I humbly admit, when I first heard of food allergies years ago, I was a bit doubtful. Any skepticism I held disappeared the day that my son, who was 18 months old at the time, and I found ourselves in an ambulance after a fateful dinner at a peanuts-laden steakhouse. As he ate with a peanut-dusted fork, his lips immediately began swelling. Within moments, I was cradling him helplessly as his tongue swelled too large for his mouth. I will never forget the sense of relief that washed over me as I heard the EMTs siren wailing down the highway.
Since then, we have learned what it means to be a “food allergy” family. The notices at restaurants I once ignored became grave warnings. Grocery shopping was no longer a mindless task, but a battlefield through which one must avoid the land mines of surprise ingredients. And every child watch, ball field, play area and movie theatre was no longer a place to zone out, but rather, to be on high alert for a stray nut shell, chocolate-covered peanut or well meaning toddler sharing her granola bar.
Some of the most meaningful moments for me have been when others have gone out of their way to include my child and make his well being a priority, especially since he is still too young to speak up for himself. 1 in 13 kids in the US have an allergy to food. The following are some ways you can support other families in handling food allergies:
- Make shared play spaces such as mall play areas or fast food play structures “no snack” zones. If you need a snack, there are usually places outside of the common use areas where you can eat. Not only does it keep the area cleaner, it also helps out the kids who are allergic and could have a reaction to as much as the dust of a contaminate.
- Encourage your church or community group to go nut-free in classrooms, activities or Vacation Bible School. Go the extra mile to take inventory of visitors and train staff to take precaution when serving snacks.
- Buy allergy-free items or treats for piñatas, birthday parties and Easter egg hunts. (I can say from personal experience, it is a bummer to say no to piñata candy because it was mixed in with peanut butter cups.)
- Provide allergen-free candies or treats for Trick-Or-Treat. You can even register your home as a allergy-free stop with the Teal Pumpkin Project.
Iris Hartness lives in North Carolina and is the Publisher Mom for Hickory-W Piedmont Macaroni Kid (hickory.macaronikid.com).
