Food allergies are not for the faint of heart, but there are many resources available to help you cope and thrive.
We’ve collected a series of articles published on SnackSafely.com over the years that together provide a foundational base for coping with food allergies in the family. Consider bookmarking this page and referring to it often.
Epinephrine First, Period
There is one and only one drug able to halt and reverse the progression of anaphylaxis: epinephrine. The sooner you use it, the better the outcome, period, full-stop. This article dispels a number of myths that cause people to delay administration.
How to Determine Whether it’s Anaphylaxis
Parents often struggle with how to determine whether their child is having a mild reaction or full-blown anaphylaxis. Using Food Allergy Research & Education’s decision chart and keeping calm, the decision whether to administer epinephrine and call 911 is a straightforward one. This is the companion article to “Epinephrine First, Period”.
Know Your Epinephrine Auto-Injector Options and How to Use Your Device
Epinephrine auto-injectors, often referred to by the brand name “EpiPen”, are manufactured by a number of companies and are operated differently from each other. Here are video tutorials for each brand sold in the US.
How to Properly Position a Patient Suffering Anaphylaxis While Waiting for EMS
You know to administer epinephrine and call 911 as soon as you suspect anaphylaxis, but what you do while waiting for EMS to arrive will have a direct impact on how the patient fares. See this video and step-by-step instructions.
Take Our 10 Second Allergen Warning Statement Test
Here’s an explanation of why US allergen labeling regulations are unreliable and downright confusing. Included are resources to help you find new products that meet your family’s unique mix of allergen and dietary restrictions.
Study: Kids with Food Allergies Often Put at Risk by Parents' Behavior
There’s a lot to unpack from this survey of parents, including that many didn’t understand the nature of the disease or how to protect their children using basic preventive measures.
Food Allergy 101: What That Customer Service Response REALLY Tells You
You know those “may contain” allergen warnings are entirely voluntary, so you contact the manufacturer and receive a canned response designed by lawyers that seems to tell you the product is fine. But is that what they’re REALLY saying? We dissect a real customer service response to show you what they are and are not telling you.
When a Manufacturer Says ‘Trust Us’ Regarding Allergens
Those “May Contain…” and “Made in a facility that also processes…” type label warnings are entirely voluntary, which is why some manufacturers include them, some don’t, and some will warn for one allergen and not another. But how do they decide? Take the deep dive with us.
Safe Snack Guide
Guides used by thousands of schools and tens of thousands of families nationwide to help keep allergens out of the classroom and the home
