Food Allergies Take Emotional Toll on Kids, Parents

FAIRFAX, Va. & NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.One in three children in the United States has some type of food allergy that not only can trigger physical harm, but emotional distress as well, according to results of a survey conducted by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and Galaxy Nutritional Foods that examined parents perspectives on the emotional impact that food allergies have on their children.

The survey found nearly 70% of the parents of children with food allergies surveyed said having a food allergy has impacted their childs quality of life, with 40% indicating their childs life was impacted somewhat," and 29% a great deal."

In terms of food allergy prevalence in schools and societal understanding of the medical condition, 47% of parents indicated they were aware of one or two other children in their childs classroom who also had food allergies. The survey also found that a majority of parents of children with a food allergy felt that school personnel had an excellent" or good" understanding of food allergy (54% indicated teachers had a good" or excellent" understanding, and 53% indicated administrators did).

Food allergies can be life threatening, and when parents send their children off to school, especially for the first time, it can create a great deal of anxiety," said Maria Acebal, CEO of FAAN. This survey reveals encouraging data and tells us awareness efforts to help educators better understand the seriousness of food allergy are working."

The survey also addressed emotional aspects of food allergy, as well as understanding what parents and children are feeling regarding their food allergies. Of those parents surveyed, those who felt food allergy had more of an impact on their childs quality of life were more likely to express feelings of fear, frustration, and being overwhelmed. While those who indicated a lesser impact on quality of life also experience fear, a near majority also feel empowered and supported.

Everyday events such as eating out at a restaurant, attending a birthday party or sleeping over at a friends house also can bring about concerning. According to the survey, 71% of parents said their child had not eaten at a restaurant with friends or family due to concerns about food allergies, while 45% of parents said their child had not visited the homes of certain friends due to concerns about possible exposure to allergens. Forty-one percent said their child had not attended an overnight event, such as a sleepover or camp, due to concerns about a food allergy; 41% of parents said their child had not attended a social event by choice, such as another childs birthday party or a play date, due to concerns about a food allergy.