Wrapping up Food Allergy Awareness Week

On this final day of Food Allergy Awareness Week, I wanted to post another video. The last one centered on the children's thoughts, and this one is the parents' thoughts.

I used to share people's misconceptions about food allergies. Growing up, I was one of the few people I knew who had food allergies. I tested allergic to hundreds of foods and other things. The difference between my food allergies and my son's food allergies is that mine weren't life-threatening. I always had sinus problems, which worsened when I ate problem foods. It became difficult to breathe through my nose, which is a very different thing from someone's throat closing up, making it impossible to breathe. I did the weekly shots, but I didn't even know what an EpiPen was, and I didn't live with the fear that a bite of certain foods could kill me.

I share these videos to make others aware. I've heard people say that a little bite won't hurt, that it's not necessary to take the EpiPen when you're just running into the store for a minute, that I'm being overly cautious when I ask people to wash their hands and rinse their mouths if they've eaten certain foods.

Food allergies are very real, and they can be fatal.

I'd just ask people to never offer a child anything to eat without first asking if he or she has food allergies. Don't ever assume that a food is okay. My son doesn't eat anything that's homemade (unless I make it), or anything that doesn't have an ingredients label on it. It's just not worth it.

I have food allergy resources listed on my sidebar. A few of my favorites are:

Kids with Food Allergies

FAAN (The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network)

FAI (Food Allergy Initiative)