Tag Archives: Health and Safety

Awareness for Commonly Misused Allergy Phrases








– Fraser K.


How Both of my Parents Contributed to Me Being Safe and Normal Growing Up with Food Allergies

Thanks to my parents, I didn’t feel much different from others despite growing up with a food allergy. I had to take on more of a responsibility and be more cautious than others, but I was lucky enough to live a safe and normal childhood with the support and guidance of my mom and dad. Here is a list of ways both of my parents contributed to me feeling safe and normal growing up with food allergies.

  1. They educated themselves, me and those around me:

My parents educated themselves through support groups such as TAEG (Toronto Anaphylaxis Education Group) to get the information and knowledge they needed to make sure I was living safely despite the dangers of my allergy. After educating themselves through their attendance at informational meetings on allergies, they passed on their new knowledge and taught me how to be responsible, cautious, and vocal about my allergies. I was very lucky to have such an amazing support system. Not only did they educate me, but they also made sure to educate those around me including my friends, my teachers, and my extended family. My allergies made me feel special in a positive way rather than in a negative way. My family and friends set safe food aside for me and always took the time to make sure I never felt left out.

  1. Safety at school:

My mother was extremely involved at my elementary school through volunteering and participating in council meetings. She helped plan events like school fairs to make sure they were allergy safe and inclusive of all allergic students and family members. She also helped organize hot lunches that were allergy safe. In addition, my mom always volunteered to be a parent organizer and supervisor on my school trips to ensure I could attend and be safe on trips to the zoo and museums, and so I wouldn’t miss out on the fun opportunity with classmates.

  1. Safety at birthday parties:

My mom attended all birthday parties that I was invited to. She would talk to the parents to see where they got the pizza, snacks, and cake. She was there to read all ingredients and to make sure I would be safe while having fun and enjoying time with my friends or family. If I couldn’t have the cake at a birthday party, my mom was always prepared and one step ahead as she always had a safe snack packed for me to enjoy at cake time.

  1. Safety at restaurants:

Growing up my parents communicated my allergies for me. At restaurants, they showed me how to communicate my allergies to the wait staff, manager, and chef. They also taught me how to look through the menu to find the safest option. When I was older, they handed the task over to me and made sure I could practice explaining my allergies with the comfort of knowing they were there to help if needed.

Despite having food allergies, I felt like a normal kid while growing up. My parents enrolled me in numerous extra-curricular activities and allowed me to go on overnight trips without them. They helped me learn how to not allow my allergies to hold me back from doing anything or going anywhere, to communicate my allergies, and to live life to the fullest despite having food allergies. Thanks mom and dad!

– Michelle D.

Explaining Food Allergies to Kids

Birthday Party

When I was growing up my parents would go to exhaustive lengths to ensure anyone who babysat me knew the full extent of my allergies, how to avoid triggers, and what to do incase I had contact with a potential allergen.  As I got older, I switched roles and soon found that I was the babysitter now explaining to the children I was looking after why I couldn’t prepare them things like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

With the rate of childhood food allergies on the rise, it is becoming important to not over simplify or downplay your allergies when talking to children. Rather it is important to make sure they are told, in an age appropriate manner, what allergies are and the seriousness of an allergic reaction. From my perspective, there are two benefits that can result from taking the time to explain food allergies to children. The first obvious benefit is that a child is more likely to act appropriately around you with regards to your allergies. The second, larger benefit is the fact that, the more exposure to and education about allergies they receive, the more likely they are to understand the concept of food allergies in general.

One of the biggest things to keep in mind and assess when explaining food allergies to children is the actual age of the child and what they will be able to comprehend in terms of information and detail.  You don’t need to go assessing where the child falls on Piaget’s Scale of Cognitive Development, but gain a sense of what is appropriate for them to learn based on things they already know. When talking to a child about food allergies, engage them in the conversation, ask them questions to assess their ability to understand what you are explaining and, if you have the time and are really creative, feel free to get interactive and even make a game about the information they are learning! Okay. So not every time you explain your allergies to a child will involve a game about say ‘matching food allergies with symptoms’. But try to always get to know the child you’re talking to and see what’s the best way you can relate to them and help them with understanding this important topic.

In terms about what information to address, again this will involve assessing why you are bringing this topic up with the child and what they will most benefit from learning. If this is a child’s first exposure to someone with allergies, the obvious conversation to start with is what allergies are. For a younger child, the most important piece to get across is the emphasis that some foods are very harmful if eaten or even touched by people with allergies. As a child gets older, they will be able to understand and even be interested in a more in-depth explanation of allergies. This can involve going on to explain the body’s immune system and how it can overreact and identify certain food items as allergens. If a child is exposed to someone, such as a playmate with severe allergies, it then might also be worth explaining about the treatment involved when someone is having an allergic reaction. The explanation can again vary but could involve emphasis on notifying an adult or someone who is able to activate EMS and provide immediate treatment with an auto-injector or, if appropriate, the child could be educated about the process of using an auto injector. 

With food allergies on the rise, it is never too early to start educating children about what allergies are and how to act around those who do have allergies. And who better to start the conversation than a young adult who has grown up and has had the experience first hand!

Caitlyn P.

Going to The Dentist with Allergies







Talia A.

Cruises And Allergies Take Two: Another Personal Account!





Before you go:




Onboard the Ship:





Sara  S.

Allergies and All-Inclusive Resorts

Beach toys

When thinking about all-inclusive resorts, the first thing that should come to mind is sheer serenity—things like a clear blue ocean, white sandy beaches, and flawless sunny weather.

Even though vacations to all-inclusive destinations do provide many people with a much needed breather from life’s obstacles and challenges, those with allergies actually end-up encountering a host of other potential challenges. These can transform a stress-free getaway into a stressful experience.

Therefore, for all who love to travel, I will offer-up my suggestions in the following two sections. These should help you to prepare for your next trip. I am drawing these from my own experiences.

Choosing a location:

Many all-inclusive destination resorts are located in the Caribbean; so my advice will be focused upon Caribbean destinations. Try choosing an Island where English is the native tongue or at least widely used (ie. Turks and Caicos, Barbados, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etcetera…). When I travelled to Turks and Caicos, I found this to be key in terms of communicating my allergies to the hotel staff. You should also look for Islands that have international-chain grocery stores. Turks and Caicos had an IGA steps away from the hotel, This reduced a lot of the stress when it came to eating and preparing food.  If you want to avoid the islands completely, another excellent option includes US-based destinations: Florida, California or Arizona. All of these states have great weather and high-standards when it comes to food quality and health-care. These factors should not be “be-all and end-all” determinants when it comes to looking for a destination; but keep them in mind.

Choosing your hotel:

When looking for hotels, always try to book a room with a kitchen, even if it is a bit pricier. When travelling to the Dominican Republic, a few years back, I found booking a room with a kitchen to be a big stress-reliever. There were no grocery stores around; so I just asked the chef in the hotel’s restaurant to provide me with a raw piece of veal or chicken that I would grill myself, in my room. Beware, however, that some hotels are not open to doing this. So be sure to call well in advance of your arrival. It is always good practice to call your hotel in advance to ask about the hotel’s allergy policies (if they exist), the nearest medical centre, and the room’s amenities. I can’t tell you how many times I have booked a room with a “fully equipped kitchen,” only to find a broken microwave and circa-1992 mini-bar fridge. ALWAYS call in advance. A lot of people I know “risk it” when on vacation and just eat food from the buffet. I would strongly advise against this. As alluring as the beach and buffet notion is, at all-inclusive resorts, eating at buffets puts you at an increased risk for eating cross-contaminated food. Tongs are not properly cleaned and people use their hands to pick-up food, etcetera. Always try to have as much control over your food as possible.

These are some tips from my experiences. As you travel more, you will begin to carve-out your own routines and form your own rules based upon your own experiences. The key things to keep in mind are to know your destination, know your hotel, and know yourself. You always have to feel comfortable in the situation that you are in; this will guarantee you a stress-free trip.

Saverio M. 

Always Packing: Carrying Your Auto-Injector  

Live_Main Auto Injector

It all started with a fanny-pack. It was a bright blue, yellow zippered, Tigger-themed fanny-pack to be exact. From the time I was five, to about twelve years old, this was the most important accessory I had. Why? It was the vehicle for carrying my auto-injector (my safety net and my security blanket).  Back in the 90’s, my bright blue fanny-pack was my ‘go-to’ item; but I quickly outgrew it and needed to find some other way to carry my auto-injector. Luckily, being a girl, I would eventually grow into carrying a purse with me everywhere. But, during my high school days, I hit those awkward preteen/ teen years. I was too young to carry a purse and too old for a fanny pack. I no longer had a permanent desk to put it in or one specific teacher to hold onto it for me. My locker was too far away and I wasn’t allowed to take a book bag with me everywhere. I needed to find another option to discretely and effectively transport my auto-injector while in school. Lucky for me, I had access to many carriers and tricks to help conceal my auto injector and keep it on me at all times.

I purchased a much smaller, stylish black case that I was able to put in my pencil case. But I also made sure I had one in my book bag in my locker at all times. Getting through those high school years was tough. Most people yearn to fit in. And I was much the same. So I refrained from telling many people about my auto-injector in my pencil case. The people I made aware were my teachers and a few close friends. Now I realize the importance of telling people about the location of my auto-injector and how to use it in case of an emergency.

As I grew up, I became more comfortable with my auto-injector and with my food allergies. I was able to find new ways to carry it around discretely. Being a girl, I was lucky to have the excuse of always having a purse with me. The problem I soon arrived at involved different sized purses and singular-sized auto-injectors. From small little clutches to extremely large purses, I was either fighting to find it or struggling to put it in. Luckily I’ve found a few tricks and discovered, through my male friends, that they also had some unique and creative ways to carry around their auto-injectors.  For me, I’ve always felt it is easier to carry my auto-injector in the side pocket of my purse. It’s easy to grab if there is an emergency and it’s easy to find if I can’t tell someone. There will be no more routing around in the deep caverns of my purse. With the new advancements in auto-injectors, it’s easier to carry them in pant pockets or in those pesky little clutches and purses I mentioned earlier. Some new auto-injectors are as small as a business card with a little width. They can be easily placed in most little bags. As for my male counterparts, carrying an auto-injector can be a little trickier as far as not drawing major attention. One the best ways I’ve seen them carried is in an ankle holster (a lá James Bond) that fits neatly under most pants. Those new auto-injectors I mentioned above are smaller and able to fit in most pockets discretely. There is also many companies offering carrying cases for various activities like belts for outdoor/upbeat activities from Waist Buddy (http://www.omaxcare.com/WaistBuddy.html) or the versatile brand Allergy Pack ( http://www.allergypack.com/) that offer many different styles to carry one or multiple auto-injectors. They even make carrying cases for asthma inhalers.

It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, what kind of purse you’re sporting or what pants you may be in. It is always important to have your auto-injector with you when you go out.  It can be cumbersome and it can be awkward; but nothing is worse than needing it in an emergency and not having it. So remember to keep it with you. Tell someone you have it with you and where it is located. Think of it as the best and most practical fashion accessory you have; it also just so happens to go with any outfit.

Arianne K.