Living with a food allergy can be a bigger challenge for a teenager than for a toddler. This is because this age is when they love to be with their friends, be social , and do everything together. So at such a time, when they can't eat what their friends eat, when they have to ask for their own food, when they have to stand aside while everyone else is eating something, they can feel uncomfortable. It can also affect their self-confidence.
So, as a mother or father, today we're going to talk about a few things you can do to help your child manage this condition and stop this food allergy from taking over their life.
How can we as parents help?
This should be a long conversation that is held every time, rather than a big one-time talk, as the child goes out alone and starts doing his own things. Even pediatric allergy specialists say that "it is very important for parents to prepare children to be independent." So let's see what can be done step by step.
1. Have a good discussion with your child about this.
This is the most important thing. Talk openly with your child.
- Teach your child to read food labels: Teach your child to read the ingredients on every food package you buy from the store. Sometimes, words like "casein" may be listed instead of "milk." Also, teach them about warnings like "may contain traces of nuts."
- Teach your child to recognize the symptoms: It's important for your child to know exactly what happens when they have an allergy. It can range from minor symptoms like hives and itching to more severe symptoms like difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat/tongue, and dizziness. This severe condition is called anaphylaxis .
- Teach them what to do in an emergency: If severe symptoms occur, teach them how to seek help immediately without panicking. This means giving them a clear understanding of how to call the 1990 (Suvasariya) ambulance service immediately, or how to go to the nearest hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) .
2. Empower the child to be independent.
You are not always with your child. So you need to strengthen your child to cope with this situation when you are not there.
- Practice coping skills: Talk about what to do together at a friend's birthday party or a school event. For example, talk about options like, "If you can't eat while your friends are eating cake, you can eat a safe snack from home."
- Help make a "Chef Card": This is a very useful thing to do. On a small card, write clearly in Sinhala and English what foods your child is allergic to. When you go to a restaurant, give this card to the waiter or manager and encourage your child to ask for help in preparing a safe meal for them. Practice saying, "I am allergic to these things, please ask the chef if they can make my meal without these things."
3. See a good specialist
Find an allergist you both trust and are comfortable talking to. Stay in touch with him or her regularly.
- Go to clinics on time: This is very important to manage allergies, update necessary medications, and learn new things to take care of yourself.
4. Control your asthma well.
This is a very important point. If a child with severe food allergies also has asthma, it can be very dangerous.
Keeping your asthma under control can help prevent a severe allergic reaction to a food. Make sure your child is taking their daily 'preventer' inhaler . "Many young children use their 'rescue' inhaler (the blue puffer) every day. But that can make things worse. If your child is constantly having to use their 'rescue' inhaler, it's a sign that their asthma is out of control," experts say. If so, see your doctor right away .
| Nature of the reaction | Recognizable features | What to do immediately |
|---|---|---|
| Mild Reaction | Redness of the skin, small blisters (hives), itching, runny nose, itchy eyes. | Give the allergy medicine (antihistamine) prescribed by the doctor. Keep the child calm and monitor the symptoms. |
| Severe reaction (Severe/Anaphylaxis) | Difficulty breathing, wheezing, swelling of the throat/tongue/lips, difficulty speaking, dizziness, vomiting, loss of consciousness. | This is an emergency! Call 911 immediately. If the doctor has given you an auto-injector like an EpiPen, use it immediately. Take the child to the nearest ETU . |
5. Connect with people who have similar experiences
It is also a great strength for you and your child to know that there are others who are facing similar challenges. Perhaps you can form a small group by talking to other parents at the clinic you go to. Support groups on social media can also be helpful. This will help both you and your child feel that they are not alone.
6. Instead of fear, model wisdom.
"It is very important to teach children to be careful, not to cause unnecessary fear," say experts. If you deal with this in a panic or fear, the child will feel that fear too. Therefore, when you act calmly but carefully, it sets a good example for the child. Then the child will look at this situation not with fear, but with intelligence.
Remember, our goal should not be to hide the child from the world. It should be to prepare the child to face the world safely .
Take-Home Message
- Talk openly and often with your young child about food allergies. Listen to their feelings.
- Empower them to independently learn how to read food labels, recognize symptoms, and seek help in an emergency.
- If your child has asthma, control it very well . Follow your doctor's instructions.
- Always have an action plan ready for an emergency. Make your child aware of it too.
- When you, as a parent, act calmly and wisely , your child will learn to manage their situation responsibly and without fear.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න