College Essay On Food Allergies

The increased prevalence of food allergies in school children, the rapid onset of symptoms and potentially fatal nature of anaphylaxis, combined with the high risk of accidental exposure warrants significant action.

Allergies affect many children, particularly food allergies; this in turn can lead to social problems as they may become excluded from certain situations where their allergies are not known. In contrast they may feel a certain social stigma as their allergies are

I was 7 years old and lying in bed trying to fall asleep, but, as usual, the constant, nagging pain in my stomach wouldn’t subside. I had thrown off my blankets in case I was too hot, I had tried falling asleep in different positions, and I had even gotten some antacids, but nothing was helping. Finally, I called for my parents and they came upstairs. As always, they asked me what my pain level was on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the worst; I said it was a 6.

It is common in the United States for people to have food allergies and it is increasing. The body's negative reaction to a specific food protein is what is known to be a food allergy. The most common food allergies are milk and dairy products, egg and egg products, fish and shellfish, wheat, soy and soy products, and peanuts and tree nuts (Servsafe). Different food allergies develop in people at different times in their lives depending on the allergy and the person themselves. Fish and shellfish food allergies tend to not develop until adulthood. With fish approximately forty percent of people who were in a study on food allergies said that they did not have their first fish allergic reaction until they were an adult. With shellfish, about sixty percent of people had their first reaction when they were adults. Everyone to some extent is allergic to a type of food, but fish and shellfish food allergies are two of the most common and can possibly be the most dangerous out of all the food allergies. To help people with a shellfish and fish allergy to stay safe and healthy the rest of this essay will be focused on: basic information of fish and shellfish allergies, common symptoms of the allergies, what is anaphylaxis and how to treat it, and how to

Recent studies are showing that introducing very young children to the most common allergenic foods gradually can prevent food allergies later in life. A new study shows that microdose immunotherapy can not only help prevent food allergies, but actually cure them.

Moreover, food allergic children are also bullied due to their allergy, in addition to isolation and exclusion. Children who have a food allergy while in school “may find close peers a source of support for their condition, however emerging research indicates that children with food allergies may also encounter teasing and bullying due to their food allergies” (McQuaid and Jandasek). While some food allergic children are fortunate enough to find friends that also have a food allergy in their class, most food allergic children do not. Food allergies are prevalent in about 6 in 100 children, meaning that a majority of a child’s class is food allergy free. This can cause issues with bullying between classmates and peers within the school. “A recent study by Shemesh and colleagues (2013) indicated that almost half (45.4%) of children with food allergies reported having been bullied, and 31.5% reported bullying specific to their food allergy” (McQuaid and Jandasek). Bullying happens in schools everywhere and is typically a daily occurrence within a school and comes in many forms including, physical, verbal, social, and cyber. Physical bullying is particularly dangerous when it involves a food allergic child. Classmates can physically hurt the food allergic child by bringing the food to class or taunting them with the food in the lunch room. Social bullying involves leaving someone out on purpose, telling others not to be friends with them, etc. This can also affect a food

“The peanut is responsible for allergic reactions in both children and adults. Over the last several decades the incidence of peanut allergy in children has dramatically increased. Now, about 1% of children in the United States have peanut allergy. Peanut allergy is probably the most common cause of death from food anaphylaxis in the United States. Peanut allergy, unlike other food allergies, is rarely outgrown, with only about 20% of patients losing their sensitivity over time. Once a diagnosis has been made, peanuts should be treated with strict avoidance” (Lieberman & Anderson, 2007, pg

Almost everyone has an allergy, whether or not they are massive, like peanut allergies, or minor, like seasonal allergies. The first time I had allergy was in my Ninth grade year of High School. When Miss. Town son's writing class came along and acted like a cup of milk in my existence.

Ever since I was a child, all I remember is having a peanut allergy. I have been taught not to go near peanuts, and to tell people to not bring peanuts anywhere near me. I have always had this constant reminder that I will most likely never get to taste peanut butter and that I will always be reminded to not go near peanuts. Peanut allergies have always been thought incurable, but there is new hope for the future.

It was four years ago on the 17th of December, everything seemed like a normal day. I was prepping for finals and eating snacks in the study room with friends when my neck and face turned bright pink and blotchy, and breathing became difficult for me. I remember I had a history final later that day, but was rushed down to the nurse’s office and ultimately had to reschedule that test. Since I had eaten a few different items, we were unable to determine what the real problem was. Two weeks later at volleyball practice, I sat on the side, pink, pale and unable to catch my breathe. My mom had decided that this was enough of not knowing, so she took me to get allergy tested. I sat there at Trinity waiting for a family friend to take vials of blood for the samples. They ultimately gave me a long list of things I was allergic to, and we compared that to what I had to eat the day I was at school studying for finals; and what I had eaten before practice, this was the day I found out I could no longer have any Reese’s trees, or any Reese’s eggs anymore, I am allergic to peanuts.

But, did you know that there are other food sensitivities just being brought into the mainstream? Ones you may have not even heard of yet?

Ever since I can remember I have had to deal with the fact I have a fairly severe peanut allergy. Luckily for me, I was able to find out very early on and have grown up my entire life avoiding a food that is a staple for most children. As far back as I can remember I have been reading every single ingredient list for a food I was about to eat and if I wasn’t sure what was in something, not eating it.

My severe allergic reaction to peanuts causes all the people around me, as well as myself, to be prepared at all times incase of an emergency reaction. An emergency can happen at any time. I always have to be cautious of what I eat, or get around the environment of. I need to know my surroundings, and take precautions about what I eat.

Food allergies are abnormal immunological responses to a special food or food component . Two types of abnormal immunological responses can happen immediately and delayed reactions. Both are well documented to occur in certain individuals at ingestion of specific foods.recently These illnesses are spread and sometimes called individualistic reverse reactions to foods because they affect only certain individuals in the population.In addition ,Cause of food allergy enter hospital almost thirty thousand people to the emergency room, and up to a hundred to two hundred deaths each year (Taylor and Hefle. 2005).

If anyone notices that a child develops symptoms after being exposed to certain foods, then the child should avoid such foods. The most common foods that can cause allergies include: peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.), fish, shellfish, eggs (especially egg whites), milk, soy, and wheat. Keeping a diary for a few weeks and recording what foods a child has been eating, especially new foods, and when they develop symptoms may help figure out what they are allergic to. This is often what professionals encourage families to do to get to the true cause of what is making them so ill. Once it has been determined what a child is allergic to, it is important to learn to read food labels because the food a child is allergic to may be an ingredient of many other foods.