Tuesday, September 30, 2008
This really isn't all that shocking.
The study released by Children's Memorial Hospital probably doesn't shock many food allergy parents. Although I'm sure it disheartens most of us. The lack of knowledge by the general public on the severity of food allergies is all too real for us. Just pick out a news article about food allergies and read the comments. Many people would rather put a child's life at risk than have their children eat something other than peanut butter for lunch. "My child's sandwich is more important than your child's life". I don't think these people are evil or really want to harm children, I just don't think they even remotely get it. If you don't live with food allergies every day you don't understand the severity. Until you've seen your child struggling to breath, all red and swollen and you've had to stab them with the EPI pen in hopes that the allergic reaction will stop, you can't understand the fear that food allergy parents live. And I hope they never have to experience that kind of fear.
The same goes for doctors. You may have one doctor that gives you one Emergency Action Plan and another doctor that devises a completely different plan depending on their opinion on how an allergic reaction needs to be handled. Our pediatrician and our allergist are ALMOST on the same page, but not quite. It really makes things confusing for the parents who don't have a medical degree (but now feel like they do after dealing with food allergies). Throw another allergist in the mix and you'll have a completely different action plan and your head will be spinning and your stress level and confusion will reach the maximum level.
Hopefully the last sentence of the press release is correct. "This set of studies will help increase knowledge around food allergy in three very important groups to improve the health and lives of children and families with food allergy".
I for one would LOVE to at least have our doctors working together and on the same page. They work together, but I get the feeling they truly don't "trust" each other.
And as for the general public, I think it's like anything else. Selfish people will always be selfish, no matter how much you educate them and try to make them understand. They just won't "get it". Because they don't want to.
The same goes for doctors. You may have one doctor that gives you one Emergency Action Plan and another doctor that devises a completely different plan depending on their opinion on how an allergic reaction needs to be handled. Our pediatrician and our allergist are ALMOST on the same page, but not quite. It really makes things confusing for the parents who don't have a medical degree (but now feel like they do after dealing with food allergies). Throw another allergist in the mix and you'll have a completely different action plan and your head will be spinning and your stress level and confusion will reach the maximum level.
Hopefully the last sentence of the press release is correct. "This set of studies will help increase knowledge around food allergy in three very important groups to improve the health and lives of children and families with food allergy".
I for one would LOVE to at least have our doctors working together and on the same page. They work together, but I get the feeling they truly don't "trust" each other.
And as for the general public, I think it's like anything else. Selfish people will always be selfish, no matter how much you educate them and try to make them understand. They just won't "get it". Because they don't want to.
Labels: Food Allergies
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5 Comments:
I think alot of it, too, is what some people think of "allergies".
I filled in at Sunday school for the little kids last week. OUr church has a preschool and we use those rooms. While I was waiting for the kids to show I was reading a huge poster on the wall stating the kids allergies. In big red letters ALLERGIES and I thought "yeah!" and thought of you. Well, as I read, there were twelve kids listed with allergies said things like "Sam has an allergy to sweet potatoes. He'll cry if he has one" OKAY. Then there was the "Lucy has a teeny allergy to milk, she'll need to use the bathroom after having her sippee cup at lunch" No epi pen instructions. Just little snippets on pretty much what each child hated to eat. I don't think those parents know what REAL allergies are. I doubt there situations were a matter of life or death, at least it didn't state that. I think that's why you have so many parents caring so much about their sandwiches. It would be nice if the schools could give lectures at the PTA or something with an informed dr. who could teach them just what an allergy is.
Thanks for the links. I hadn't read either of those articles.
Andria, That's a whole other thing that we face. If someone doesn't "like" something or if they have an intolerance they call it an allergy and it lessens the severity of the "life threatening allergy" in peoples minds. I have an intolerance to codeine. It makes me violently ill. If I take it am I going to have an anaphylactic reaction? NO. I have an intolerance not an allergy. Some doctors mark my chart as intolerance, others say "Well it could be a sign of an allergic reaction" and mark it as allergy. I have NEVER had hives, or trouble breathing and my immune system is not triggered when I take it so IT IS NOT AN ALLERGY. But even doctors perpetuate the myth. I agree, it would be nice to have some sort of allergy education at schools and I would be willing to do it for free. But first we need to get the doctors all on the same page. There's much learning but every group that needs to be done.
Thanks for this article. It's so frustrating. I see it at Kayla's school. I'm the only parent who seems to be "on top of them". It makes me look like the raving lunatic.
Especially coming on the heals of or latest party fiasco, it's a bit raw for me right now. I'm glad to be having my support group meeting tonight. :)
I know I have learned so much from reading your blog. I was ignorant about food allergies before I "met" you... sad huh? even with four kids of my own.
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