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Monday, August 18, 2014

Food Allergy Awarness Booth

Our local town fair was this past weekend and hosted a Food Allergy Awareness Booth. I handed out pamphlets, pencils and ribbings. I discussed the Big 8 Food Allergens, signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, and what to do in an emergency. I demonstrated how to administer an Epi-Pin to someone in need and to call 911 for follow-up medical attention. I even had a label reading challenge.

The younger children were some of my most receptive. I explained to them that if you or a friend has a food allergy and ate something you were allergic to, you could get itchy, have itchy bumps on your skin, your could start swelling and have problems breathing, and that it could be very scary. But to remember if you see this happen to someone you need to get them help and their Epi-Pen. I would show them how to give the Epi and count, then they would have to call 911. I would have them count with me and then I would ask them what do we do next and they would yell, "Call 911." Several of them brought there parents back because they wanted to show them how to use the Epi-Pens.

There were a hand full of people that came through and told me about their own food allergies or food sensitivities. I even had one gentleman show me his own Epi-Pen he had in his pocket. Several people expressed to me that they had never heard of Food Allergies when they were younger, and didn't know why the kids were getting them now.

I even spoke with the local PTA about wanting to host a booth at there Open House. They informed me that they would be happy to have me and I would go right along with the Fireman and nurses that come in. After finding out that local community members could join the PTA without having a child in school yet, I decided to join.

However, I can not say that the whole weekend was all tea and roses. You get those few who look at your booth and just keep on walking and the ones who say I don't have food allergies and walk away. I had one young man ask me what do I need to know about food allergies I don't have any. When I asked him if he knew anyone with a food allergy he said his best friend. I asked him didn't he want to know how to save his friends life in an emergency? He said yes, and I showed him how to use the Epi-Pen, I later learned his Mother was allergic to Bees.

I had a group of high school ages girls walk by one evening and one of the girls stopped short of the rest right in front of my Food Allergen Challenge. I thought it would be a fun way to get people to read labels. I quickly realized that she was sounding it out, "Al-er gen" she said. She turned to her friends and asked what's an allergen, they both replied that they didn't know. I said an Allergen would be something that you are allergic to. Then she asked, "Well how do you find them?" I pointed to the brown label, "Lets say you are allergic to Soy, do you see the soy on the box?" "Yes", she replied. "Then you would be able to eat this if you were allergic to soy," I explained. "OH!" she said with a flush of understand. She thanked me and went on her way. At first I was surprised that she and her friends were not familiar with the word Allergen, however the more I though of it, I was proud of her for trying to figure out what it was.

I asked a number of the grade school aged kids if they had learned anything about food allergies in school, they all gave me a blank look and shrugged their shoulders. I'm guessing this is why the PTA was so keen to have me. I don't believe anyone was familiar enough with the subject to educate. I spoke with several teachers as well as community members about the current state laws in Illinois.

Overall I'm calling the weekend a success. I got the message out there and I will continue to do so. It just goes to show that a little education and understanding can go a long way.

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