Page 95 - The Ultimate Guidebook for Teens with Food Allergies

Erika – All of my friends know about my allergies and the severity of them. Knowing that they know makes me feel safer.
Katelyn - Every friend that I have knows about my allergy and they will usually inform me if they have come into contact with one my allergens.
Sophia - All of my friends know about my allergy. If I don’t tell someone about my allergy, it’s likely that I don’t trust them or I don’t spend enough time with them to deem it necessary. And that’s not really someone I’d call a friend.
What are your favourite ways of bringing up the topic of allergies?
Erika - I often discuss my allergies when I first introduce myself to a new friend. It is a part of what makes me who I am. And I’d much rather explain my allergies right away rather than have them find out when I am having a reaction.
Katelyn - My favourite way of bringing up the topic of my allergies is to simply just bring it up whenever the opportunity presents itself. It is especially interesting to talk about with fellow biology students at my university who can also contribute to the conversation about the complex anatomical and biological processes that are involved in an allergic reaction!
Sophia – For me, Halloween is the best time (I am allergic to pumpkin seeds!). However, if it is not October, I tend to ease into it by relating it to something else. If, for instance, my eyes are itchy, I will say “Well, hello again allergies! I have a severe allergy to such and such.”
Do your high school teachers and coaches know about your allergies?
Erika - My high school teachers and coaches were all aware of my allergies. On the first day of each school year, I always spoke to each of my teachers individually about my allergies and showed them how to use my epinephrine auto-injector using a demonstration epinephrine auto-injector.
Sophia - When I was in high school, the main office had a wall with a picture of every student with an anaphylactic allergy. Underneath each picture was their name, their grade, their class and, of course, their allergies!
Have you ever had issues with family members who don’t get it?
Erika - I’ve had family members who do not understand my allergies at all and others who have not fully understood the severity of cross-contamination or ‘may contain’ labels. With proper explanations, I have helped them understand over time.