Caring for Children with Severe Food Allergies

Managing the needs of a child with a food allergy can be a complicated task. Since some allergic reactions can be severe and even life-threatening, it’s important to be prepared and proactive as a caregiver for a child with a food allergy. In this guide you’ll find resources related to the identification, prevention, and treatment of allergic reactions to food. The resources in this guide are not a replacement for medical consultation or care. Please consult your child’s pediatrician if you have concerns about food allergies and how to treat an allergic reaction.

Identifying Food Allergies in Infants and Young Children

Preventing food allergies may not be possible, but early identification can help families prepare their home environment to be safe and allergen free. Some new studies show that a controlled introductions to some foods in infancy can help reduce the severity of allergic reactions, and even eliminate some allergies.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breast milk as the ideal source of nutrition for infants. Among other benefits, breastfeeding can lead to an early identification of food allergies and build a child’s immune system to fight against reactions. This guide on breastfeeding is a good place to start if you are expecting a child and considering breastfeeding them.

• As you begin to introduce solid food to your infant, try offering one food at a time for a few days each. Should a reaction occur you will be able to pinpoint which food has the allergen. Whether you choose baby-led weaning, or the more traditional method of introducing pureed food, this tip can help you in your quest to identify any concerning food reactions. This guide on building healthy eating habits has additional resources related to introducing first foods.

Recognizing and Testing for Food Allergies

• From Johns Hopkins Medicine, this resource includes an overview of foods that are most likely to cause reactions, and suggestions for how to identify a reaction as it is happening.

• Recognizing the signs of an allergic reaction can be difficult, especially in young children who may not know how to communicate their discomfort. From Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), this is a list of signs and words a child may use to describe their feelings if they are having an allergic reaction, and this is a list of the most common foods associated with severe food allergies.

• If an allergy is suspected, a doctor may perform one or more tests on your child to confirm your suspicion. This page has information about some of the tests your child could undergo to diagnose an allergy.

Learning to Live With a Food Allergy

It has been said in sports that the best offense is a good defense, and the same is true when it comes to food allergies. The best way to keep your child safe if they have a severe allergy, is to prevent a reaction before it happens. For food allergies that means avoiding foods that can trigger a reaction.

• This checklist is for caregivers of children newly diagnosed with a food allergy. It’s a great place to start as you prepare for the needs your child will have moving forward.

• Carefully reading food labels is an important part of preventing an allergic reaction. This guide from the FDA will help you understand how allergens are listed on labels, and this guide from St. Louis Children’s breaks down how to read a nutrition label for each of the most common food allergy categories.

• The Spokin App can help you locate allergy safe restaurants and bakeries. It appears with others on this top 10 list of apps for people with food allergies.

• EatingWithFoodAllergies.com is a website that is maintained by an allergy-conscious nutritionist. The site has a variety of resources including this guide to preparing meals without the risk of cross-contamination.

Should a reaction occur, being prepared with the tools you need to react quickly can save your child’s life.

• Make your own allergy and anaphylaxis emergency plan with this resource from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Distributing this plan to your child’s caregivers, teachers and coaches can help them stay safe in an emergency.

• This guide can help you prepare to use an epinephrine auto injector (often called an Epi-Pen) should the need arise. Adding this to your child’s allergy emergency plan can help prepare their caregivers in they event that they are required to administer an injection.

• Wearing a medical identification accessory can quickly alert first responders to the presence of a food allergy. Learn more about the types of accessories that are available in our Ronald McDonald House Resource Link guide on medical identification tools.

Preparing to travel when your child has a food allergy can present unique challenges. These resources may help keep your child safe while away from home.

• This resource from FoodAllergy.org has tips for traveling with food allergies.

• These two resources from Very Well Health and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America provide tips to help you prepare for a flight when you or your child has a peanut allergy.

Managing Life Longterm with Food Allergies

• These articles from Kids with Food Allergies and FARE provide resources and activities to help children better understand their food allergies, and offer suggestions on how to include them in advocating for their own needs as an individual with an allergy.

• If you have more than one child in your home it is likely that the needs of your child with an allergy will impact your other children as well. These resources from Allergic Living, A Path to Nature Health, and MyKidsFoodAllergies offer information about supporting siblings of children with food allergies.

• Food Allergy Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity for the whole family to learn more about food allergies. Make it a priority to spread awareness each May, and throughout the year.

• To help ease your mind and prepare your child’s school for their allergy-related food needs, check out this set of resources from FARE.

The following sites offer resources for allergy-friendly recipes and food substitutions.

• This resource includes a list of over 70 allergy-friendly food brands, and this resource lists a wide variety of allergy-friendly food manufacturers.

• Don't Go Nuts is a soy-based brand that sells peanut- and treenut-free spreads and granola bars.

• Kids with Food Allergies shares food allergy resources, allergy alerts, recipes, and more.

• Find recipes for foods that are completely free of the nine most common food allergens with this resource.

SEASONAL/ HOLIDAY RESOURCES

Food allergy management can be especially challenging during holidays, birthdays, and other events. Seasonal treats and holiday feasts often mean eating meals that were not prepared by you, which can cause concern for cross contact of foods. The following is a list of resources to help your child not just get through these special occasions, but enjoy them with the rest of the family:

• This resource from FARE provides information and tips on dining out with a food allergy.

• The Teal Pumpkin Project seeks to make Halloween safe for all kids, and this Allergy-Friendly Halloween Candy Guide from Spokin can be a big help as well!

• This article from Family Education offers food allergy tips for Thanksgiving.

• These resources from Kids with Food Allergies and FARE provide information on allergy-friendly winter holiday celebrations.