Navigating a food allergy on a regular day can sometimes (or all the time!) feel overwhelming. Put travel, airline delays, traffic, parties, school functions, family dinners, and relatives who don’t understand the complexities of food allergy in the mix, and dealing with a food allergy can become downright exhausting. This blog will hopefully provide some tips to keep you and your family on track when it comes to navigating food allergies through this busy season.
Plan ahead – I know, I know, you always do this anyways. But at this time of year, there is some extra planning to be done. See below!
Talk to and educate family/relatives/visitors – Some members of your family or visitors coming to your home might not truly understand the seriousness of a food allergy. We have heard many families tell us they have family members who say something like “just feed them a little amount of the food, they will be fine!” So scary! Prepare these folks with simple but also serious information that they can easily understand. Perhaps a simple note stating your child’s allergen and reaction, something like the following: “Happy holidays! Thank you for visiting our home/ thank you for having us. Bobby has a serious milk allergy. If any amount of milk is eaten, Bobby can have a scary reaction. He might get an itchy rash, a stomach ache and then vomit. He could even have trouble breathing. Please be aware and do not let Bobby have anything with milk in it. Thank you so much.”
Prepare your child – Also prepare your child for these family members and friends in advance. Give them the tools to say no. Practice saying “no thank you” with your child if offered a food they are unsure of. Go over “the rules” with your child right before a party or gathering so that the most important safety rules, such as not eating a food unless he or she has checked with you first, will be fresh in their minds.
Bring safe snacks wherever you go – Pick a few pre-packaged snacks that are dedicated “safe” for your child. Some examples (depending on allergen(s)): cheese sticks, pirates booty, goldfish, jerky, pre-sliced/packaged apples, grapes, pretzels, popcorn, rice cakes. Make sure you have these at a party. Make sure your child is able to recognize the snack so they can ask for it at other’s homes/parties if you forget to pack it. If you’re flying to visit friends or family, you may want to make some simple allergy-free foods that travel well and ship them to your host ahead of time.
Medication pack – Always travel with a medication pack (a fanny pack works well!) that includes a list of your child’s allergens, a copy of their allergy action plan, liquid diphenhydramine and/or liquid cetirizine, your epinephrine autoinjector twin-pack, and other meds they might need (for example albuterol inhaler if there is a history of asthma). Even if you are going to a neighbor’s house or down the street, bring the pack!
You got this! Happy Holidays from Team Schreiber Allergy!