We would like to thank everyone for their efforts to help bring awareness to food induced anaphylaxis.  While Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW) is celebrated for only one week, families living with food and other anaphylactic allergies manage their health disability everyday.  Please keep up the efforts of bringing awareness and helping others.  Thank  you!

An allergic reaction can happen anytime, anywhere, even several minutes after eating.  If you suspect your friend is having an allergic reaction, get help immediately!  Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include one or a combination of the following:

• Hives
• Itching (of any part of the body)
• Swelling (of any part of the body)
• Red, watery eyes
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Change of voice
• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Throat tightness or closing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Sense of doom
• Dizziness or loss of consciousness (signs that blood pressure has dropped)
• Change of color
  

Ask your family member, friend or co-worker what they are allergic to. Then help them avoid the allergen(s).  Remind your allergic friend to check ingredient lists on food labels.  If there is any question about the safety of the food, it's best not to eat it.  It beats a trip to the hospital!  So remember you can help your friend by reminding them to stop, read labels and be safe!

Wash your hands after you eat.  Ideally, you should wash your hands before AND after you eat  (a great hygiene practice!).  It seems like such a simple act but doing so can help keep your allergic friend from coming in contact with a possible allergen that you may have on your hands.  For example, if you ate a peanut butter sandwich and your fingers are smeared with peanut butter this could pose as a risk for your peanut allergic friend.  If you touched a doorknob, then your peanut allergic friend touches the same doorknob and put his/her hands in their mouth (to wiggle a tooth or bite nails), this could cause an allergic reaction.  To minimize the risk of exposure washing your hands after you eat will help keep your allergic friend safe!

Sharing is a kind gesture, showing how much you care. However, there happens to be a point when sharing can pose as a danger.  Individuals with food allergies must avoid their allergen in order to avoid a possible allergic reaction.  The risk is in not knowing whether what you may be offering could contain an allergen, or could be cross contaminated with an allergen.  It is not worth the risk.  

Food allergies are very serious.  It can be difficult to believe that the very food we need to nurture our bodies, can cause great harm to some, even death.  If you know someone with a food allergies, whether it is a friend at school or a co-worker, please take it very seriously.  Refrain from joking about food allergies or making fun of the person with food allergies.  Never trick anyone into eating a food they are allergic to either.  This is very dangerous for the food allergic individual.  The best thing to do is help the person with the food allergy, even if you don't understand why they have to avoid a food.  You can help save a life by helping your allergic friend avoid exposure.  Even the smallest gesture of support could be the biggest help.

Well, can you subtract?  Loudoun Allergy Network (LAN) is asking the public this very question. As an effort to raise food allergy awareness, this interactive campaign targets both teens and adults, and is an addition to LAN's Food Allergy Aware program.  Participants are asked to avoid 1 of the top 8 allergens during Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 13-19, 2012.  Then discuss the results on the interactive Participant Message Board.   

We are happy to introduce our new Food Allergy Aware program to help families and school staff!  Just in time for Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW), this educational activity was created by LAN Chair, Thanita Glancey, which helps children (and grown ups!) become food allergy detectives.  A fun activity to do at home or with your class*.  Find suspects.  List their locations.  Earn your official badge.  Anyone can be Detective Spot D. Allergen!