It’s easy to judge allergy parents when you don’t live an allergic life
We were contacted by a mother who wanted to share her story of having to learn very quickly that food allergies are not a choice. Parenting a child with a food allergy completely changes life for everyone in the family and this mum found out the hard way. We think it is so important to share stories - light, heavy, easy, hard, messy and we want to share all the learnings that also come with making mistakes.
“It’s easy to judge allergy parents when you don’t live an allergic life”
"I’m embarrassed to say that I used to roll my eyes at parents who claimed their children had food allergies. They always seemed to claim their children needed exceptions, which I NOW know are medically necessary accommodations. There was always that one child who couldn’t have a particular food, so the rest of the group had to be extra careful. I felt these parents were 'over-the-top'. That is, until I became one of them.
A food allergy can be life-threatening and we quickly learned this. Most people don’t worry about having to examine food labels closely, to ensure the food is safe. Others don’t need to understand the difference between peanuts and tree nuts. They have no fear of cross-contamination.
I regret every single negative thought I had toward the parents of children with food allergies. I was judgmental and cold. The reality is that they cannot be too careful or protective. Exposure to an allergen can result in a child getting gravely ill - even dying. As parents, it’s our job to ensure our child’s well-being, including their physical safety.
It's easy to judge allergy parents when you don't live an allergic life. I made assumptions that were completely off-base, something I’m not proud of. We need to advocate for empathy and a willingness to understand and learn, it will go a long way to making a big difference to people and families living with food allergies."
- Anon.