High School Allergy Issues

Hopefully you got the chance to see my interview on the Food Allergy Survival Guide blog. Lily assured me that college seems to be easier than high school, but whether you've grown up with food allergies or are newly diagnosed (like me), there are some complications that come up once you're growing up.

1. Kissing. Obviously this depends on the severity of your allergies. If airborne food particles can cause a reaction, you shouldn't be kissing someone who has eaten the food you're allergic to within a day. If you're contact/ingestion allergic, the general consensus from allergists is that a few hours and a good tooth brushing (plus flossing and rinsing) should keep you pretty safe. This also applies to sharing straws and utensils.

2. Eating out. Yes, you've gone to restraunts before. But, once you can drive and go out with your friends alone, it's easy to become lax about the severity of your allergies. Never trust a waitress when you get the frequent "I think the chicken is cooked away from peanuts" or "the steak doesn't contain gluten". This translates to "there are no peanuts ON the chicken" and "the breadcrumbs in the steak seasoning shouldn't be a big deal, right?" It may be embarrassing to stress your allergies to the waitress in front of your friends, but it's less embarrassing than going into anaphylactic shock. If you can't bring yourself to talk about it, try slipping the waitress a note or allergy alert card.

3. Makeup. If your allergies can be triggered by contact, be aware that some cosmetics contain food allergens such as peanut oil, soybean oil, and even gluten. Since cosmetics aren't ingested, it is legal for these to be unlabeled. You may have to do research on safe cosmetics, especially before using a friend's makeup. 

Side note: NEVER SHARE LIP GLOSS! If your friend ate something with your allergen last weekend then used the lip gloss, there could still be traces on the lip gloss applicator or even in the gloss!

4. Independence. Once you're getting ready to leave the nest, it's natural to pull away and want to do things on your own. It's also natural for your parents to resist. Assure them that you'll be safe by wearing a medical alert bracelet, communicating your own allergies, and teaching your friends how to respond in an emergency. I've found that my friends actually have fun "stabbing" each other with my trainers.