Page 44 - The Ultimate Guidebook for Teens with Food Allergies

Have you ever done something in advance of a party to make sure you’re safe?
Hannah - I always make sure that at least one friend at the party with me is aware of the risks associated with partying and having allergies. It’s always good to have someone there for you in case things go wrong.
Karen - Whenever my friends and I have dinner parties, I always make a point of reminding them about my allergies in the hope that they remember when they’re cooking. It never hurts to remind people, even those who are super close to you, about your allergies.
Nick – I always make sure I have my auto-injector with me. I also always have my wallet with my health card, a cell phone, and a friend that I trust.
Have you ever heard of alcohol that contains your allergen?
Hannah - I was shocked to learn that there are some alcohols that can contain allergens. Although they’re not the most common, some are used for cooking and some rum is made with nuts! It’s important to know what drinks you can and cannot have.
Nick – Yes, but I was only fourteen at the time. So it didn’t mean much to me back then. However, as a twenty-year-old now, it is much more important to know. When you drink you may become inebriated and be unable to make well-thought-out decisions. So it is really important to understand what drinks are unsafe and stick with what you know is okay.
Karen - Yes, and I was happy to have figured that out before getting into partying with my friends. I now look up ingredients of alcohols that I’ve never tried before just to be on the safe side.
To wrap it up...
As a teen with food allergies, it is important to realize that you don’t have to miss out on normal teenage experiences like going to parties. That being said, parties can be one of the more dangerous settings for those of us with allergies because, especially when alcohol is involved, people are often not making the best decisions and situations can get out of hand quickly.
The most essential thing you can do to keep yourself safe at a party is to ensure that you have at least one auto-injector on your person. While it is great to have one in your purse, or in your jacket at the door, it can easily get buried under a messy pile of coats and be very difficult to find if you are having a reaction. At some parties, there is even a chance that a purse or jacket could be stolen. To be safe, then,