May is Food Allergy Action Month and May 8th through May 14th is Food Allergy Awareness Week. Every May, FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) hosts a nationwide Food Allergy Awareness Week to shine a spotlight on the seriousness of food allergies and to improve public understanding of this potentially life-threatening medical condition.
Here are some quick facts about food allergies:
- Food allergies can be life-threatening and are a serious and growing public health problem.
- They affect up to 15 million Americans, including nearly 6 million children–that’s approximately 1 in 13 kids or two in
every classroom.¹ - Nearly 40 percent of these children have already experienced a severe or life-threatening
reaction. In addition, more than 30 percent of these children have multiple food allergies. - The number of children with food allergies in the U.S. increased 50 percent between 1997
and 2011, but there is no clear answer as to why.² - A reaction to food can range from a mild response (such as an itchy mouth) to anaphylaxis, a
severe and potentially deadly reaction. - Every three minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room in the U.S.
- In the US, eight foods (peanut, tree nuts, egg, soy, milk, fish, shellfish, and wheat), known as the top 8, account for 90% of all food allergy reactions, though anyone can be allergic to any food. Interestingly, the top allergic foods vary by country.
Being the mother of 3 children with multiple food allergies, there is so much that I could write about to raise awareness today, this week, this month, this year. After giving it much thought, what I really want to talk about is knowing what to do during an allergic reaction.
