Changing Schools
- Community
- Food Allergies Don't Stop Me
- A Terrifying Moment - His First Reaction
- Smiling Through the Challenges
- My Son's Last Reaction
- Our Family's Mission of Awareness
- Finally, the Right Diagnosis
- Finding the Positive
- Creating Compromises
- Managing Food Allergies During Pregnancy
By Patricia, age 14, allergic to peanuts and tree nuts
Life is full of little bridges. Starting to walk, learning to ride a bike, ordering your own food at a restaurant, these are all miniature bridges people walk over while growing up. Larger bridges also are prominent in our lives; they include going to school for the first time, beginning a new sport, or moving to a new town or state. One of the largest bridges people cross during their youth is beginning middle school or junior high after completing elementary school.
Starting junior high can be scary. Not only are adolescents often thrust into a new environment with older, bigger students, they are also changing themselves, both physically and mentally. Being a teenager with food allergies can drastically toughen this already difficult adjustment.
I, too, remember this transition just a few years ago. I had always attended the same elementary school, so almost every teacher and classmate knew about my food allergies to peanuts and tree nuts. My mom and dad were very proactive; they held epinephrine auto-injector training sessions nearly every year before school began. I also kept epinephrine auto-injectors in the classroom, the main school office, and the cafeteria. When birthday treats such as cupcakes were brought into the classroom, I would always be able to choose a special snack such as a pudding from “my box,” which contained safe treats.
When I moved from elementary to middle school, I had to take on much more responsibility than I was used to. My parents again held a training session to inform all of my new teachers, but only at the beginning of sixth grade, no other year. Although I kept an epinephrine auto-injector in both the office and cafeteria, as well as in my locker, I still had to be careful of what I ate; a reaction would not be fun.
New cafeteria staff meant that I would have to ask about the food; they might not necessarily think to tell me something contained nuts. Luckily though, one of the cafeteria ladies was also allergic to tree nuts, so I she always let me know if there was a particular food I should stay away from.
In the classroom, I sometimes had to explain to my teachers why I couldn’t eat the candy or cookies they gave out as special treats or rewards. It was tough, embarrassing even, to tell them I couldn’t eat what they had so thoughtfully brought in for the class.
Over the past three years I have learned so much about being responsible with my food allergy. My food allergy has taught me so much that I can use in all aspects of my life. Due to my food allergy, I have become more accustomed to informing others about the seriousness of my allergy. With time, it has become easier. I know that when I transition to high school, my journey will be even smoother.
Connect With Us