Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1527415
36 OctOber 2024 Inhalation Books can teach and support young children managing allergies e FARE Allergy Advocate Tool- box, discussed in this Back Page column, recommends using books to teach young children about their food allergies. Books can help and support children as they learn—and sometimes struggle— to manage and live with their aller- gies and advocate for themselves. Facing difficult situations A food-allergic child may believe they did something wrong to cause their allergy. ey may feel like a social outsider and do not know how to explain their allergy. ey can also face awkward or isolating situations such as eating alone at an allergy-free table during school lunch hours, attending a birthday party but being unable to eat any- thing or not celebrating Hallow- een the way other children do. Learning coping skills However, books can help teach children to successfully: avoid allergenic foods, say "No, thank you" when offered an allergenic food, create a routine for avoiding allergens, become more comfort- able explaining their allergy, enjoy other foods that are safe for them to eat, discover they can have fun in social situations that involve food and be supportive of others who have allergies. Some books discuss practical information such as: • e risk of eating one bite of an allergenic food • Being alert to cross- contamination • Understanding risks of an allergenic reaction, including hospitalization • How to read food labels—and importance of doing so imately 20-25 percent of epineph- rine administrations in schools involve individuals whose allergy was unknown at the time of the reaction." 9th-12th grade. Before school starts, have food-allergic students talk about their health needs with teachers and school administra- tors. If situations occur that are not safe, be sure to report them. Look for opportunities to advo- cate, including class projects. Final advice e Toolbox closes by assuring students they can make a tangible difference and encouraging them to speak out for a more inclusive future. Applications for the 2025 TAG team will open in December 2024. For more information: https:// www.foodallergy.org/resources/ teen-advisory-group. References • Food Allergy and Research (FARE) https://www.foodal lergy.org. • Food Allergy and Research (FARE) Teen Advisory Group (TAG) Allergy Advocate Tool- box. https://www.foodallergy. org/resources/teen-advisory- group. • FARE. FARE Responds to Mars, Inc., and Snickers' "Hungry Skies" Campaign. https://www. foodallergy.org/fare- responds- mars-inc-and-snickers-hungry- skies-campaign. • FARE. Toolkit for Food Aller- gies in the Classroom. https:// www.foodallergy.org/resources/ food-allergies-classroom. • FARE. Teal Pumpkin Project. https://www.foodallergy.org/ our-initiatives/awareness-cam paigns/living-teal/teal-pump kin-project. more information, see: https:// www.foodallergy.org/fare-re sponds-mars-inc-and-snickers- hungry-skies-campaign.) The Allergy Advocate Toolbox Because advocacy can be challeng- ing, TAG members created e Allergy Advocate Toolbox, which provides grade-level resources "to help food-allergic students feel empowered and able to speak up for themselves." e guide "is a culmination of stories, advice and strategies for creat[ing] change and increas[ing] students' involvement over time." e following is a brief summary of its recommendations: Kindergarten-2nd grade. Have students work with parents and teachers. Use stories and music to increase awareness and build acceptance. Display posters to teach and reinforce information. 3rd-5th grade. Before the school year begins, have the student talk with a teacher (with a parent pres- ent) to explain their food- allergy challenges. Share information using infographics. ese can be downloaded free of charge from the FARE website: https:// www.foodallergy.org/resources/ food-allergies-classroom. One of the personal experiences described in the guide relates to FARE's Teal Pumpkin Project ® . e annual campaign encour- ages people to make Halloween more inclusive and help ensure children with food allergies enjoy a safer, happier holiday. For more information: https://www. foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/ awareness-campaigns/living-teal/ teal-pumpkin-project 6th-8th grade. Encouraging food-allergic students to explain their situation to one or two friends can decrease the loneliness of having allergies at school. Demonstrating use of the EpiPen ® (Mylan, a Viatris company, Can- onsburg, PA, US) "can be poten- tially life-saving." According to FARE, the guide states, "Approx-