May means talking about food allergies. Okay, sure. When you live with food allergies, you’re talking about them more or less all the time. But May, and the second full week of the month in particular, is a time to raise awareness and educate others about what it’s like to live with life threatening food allergies.
Food Allergy Awareness Week is a great time to share your story and help others better understand how to be a good support for someone living with allergies. (You’ll find a few great suggestions on how to get started with that here: 5 Easy Ways to Raise Food Allergy Awareness.)
Before you drop by your child’s classroom to read “Allie the Allergic Elephant” or post that reel loaded with actionable steps folks can take to help keep your allergic loved ones safe, invest a little time on research and planning. Yes, you know a lot about allergies simply living with them. Yet, even those of us that are steeped in the day-to-day maintenance (for ourselves or a loved one), aren’t necessarily experts.
We know our own experiences. We know what works for us. We know what we’ve been advised by our healthcare providers. Before we go forth and raise awareness, however, we ought to be sure that we’re armed with not just our own story, but facts, figures, and information from actual experts. Knowing which of those resources are reputable and useful is key.
As we head into another Food Allergy Awareness Week, the following sites and resources will be helpful in equipping you with the information you need to raise awareness.
FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) www.foodallergy.org/
When the news media began to cover stories about a nasal spray delivery of epinephrine, you may have heard them quote someone from FARE. This non-profit group is focused on education, research, and advocacy for the 33 Million Americans living with food allergies. Their website is a “first stop” for many newly diagnosed patients because of the wealth of information presented in digestible chunks. This organization is a great resource for clear, concise, and current information about food allergies.
FAACT (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team) www.foodallergyawareness.org/
Likewise, FAACT’s mission is also “to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis.” They offer a wide variety of articles, a podcast, and events on the topic of food allergies and anaphylaxis. From advice on living with food allergies to guidelines supporting accommodations and behavioral health, this website is chockful of good stuff from a trusted advocacy group.
AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology) http://www.aaai.org
If you really want to dig around stats and figures from the experts, AAAAI is a great site. It’s the professional membership organization of more than 7,100 allergists and immunologists. This is an expert site for experts. And don’t worry, you don’t need to wade through medical journals and jargon. AAAAI’s site includes a section for patient information, too. Check out their “Tools for the Public” section.
KFA (Kids with Food Allergies) Kidswithfoodallergies.org
KFA, and its parent organization Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, is one of the oldest non-profit organizations with a focus on advocacy and education related to asthma and allergies. This group specifically focuses on the impact on children; however, the information you’ll find on their website is applicable to allergic individuals of any age. Bookmark this page for recipes, expert interviews, advocacy updates, and more.
Instagram for Dr. Dave Stukus (instagram.com/allergykidsdoc/)
Dr. Dave, as his patients call him, is the Director of the Food Allergy Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Vice President of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. He’s also built an active social media presence where he breaks down current research and news related to food allergies into language we can understand. He offers a calm, measured look at what’s new, busts myths, and occasionally drops in a Dad joke or two.
Instagram for Dr. Farah Khan (Instagram.com/farah.khan.md)
Before you jump off your social media feeds, check out Dr. Farah Khan. She’s another great expert resource that’s talking about all things allergies, eczema, and asthma. To quote her bio, her posts come with a “little bit of spice and a bunch of science.” She’s got some good stuff to share in an accessible way.
