5 TIPS TO MANAGE YOUR CHILD'S FOOD ALLERGY
They say “Allergy moms do better research than the FBI.”
We couldn’t agree more.
While there are parents whose primary worry in life is to get their kids to eat food, there is a whole group of parents, with a count in millions, whose primary worry in life is to keep their kids AWAY from food. Well, at least away from certain foods. These are parents whose children suffer from food allergies.
We understand it is quite a challenge to manage your child’s food allergies.
Also read: My child has food allergy. What can I do?
We have therefore put together a couple of points that can help you tread this difficult path.
Keep Your Label Game On Point
The best way to stay safe from food allergies is to steer as far from them as practically possible. It has never been so important to read a label than when dealing with food allergies. And when it is the question of your child, it is even more important. Packaged food products state all the major ingredients used in a product on the label. The practice of carefully reading labels can help you avoid the products that contain ingredients which can trigger an allergic reaction.
Keep Your Child’s Second Home Informed
Schools are seen as second homes for children considering they spend a major part of their day there. While it is relatively easier to manage food allergies at home since you’re around, it can be a bit of a challenge taking care of it while your child is at school. It is imperative that you keep your child’s teacher informed of his/her food allergies as well as the process of allergy treatment in case of a possible allergic reaction.
Sharing With Care
It is quite common for children to eat from each other’s lunch boxes and share food in school. While the practice in itself is harmless, it can raise concerns if you have a child suffering from food allergy. While you may do everything right at your end to ensure your child’s food is completely safe, all of it might go to waste if your child decides to eat food brought by his/her fellow classmates. It can put your child at a risk of consuming allergy-inducing ingredients which can unknowingly act as a cause of allergies. It is therefore important to help your child understand that while he/she is free to offer food to other children but should refrain from eating food from other children’s lunch boxes, only because it could trigger a possible allergic reaction.
Brush Up Your Cooking Skills
It is not the easiest thing to convince your child dealing with food allergies to not share food in school. The only way to ensure their hands don’t go to the neighbouring kid’s snack box is to make sure their snack box is filled with things they like. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be filled with junk food. There are plenty of ways on the internet or in cookbooks through which one can learn to cook everyday healthy meals in a fun, interesting and appetizing manner.
Caution When Eating Outside
The possibilities of a family with a child having food allergies eating outside are few. If you end up in one of those few scenarios, a little precaution on your end will help you have a pleasant time. While placing your order inform the waiter about the ingredients your child is allergic to and make sure he notes them down. When the dish is served, patiently check once more to ensure the food does not contain anything problematic. Always keep the allergy medicine handy in case of any unforeseen allergic reaction.
Child Informed, Child Safe
The most crucial step in managing your child’s food allergies is to help your child understand what he/she is dealing with. Help them understand the ingredient they are up against, what can happen if it goes in their body, and why they should stay away from it. Also keep them prepped with the necessary medicines in case of an allergic reaction and teach them how to take them. They should always have the emergency contact numbers with them.
The Promise of Homeopathy
When it comes to allergy treatment, particularly for children, homeopathy is by far the safest form of treatment. It uses natural ingredients and is free from side effects. Homeopathic treatment for allergies addresses the underlying causes of allergies such as family history, exposure to allergens, related medical conditions, and so on so that your child can experience long-term relief from food allergies. It helps to build the immunity of your child so that he/she can fight the allergy better. The best part is that homeopathic treatment for allergies involves sweet pills that can be easily taken by children without creating much fuss!
Managing food allergies in children is no child’s play. But if anyone can help your children fight it, it’s you. After all, food allergies don’t come with a manual. It comes with a parent who never gives up.
