In your everyday family environment, coping with a food allergy
has its own set of trials and tribulations. Not every problem will come
up at once, but some of these will factor into daily occurrences as time
goes by.
But by familiarizing yourself now, you have the advantage that if the situation does arise you can and will be better prepared on coping with a food allergy and handling the situation with less stress and more control. If you as the parent are in control, your family will tend not to over-react either. Normalcy can and will return to the family at a much faster rate with less fear of the unknown.
Day Of Diagnosis
Many people, especially the adults, are usually glad for the diagnosis. Finally, all of the feelings of unrest, skin rashes, hives, welts, upset stomach and on and on, all of this has finally been given a name. Even if the name brings no physical relief, mentally now there is something to "call it". That name itself reduces the anxiety and gives you time now to concentrate on what needs to be done for treatment.
Also, many doctors report that their patients have admitted that having food allergies is one of the best things that has probably ever happened to them for their health. It seems, being more careful about what you can put into the mouth has led to greater advantages for the patient and usually the entire family itself.
Setting Up A Treatment Plan
When you are sent home after that diagnosis, coping with a food allergy generally means a one step treatment plan. Avoid your allergy triggers. This can include eating, touching or even breathing in the presence of the allergen in some severe cases. Some people have been known to have an allergic reaction just from smelling their trigger.
Risks Involved In Accidental Exposure
Strict avoidance is always prescribed as the #1 rule to follow. But actually avoidance in reality can be a whole lot more difficult than what it sounds.
Mistakes can and do happen all the time. This is the reason you never assume a product is safe. If you have not seen the ingredient label - I do not care what it is or who told you - that product is off-limits. It is not safe!
The six most frequent reasons given in Emergency Departments for an allergy flare-up include the following:
Being the brother or sister to a food-allergic child can be like being an invisible member of a family. So much time, attention and activity is centered around the child with food allergies to be sure they are safe, the non-allergic child will start to feel anger, jealousy, or even resent their sibling. Kids have often stated that they are responsible for their brother/sister's attack because they "wished for it" so hard that they would become sick.
Therefore, be careful what you promise, even to yourself, but realize you must also give time to the other children of the family. Explain why it is so necessary that you work so closely with their brother or sister's teacher, camp counselor, birthday party host, school, etc.. Make sure they realize this does not mean you do not love them also but because their brother or sister is not safe unless other people are educated about his dietary restrictions also.
Always make sure on any family discussions about coping with a food allergy, the non-allergic child is to be included in these discussions. They are part of the family also. Many times the kids can come up with suggestions for school, play, camp etc. that the adults would never even have thought of. But more importantly, they are being given the opportunity to set and understand the goals of the family as a unit.
By setting an environment of allowing all of your children to voice their feelings, many emotional trials can be prevented as the kids grow into adolescence. Coping with a food allergy is not just a concern for the individual, it is a concern of the whole family.
But by familiarizing yourself now, you have the advantage that if the situation does arise you can and will be better prepared on coping with a food allergy and handling the situation with less stress and more control. If you as the parent are in control, your family will tend not to over-react either. Normalcy can and will return to the family at a much faster rate with less fear of the unknown.
Day Of Diagnosis
Many people, especially the adults, are usually glad for the diagnosis. Finally, all of the feelings of unrest, skin rashes, hives, welts, upset stomach and on and on, all of this has finally been given a name. Even if the name brings no physical relief, mentally now there is something to "call it". That name itself reduces the anxiety and gives you time now to concentrate on what needs to be done for treatment.
Also, many doctors report that their patients have admitted that having food allergies is one of the best things that has probably ever happened to them for their health. It seems, being more careful about what you can put into the mouth has led to greater advantages for the patient and usually the entire family itself.
Setting Up A Treatment Plan
When you are sent home after that diagnosis, coping with a food allergy generally means a one step treatment plan. Avoid your allergy triggers. This can include eating, touching or even breathing in the presence of the allergen in some severe cases. Some people have been known to have an allergic reaction just from smelling their trigger.
Risks Involved In Accidental Exposure
Strict avoidance is always prescribed as the #1 rule to follow. But actually avoidance in reality can be a whole lot more difficult than what it sounds.
Mistakes can and do happen all the time. This is the reason you never assume a product is safe. If you have not seen the ingredient label - I do not care what it is or who told you - that product is off-limits. It is not safe!
The six most frequent reasons given in Emergency Departments for an allergy flare-up include the following:
- well-meaning friends or relatives that are not familiar with reading and understanding an ingredient label
- some people assume a food allergy is just an inconvenience, like a bad stomachache or a bad case of diarrhea
- not realizing the presence of your allergy trigger could be in such an unusual place or product
- an ingredient label has changed but you assumed the product was still safe
- cross-contamination from toys, clothing, countertops, kitchen utensils or even food jars (someone put a peanut butter knife in the jelly jar)
- cross-contamination in the manufacturing process
Being the brother or sister to a food-allergic child can be like being an invisible member of a family. So much time, attention and activity is centered around the child with food allergies to be sure they are safe, the non-allergic child will start to feel anger, jealousy, or even resent their sibling. Kids have often stated that they are responsible for their brother/sister's attack because they "wished for it" so hard that they would become sick.
Therefore, be careful what you promise, even to yourself, but realize you must also give time to the other children of the family. Explain why it is so necessary that you work so closely with their brother or sister's teacher, camp counselor, birthday party host, school, etc.. Make sure they realize this does not mean you do not love them also but because their brother or sister is not safe unless other people are educated about his dietary restrictions also.
Always make sure on any family discussions about coping with a food allergy, the non-allergic child is to be included in these discussions. They are part of the family also. Many times the kids can come up with suggestions for school, play, camp etc. that the adults would never even have thought of. But more importantly, they are being given the opportunity to set and understand the goals of the family as a unit.
By setting an environment of allowing all of your children to voice their feelings, many emotional trials can be prevented as the kids grow into adolescence. Coping with a food allergy is not just a concern for the individual, it is a concern of the whole family.
Most people can not understand the indecision, insecurity and
utter feelings of hopelessness, especially present at the day of
diagnosis when they are handed the news. Having a food allergy to anyone
not affected, well it all sounds so obvious, if you're allergic to it,
then don't eat it!. But in today's world of food processing and
packaging, well your problems have actually just begun. Stop by my
website at http://www.livingfoodallergyfree.com for some information about most of the larger more prevelant allergens and many of the lesser known triggers also.
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