Holidays are a challenging time for people with food allergies because of the focus on traditional foods and activities. Just one bite of a tempting food can cause a serious or life threatening reaction. Preventing accidental ingestions is the key to celebrating a safe, joyous holiday season with family and friends.
Most accidental ingestions occur when eating away from home. If you are invited to a holiday party, plan ahead. Let your hosts know about food allergies well in advance. Offer to bring a dish or two that complements the meal being served but is safe for the guest with food allergies. The majority of allergic reactions occur from ingestion of dessert. Bringing a favorite safe dessert is an easy way to help your busy host and still enjoy the best part of the meal.
Eat a snack before you go to parties, so that you are not tempted to try a food out of hunger. Always ask about ingredients in the food being served before you try it, and be careful about homemade foods that may contain “secret ingredients.” The cook may not have thought about food allergies or cross-contamination. If there is a doubt, don’t eat it, even if it might offend the cook. Don’t forget that serving utensils are a common source of cross contamination. Traces of allergens on serving utensils have caused severe, even fatal reactions. If you have a food allergy, serve yourself first if possible. If there is a doubt, ask for a clean serving utensil.
Parents often express concern about protecting very young children from accidental ingestions at busy holiday parties. Allergy alert clothing or clip-on tags stating the child’s food allergy discourage feeding the child without permission from the parents. These provide an immediate visual cue that the child is food allergic and are very effective in deterring well meaning friends and family members from unknowingly exposing the child to unsafe foods.
Holiday crafts and activities can also expose children with food allergies to unsafe foods. Cookie decorating, making bread dough ornaments, making peanut butter and seed pinecones for the birds, and even the treats earned from caroling can pose a hidden threat to young children with food allergies. Remind your child’s teacher about foods to avoid during holiday projects at school; consider volunteering during holiday parties. Children just want to fit in and be part of the fun; it’s important to keep their activities safe.
Always carry your EpiPen or Twinject epinephrine injector and make sure you know how to use it. If an accidental ingestion occurs, don’t try to tough it out. Epinephrine is the only lifesaving medicine used to treat allergic reactions to food. If you use your epinephrine injector, go to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
Food allergies should not stop anyone from having a safe and happy holiday season. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network now offers The Food Allergy News Holiday Cookbook, available at http://www.foodallergy.org/. This book contains 150 allergy free recipes, as well as tips for hosts and guests with food allergies. FAAN can also be reached at 800-929-4040.
For lots of great allergy free holiday craft ideas, log on to kidswithfoodallergies.org
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)