Peanut Allergy Primer for Parents

Approximately 1% of children now have peanut allergies. That is about 3 million people and that is a growing number.

Peanut allergies are NOTHING to take lightly and are usually a life threatening condition so it is very important to know how to prevent an attack and to know what to do if there is an attack.

1. Read ALL food labels and know what words manufacturers use.

2. Have at least two Epi-Pens and an antihistamine with your child at all times. These have to be in the nurses office at school but if the allergy is life threatening it can be in the classroom or on the body at all times. (I had one student who had a life-threatening milk protein allergy and kept an Epi-Pen on her ALL the time).

3. Make sure all adults know the signs of an attack AND how to treat it.

4. Have an emergency plan for all scenarios. (The student with the milk protein allergy went to a dairy farm and had to stay clear of all surfaces that could have been touched by milk because she was allergic by ingestion and by touch).

5. Teach your child not to take food and if your child is young teach them code words. (We taught AJ that certain foods made his “tummy hurt” and now that he is older that he is “allergic” or that they have “wheat or milk” in them.)

6. Educate yourself and stay informed. Food manufacturers change their ingredients ALL the time.