The Best Time to Start Teaching Your Child About Food Allergies is When He or She is Very Young
Managing a child's life-threatening food allergies is a constant challenge. Food, and food residue, is everywhere -- and the sooner you can get your food-allergic child to understand the basics of "I have food allergies" and "eating or touching certain things can make me sick" the better!
Luckily there are lots of resources available to help introduce your child to food allergies in an age-appropriate way. Here's a guide to resources to help your child understand and accept his or her food allergies, cooperate with the food allergy management plan, and grow up with a strong sense of self esteem.
Luckily there are lots of resources available to help introduce your child to food allergies in an age-appropriate way. Here's a guide to resources to help your child understand and accept his or her food allergies, cooperate with the food allergy management plan, and grow up with a strong sense of self esteem.
Where to Start
The best place to start is with books. Children love picture books, and food-allergic children love learning about others who have food allergies "just like me." What are Some of the Main Ideas You Should Get Across?
When your child is very young, the most important things to teach are:
- You have food allergies
- Certain foods can make you sick
- Only touch food that Mommy or Daddy (or Fill-in-the-Blank) has approved
- Don't take food from strangers
- Speak up right away if you don't feel right
- When in doubt, spit it out
You should also be sure to teach your child what the allergenic foods look like!
- You have food allergies
- Certain foods can make you sick
- Only touch food that Mommy or Daddy (or Fill-in-the-Blank) has approved
- Don't take food from strangers
- Speak up right away if you don't feel right
- When in doubt, spit it out
You should also be sure to teach your child what the allergenic foods look like!
Children's Books about Food Allergy
Great Books Your Kids Will Love
Popular picture books for younger children will help teach them what they need to know.
Don't Forget to Tell Your Child...
That there's nothing wrong with being "different." You absolutely adore him or her just the way he or she is!
Books for the Peanut-Allergic
Children's books written specifically for kids with peanut allergy.
Still More Books for Kids with Food Allergies
What Else is Out There?
Books are wonderful, but they're not the only resource available to teach your child about food allergies! You can also order flash cards, DVDs, and even a musical CD about food allergies. Arthur DVD and Neat Flashcards
Your child will love the "Binky Goes Nuts" episode of Arthur...and you'll love the way the "Beyond a Peanut" flashcards help teach some important food allergy topics.
You've Got to Check Out this Food Allergy Music CD!
- "You Must Be Nuts" CD
- Kyle Dine is a food-allergic musician who has created an entire CD of children's music about food allergies. "You Must Be Nuts" is must-have music for your young food-allergic child!
Lots of Great Resources are Also Available from FAAN
The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
- Resources from FAAN
- Be sure to shop at the FAAN website for children's books, DVD's (the "Alexander the Elephant Who Couldn't Eat Peanuts" program is great for teaching your child's preschool and kindergarten classmates about food allergies), and more.
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- CounselMom CounselMom Apr 27, 2009 @ 10:34 am
- Please consider joining our Kids and Food Headquarters group at: http://www.squidoo.com/groups/kidsandfood
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- Linda_Coss Linda_Coss Jul 1, 2008 @ 10:41 pm
- Hi Amy! The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) has a "Food Allergy Program for Childcare Centers and Preschools" available for $75.00 at http://www.foodallergy.org/school.html#. According to their website, "This comprehensive program - endorsed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American Academy of Pediatrics - is designed to educate caregivers of children under age 5. The guide includes two educational videos (one for adults, one for children), a binder of information, an EpiPen® trainer, a Twinject® trainer, and much more."
If you happen to be in the Kansas City area, the Food Allergy Connection can provide an inservice for you. See http://www.foodallergyconnection.org/id20.html.
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- Amy Worley Amy Worley Jul 1, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
- Please help me locate training type infor for preschool teachers on food allergies and related topics. Thank you
ericsmommy52507@yahoo.com
by Linda_Coss
I am the author of 3 books about food allergy: "What's to Eat? The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook," "What Else is to Eat? The Dai... (more)
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