Sharing Information With Others About Your Food Allergies

When you have an allergic reaction to a food it is important for your health to share that vital information with family members, with friends, with those you work with or with those at your school including teachers, cafeteria staff and anyone who may feed a child of your's who has food allergies. Having others know about your food allergy may someday save your life.

When you have an allergic reaction to food, you may not be able to talk and others around you may not know what is happening to you and how to help you unless they know ahead of time that you are allergic to a certain food or food ingredient.

If your child is allergic to food it is important that everyone who cares for your child including teachers, lunchroom staff and parents of the kids your child plays with. Everyone you can think of who has any contact with your child should know about that child's food allergy. Especially if your child is young and unable to speak for themselves. You are your child's best advocate whenever your child has a medical condition. You speak for your child when your child is unable to speak for him or herself.

Food allergies can be life threatening and to protect yourself or your child, you had better tell everyone not only about the food allergy, but what it looks like when you or your child is having an allergic reaction. Let them know what to do if you have an allergic reaction. Let them know if you carry with you an Epipen – a medication injection that is given to open the airway of someone who has had a severe allergic reaction.

If you are eating out at someone else's home or at a restaurant it is very important that whoever is preparing and serving the food know what it is that you are allergic to so that every precaution can be taken to be sure that you are not given any food that may contain the food or food ingredient that you are allergic to.

It is really important that those you share information with about your food allergy and who buy, prepare or serve you know that reading labels is important because some foods that do not seem to have the food item in them can have "hidden" food ingredients that have the food you are allergic to, so it is very important to always read food labels. The FDA law that was implemented in January of 2006 saves lives because it requires all food allergens be listed on food labels and that the language and how it is written is to be easily understood. It is important to realize that food and drink manufacturers are constantly improving on their products so the ingredients of a product can change from one time you use it to another, so read labels every single time you buy a food item.

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