As a parent it is very common to feel worried about your child having an allergic reaction.25 This concern can help to motivate you and your family to learn how to manage food allergies.26 With the right information, you begin to understand the possible risks for your child and how to reduce them. This helps to keep your anxiety under control so that you can help your child feel confident about managing allergies. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Get the facts. If you are not sure about the level of risk in a certain situation, talk to your child’s doctor, patient organization or a local support group. If you don’t have the facts, it is easy to worry and difficult to find solutions.
Remember that ups and downs are normal. It is normal to experience some anxiety after major life changes, including when your child is first diagnosed with a food allergy or when they start a new activity, such as entering childcare, starting school or going to a friend’s home. You will learn to find routines that keep your child safe and work for your family.
Find a support group in your area. Allergy support groups can provide valuable information and understanding and show you that other families are successfully living with allergies.
Remember that your child learns from you. When your words and behaviour show that you are confident, your child will feel the same. Try not to use words that can scare your child such as describing them as “deathly allergic” or saying “this food can kill my child”. Instead, talk about the fact that food allergies can be managed.
Empower your child. Increase your child’s sense of control by involving them in managing their allergy. Help them build their skills, such as reading food labels and learning how to use their auto-injectors.
Prepare your child for new situations. Visit new places ahead of time and introduce your child to the adults who will take care of them. Tell your child about plans to keep them safe, including emergency steps.
Problem solve with your child. If your child is worried about a situation, talk to them about their concerns and ask them what they and others could do to help. For older children, writing the plan down may make it feel more “official.”
Be available for difficult conversations. If your child thinks that a topic is off limits or makes you feel uneasy, they may not talk to you. Sometimes they fill in the details with their imagination, which can be more frightening than reality.
Additional Information KFA Webinar: Raising a Well-Adjusted Child Who Takes Food Allergies in Stride
Children’s Book: The Bouncing Worry Ball and Mighty Mitt: A Story, Coloring Book and Workbook to Help Kids Overcome Anxiety about Allergies by Leslie R. Brody, PhD
25. Cohen, B.L., Noone, S., Munoz-Furlong, A. and Sicherer, S.H. “Development of a questionnaire to measure quality of life in families with a child with food allergy.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 114 (2004): 1159-63.
26. Mandell, D., Curtis, R., Gold, M., and Hardie, S. “Families coping with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis in a child. A qualitative study of informational and support needs.” Allergy & Clinical Immunology International – Journal of the World Allergy Organization 14 (2002): 96-101.
