Why you should teach your children food allergies, even if they do not have them

Imagine this scenario: A child with a life-threatening food allergy, but too young to know how severe it is, is offered a snack containing the offending ingredient while at a friend’s home or at a birthday party. Even if other parents are aware of it, just one second without constant vigilance can turn into a disaster. While parents of children with severe allergies are often referred to as “helicopter parents” and told that they are overreacting, this is far from the truth. The fact is that food allergies are on the rise and are not due to parental pampering.

Peanut and egg allergies have increased over the years

According to the non-profit FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education), approximately 32 million people in the USA suffer from food allergies and one in thirteen children suffer from allergies. Every three minutes someone is sent to the emergency room for a food allergy. 40% of children with food allergies have had a severe allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis.

Through anaphylaxis, the immune system releases chemicals that often lead to a state of shock. A person’s blood pressure drops suddenly and breathing is blocked by narrowed airways. If this is not treated immediately, it can be fatal.

Some allergies are life-threatening

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that between 1997 and 2011, food allergies in children increased by 50%. So what causes the increase in allergies?

According to a study in Frontiers in Immunology, changes in the human microbiome play a role in this increase. Scientists have speculated that increased exposure to environmental antimicrobial compounds and antibiotics may have altered the symbiotic relationship between the human body and microbiomes, leading to a change in the immune system’s response to allergens.

Not everyone has access to EpiPens

Currently, there is no cure for allergies, and not everyone in the healthcare industry covers EpiPens. In the meantime, we can educate our children about these problems, whether they are affected or not, to ensure that they are prepared for these types of situations.

With a little more awareness, potentially life-threatening situations can decrease, and when this type of awareness normalizes at a young age, everyone is better prepared to deal with the situations that arise.

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