Awareness Matters

by Kelley Barnett

If you do not live with the daily responsibility of managing food allergies, Food Allergy Awareness Week may not seem like a big deal. It is for the food allergy community because it provides a special opportunity to highlight facts to the public with the hope of educating and increasing empathy for a subject that many know little about until it becomes a part of their personal lives.

Food allergy awareness matters because...

• The 15 million Americans diagnosed with food allergy matter
• Every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the ER
• There is no known cause or cure for food allergy and the number of people with the disease is growing
• Reactions can range from a mild response to anaphylaxis (a severe and potentially deadly reaction)
• About 1/3 of children with food allergies report being bullied because of their allergies, by other children as well as adults charged with their care
• Inclusion matters

Source: FARE

As we educate ourselves about food allergy, we are not only better able to assist an allergic person during a reaction; we are better equipped to include them in daily living. See, for an allergic person, sometimes the worst part about having a food allergy is not the fear of a reaction. For some, the most difficult part of the diagnosis is being excluded - from the birthday party, family gathering, school field trip, work luncheon, church dinner, class project, the list is endless. Some of us are quick to exclude an allergic person out of fear, out of not knowing how to keep them safe or not knowing how to respond to a reaction.

​Awareness matters to minimize your fears. You CAN learn how to prepare food in a way that minimizes cross-contact. You CAN learn how to make substitutions in a recipe. You CAN learn how to recognize symptoms of a reaction, read an emergency care plan and use an epinephrine auto-injector. You CAN learn how to safely include an allergic individual as an active participant, without leaving them as an observer.

Awareness matters because the allergic person's safety and quality of life matter.

FAAM raises awareness throughout the year but on this 20th Anniversary of Food Allergy Awareness Week - May 14-20, 2017, we are glad to celebrate in special ways. 

• ​We appreciate the local support and recognition from the governor and county mayor. They signed proclamations recognizing Food Allergy Awareness Week in Tennessee and Shelby County. 
• ​​My friend "Melanie" and I visited with a great group of preschoolers for a lesson in food allergy. With approximately 1 in 13 children diagnosed with a food allergy, they are likely to have a friend with allergies. They learned to be a pal by washing hands, not sharing food, and telling an adult if their friend feels sick. We also read the Dairy-Free Dino-licious Dig and donated the book to the library.
• ​It was really exciting to see the Capitol "turn teal" for the first time. Tennessee joined other sites worldwide to raise food allergy awareness.
  

This matters because it starts our conversation.

Let's continue it! Educate yourself about food allergy:

• Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)
• Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
• ​Kids With Food Allergies (KFA)
• ​FAAM's Resource Page

​You can contact FAAM for an educational presentation or with questions. We also encourage Mid-South individuals and families who manage food allergies, as well as medical professionals and community members interested in advocating for food allergies, to join the FAAM!