3 Tips For Empowering Your Food Allergy Child.
1. Use simple language that they understand.
2. Model your behavior.
3. Focus on building habits that matter.
Let’s get into more detail, but first, let me welcome you to my blog!
If we haven’t met yet, my name is Corinna.
I help severe food allergy moms keep their kids safe while living their best life at home, school, at social events, and while traveling. I care and believe that food allergy families deserve safe, fulfilling life experiences & delicious meals!
If you believe this too, make sure to sign up for my free allergy-friendly recipe ebook. You’ll get 5 days of recipes that kids love (including breakfast, snacks, and dinner) PLUS I’ll keep you in the loop about everything that’s going on in my community and ways to connect with hundreds of other food allergy mamas like you! Hope to see you there!
Now back to:
3 Tips For Empowering Your Food Allergy Child
Use simple language that they understand.
This is especially important if you have a really young child. Explain allergies to your child in very simple terms using words they understand. For example, when you explain what an allergen might do to them, you will want to say things like “make you very sick”, or “will make you feel yucky”. Another idea is to say how it might make their body feel. For example: “it will make your tongue feel “itchy”. Keep the language simple at first and then you can introduce more complicated explanations as they get older.
2. Model your behavior.
Here’s the thing. If you don’t show your child HOW to successfully live with food allergies, they won’t know what to do. It’s important that you model the habits and activities that they’ll need to do on their own in the future.
For example, instead of doing things without them knowing, talk about and SHOW them what you’re doing. Tell them when you’re reading labels, confirming menu items with restaurants, emailing Grandma about the Thanksgiving menu and putting the epinephrine in your purse.
When you do this they’ll see the daily tasks they’ll need to do and feel like it’s doable. They’ll learn as they see you do it. It will become second nature and “no big deal”. If you’re not showing and telling them what you’re doing, your child won’t have a clue that you’re doing it and it will be a shock when they need to become independent.
3. Focus on building habits that matter.
So what are the habits that matter? In my opinion, there are short-term and long-term food allergy habits. The short-term habits are ones that your little needs right away. For example, only eating food that is given to them by a trusted adult, and knowing what their allergens look like.
Long-term habits are habits they need to build over time so they’re ready when they need to be more independent. For example, reading labels of foods before eating anything, cooking & baking without their allergens, and the food allergy activity everyone seems to forget …
The Life-Saving Food Allergies Activity That You Should Not Forget
The food allergies activity that you should not forget is consistently carrying the epinephrine injector.
Carrying the epinephrine deserves to be talked about specifically because it’s so important.
Don’t worry, I know it’s a natural struggle because it’s hard to remember. But, you need to know how important it is for you and your child to consistently carry your epinephrine injector, and it’s critical to build this habit when you’re explaining allergies to a child.
For example, there was a survey done by a well-known allergy doctor, Dr. David Stukus where he interviewed food allergy families who came to his clinic. He found that only 40% of the families with a severe food allergy had their life-saving epinephrine injectors with them. Dr. Stukus felt these results were so alarming that they could not be ignored.
Why?
Because delayed use of epinephrine is a risk factor for death if anaphylaxis occurs. This fact can’t be taken lightly. Carrying your epinephrine injector everywhere is an essential food allergies activity, and not to be forgotten.
But actually starting this positive habit isn’t easy. It takes a plan and then action. First, if you feel nervous or scared about the epinephrine injector, then go to this blog post where I’ll share my story about when my daughter had a scary reaction and I was afraid to use the EpiPen.
If, however, you’re wondering HOW to start this important food allergies activity so your child is ready for when they need to be more independent, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
How To Start Carrying Epinephrine Consistently
I can help you set your child up for success when it comes to consistently carrying epinephrine. I’ve created The Calm Epinephrine Workshop In about an hour I’ll help you and your child think positively about the epinephrine injector (so neither of you is afraid of it) and help you create a plan to get your child to consistently carry it on their own so they’re ready when they need to be independent.
Seconds count during an anaphylactic reaction. Don’t let not having the injector stop you from using this life-saving medicine in time! Take action now before you or your child are in a scary situation, so you can worry less about everyday activities like playdates and travel.
Here’s how this workshop will help:
Peace in your home. Your child WANTS to wear their epinephrine so you don't have to fight with them every time you go out.
Awareness. Your child's friends get used to seeing them wear the epinephrine so they know your child has an allergy even if your child is tempted to hide it in the teen years.
A confident future. Your child has solid epinephrine-carrying habits so they are used to it and confident with it before they get to the difficult teen years when they really don't want to stand out from the crowd.
Safety. Your child always has their life-saving medicine with them so it's ready to use if needed.
Go here to learn more about this life-changing workshop.
Conclusion
I showed you how to explain allergies to a child and it’s more than just talking. It takes action on your part to help your child understand AND be prepared as they grow.
Carrying the epinephrine injector is a crucial food allergy activity, but it’s often forgotten. If you need help setting your child up for success, check out the Calm Epinephrine Workshop. You’ll create a plan to help your child consistently carry their epinephrine.
