More children than ever have food allergies nowadays, making it one of the biggest problems affecting family wellness. Even if your child’s own personal wellness and wellbeing is not affected by a food allergy, the chances are that they will have friends and classmates who have allergies, and if you want to spend time with these children then you should know a bit about what causes them and what to do about them.
The reason for the increase in food allergies is unknown, but it does also mean that people’s awareness of food allergies is also increasing and that schools are becoming better prepared to deal with cases of allergies and food intolerance.
In order to be similarly prepared, you should keep an eye on all children who are eating food at your hours or whilst in your care. A child who is allergic to peanuts, for example, has an immune system that reacts to peanuts as if they are an enemy inside the human body. The reaction to this can take the form of a runny nose right up to full on anaphylaxis and breathing problems. Children who are allergic to certain foods must be extremely vigilant about avoiding the foods. Some may also carry prescription medication, or an epi pen, around with them to help them manage any allergic reactions.
Eight foods are the most common allergens, and those are peanuts, milk, tree nuts, eggs, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. Young children share toys and food so many schools have a policy of not allowing children to eat anything that any other child is allergic to. Food can rub off on other children’s hands, for example, and some schools even ban food cartons in case of an allergic reaction.