Food Allergies and Back to School

 It's nearly that time of year again -- time to send your children back to school. Over the next few weeks, children all over the United States will be headed back to school. Many of these children have food allergies, which requires strict avoidance of the trigger foods, as well as having the ability to treat a severe allergic reaction as a result of accidental exposure to that trigger food. If your child has food allergies, find out how to safely send your food allergic child back to school.  

Someone forward you this email? No Sweat! Sign up here to get your own If you're having trouble viewing this email, click here Follow Us Food Allergies and Back to School  It's nearly that time of year again -- time to send your children back to school. Over the next few weeks, children all over the United States will be headed back to school. Many of these children have food allergies, which requires strict avoidance of the trigger foods, as well as having the ability to treat a severe allergic reaction as a result of accidental exposure to that trigger food. If your child has food allergies, find out how to safely send your food allergic child back to school.   Daniel More, MD Allergies Expert All About Food Allergies Approximately 8% of children and 2% of adults suffer from true food allergies. When the culprit food is eaten, most allergic reactions will occur within minutes. Skin symptoms (itching, urticaria, angioedema) are the most common, and occur during most food reactions. Other symptoms can include nasal (sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and eyes), gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting, cramping, diarrhea), lung (shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness), and vascular (low blood pressure, lightheadedness, rapid heart beat) symptoms. When severe, this reaction is called anaphylaxis, and can be life threatening.   READ NOW How Many Epi-Pens Do You Need? Most people with food allergies have a hard enough time remembering to carry one Epi-Pen, so the thought of carrying two may sound overwhelming. Unfortunately, many people with severe food allergies may need more than one dose of epinephrine if they accidentally eat the food to which they’re allergic. READ NOW Do Odors From Foods Cause Allergic Reactions? Many parents of children with food allergies have a concern that food odors and smells might cause an allergic reaction. While this possibility exists, it would be extremely rare. There have been reports of people with shellfish allergy experiencing allergic reactions to steam coming from shellfish being cooked. However, in the case of peanuts and peanut butter, there is no protein present in the air that can trigger an allergic reaction, despite the fact that the peanut odor is readily detected. READ NOW Featured Articles • Science Says These 3 Things Will Make You Happier • The 10-minute Ab Circuit Workout • The Top 10 Foods You Should Always Have in Your House • 5 Sneaky Ways to Spot a Diet Scam • Book Review: Wheat Belly Total Health • 10 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight • 3 Questions to Ask Before You Take a Weight Loss Pill • Top 5 Supplements to Consider for Optimum Fitness? Advertisement About Allergies  |  Follow Us You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Allergies newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 © 2015 About.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.