There is a lot that comes along with a new food allergy diagnosis. Fear, confusion, helplessness, and many more. Believe me, I have been through all the emotions, and I have made it my mission in life to help those that are going through the same thing. Below are my top 10 tips for managing your child’s food allergies. Look them over and if you have any questions feel free to contact me.
1. Trust Your Allergist. Your allergist is the person you will going to in order to decide on the appropriate steps in managing your child’s food allergies. You need to be able to trust this doctor. You also want to genuinely like them. Your doctor should be open with you about all options when it comes to your child’s food allergies. They should be willing to answer any and all questions you may have. If there are any clinical trials that you may be eligible for, your doctor needs to be sharing this information with you. If you do not feel a connection or your child doesn’t feel a connection, it is okay to move on. Don’t be scared to switch allergists. It took our family 5 allergists to find the right one and now I am so content and happy with our choice.
2. Start Contacting Manufacturers. In order to find out the manufacturing practices of brands and companies you need to be contacting them via email and/or phone. Email is a good option because you have their response in writing, and you can file it away for future use. Of course, things change frequently, so going back to them yearly may be beneficial.
3. Find Support. Your allergist will be a good support to you, but it may be beneficial to find a group of parents who are dealing with the same thing. You can start a local group or you can find a group on social media. I also host support huddles with parents of children with food allergies. Remember, you are not alone in this. There are so many people willing and eager to help and guide you.
4. Educate Yourself and Your Child. Again, your allergist will have a lot of information for you, but things are changing all the time in the allergy world. Do your own research. Join organizations that are up-to-date with the new food allergy research and subscribe to allergy magazines as well. Read articles about the new science of food allergies. The more you know, the better the questions you will have for your allergist and you will be able to know if they are staying up to date as well. As far as your child goes, their education needs to start with knowing how to avoid their allergens and how to administer epinephrine if they ever need it. If they are too young to administer epinephrine themselves, they should understand what signs to look out for when they are having a reaction and what to do to if this happens.
5. Get Into the Kitchen. If you didn’t like cooking before, chances are you will have to try again. If you are someone who’s child has multiple food allergies it is almost inevitable that you will be cooking at home most of the time. Research allergy-friendly recipes and start trying some out. If your child is old enough, get them into the kitchen with you. Make it fun. You have the control when you are in your own kitchen. Aim to have not only allergy-friendly meals, but also healthy meals for your child. My “Food for All” Cookbook will be out Fall 2022. Get on my email list to find out when you can get your copy. Send an email to liz@eatinghealthy4life.com with Subject: Food for All Email List.
6. Let Others Know. Don’t keep your child’s food allergies a secret. It takes a village, right? I am not saying to announce your child’s food allergies to everyone you meet, but your close family and friends should be notified as well as anyone who either takes care of your child or is around your child a decent amount. If it’s hard for you to explain to them, have a professional help you. I do zoom chats with clients and their friends and family as well as in-person presentations with school faculty and parents to help them understand the severity of food allergies and answer any questions they have. Hearing it from a professional is always beneficial. Then the parent doesn’t have to be the educator all the time.
7. Plan, Plan, Plan. If you are a planner, you are in luck. This strength will be benefiting you in the food allergy world. Planning is key. It will make your life so much easier and enjoyable. It may sound overwhelming at first, but planning for just about everything that has to do with food will become a part of your life now. From vacations, holidays, playdates, school lunches, basically any time you are socializing with others and there is food involved, planning is a necessity. If you are not a planner, not to worry. I can help you! I am creating a course where all this is spoken about and much more. I am hoping to launch the course Spring 2023. If you are interested in learning more about the course, email me at liz@eatinghealthy4life.com with the subject line “Food Allergy Course”.
8. Know Your Rights. In a public school setting your food allergy child has specific rights. Food allergies are seen as a disability and the district, by law, must accommodate. Setting up a 504 for your child’s food allergies can be very helpful, especially if you are dealing with multiple food allergies and/or your child has had reactions in the past. This is not mandatory. It is optional. You decide what is right for your child. Personally, I have a 504 for one of my children and not for the other. It really depends on the child, your comfort level, past reactions and the number of food allergies that your child has. If you would like to speak about setting up a 504 in more detail and how to write one, please reach out.
9. Trust Your Gut. At the end of the day you and your child need to trust your gut with just about everything. If you are in a restaurant and you do not feel comfortable with the responses you are getting from the chef and/or waiter, then you have the right to get up and leave. If you feel that the school is not taking you seriously, set up a meeting and get a parent advocate as well. If you feel that the answer you are getting from a manufacturing facility is not sitting right with you, trust your gut and don’t have your child eat that particular product. If you feel the allergist is not answering your questions or that you are bothering them with the amount of questions, this is not how it should be. I assure you, there are amazing allergists out there that will take their time with you. Also, sometimes allergists just don’t have the time or experience with setting up a meal plan and that is when the food allergy dietitian comes into play.
10. Take a Deep Breath. Getting a food allergy diagnosis can be extremely overwhelming. I am here to tell you it does get easier. Things change and you will have different obstacles to get through, but as time goes on you will be more prepared and knowledgeable about food allergies. Self-care is extremely important when you are a parent of a child with food allergies. Your children need you to be at your best, so please make sure to find the time to take care of yourself. Also, stress relief techniques can be beneficial to your child as well. Teach them early about self-care. It will pay off big time in the future.
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