May is for Food Allergy Awareness AND Mental Health Awareness

May is for food allergy awareness & mental health awareness

food allergy (FA) & mental health— the 2 are deeply connected for us. being a mother to a child with multiple food allergies means anxiety is no stranger to me.

our allergy family origin story

life really did get flipped upside down the day Emma was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. emergency responders hovered over her swollen unrecognizable face & red rash covered body. they told me her breathing was not normal (anaphylaxis) — I had no idea what that meant. all I knew was: we weren’t sure if she was going to make it

she was 7 months old and had consumed less than 1/8 tsp of cashew butter.

as an allergy mum, I have to scrutinize all food items, face/body/hair care products (anything that could come into contact with my child), toys, surfaces and surroundings. even a trace amount of her allergens triggers her immune system.

yes, it’s a huge responsibility on my end, and while i’ve gotten quite good at taking precautionary measures, I am human - I need the support of our community to truly keep Emma safe.

that’s why this month is huge for us. more are willing to listen. more are willing to learn to be aware. Allergy aware.

so THANK YOU to whoever made May “Food Allergy Awareness Month” - I feel like permission has been granted for me to focus on sharing food allergy related tips we’ve acquired on our journey (with less of the usual discomfort that comes with communicating my child’s allergy situation)

#foodallergyawareness Tip No. 1

Have grace for us—

a 2021 survey showed that roughly half of food allergy parents met the clinical cut off for post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS). parents whose children have needed an epinephrine auto-injector were 7x more likely to experience PTSS

Allergy Family mums/dads need to be taken care of too so we can show up for our children.