some children can start to develop anxiety about eating – especially when they start to become more independent. If you feel that this is occurring, bring it up to your allergist or pediatrician.

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