If you’re a parent whose baby or toddler has a severe food allergy, it can feel overwhelming to think about how to keep them safe when they are at child care and you can’t be with them. When you’re planning to send your child to day care or preschool for the first time, there are a few steps you should take to address their food allergies. Here are four things you can do to help keep your child safe — and keep your own sanity.
1. Inform Yourself
The first step to facing the challenges posed by food allergies is making sure you have the resources and support you need to navigate your family’s food allergy journey with confidence. Brittany Mahomes, co-owner of the Kansas City Current soccer team and mom of two young children with food allergies, says, “It’s important for moms to feel empowered and confident to keep their kids safe — don’t be afraid to speak up on behalf of your child and give those around you the information needed so they know how to recognize and respond to an allergic emergency.” Brittany has shared how she and her husband, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, help their friends and family stay prepared at www.FoodAllergyGamePlan.com.
Patient advocacy organizations, such as Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, or FAACT, and Kids with Food Allergies, offer educational resources, training, and local support groups for families. Dr. Ruchi Gupta, professor of pediatrics and director of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and paid medical advisor to Kaléo, says, “The food allergy community is so strong and finding those communities or support groups in your area, those people who’ve been through it, is incredibly empowering.”
2. Educate Others
The next step is to make sure the staff at your child care facility thoroughly understand your child’s food allergies. If your child is attending day care, school, after care, or is in the care of child care professionals, they are responsible for the health and safety of your child, including allergy awareness and response. Gupta says, “It’s important to educate all caregivers on your child’s food allergies, how to avoid those foods, and what to do in case of an accidental exposure.”
The signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis in babies and toddlers can look different than in older children and adults.[1] Because babies and toddlers can’t verbalize their symptoms, it’s important that caregivers know to watch out for skin reactions, such as hives, and stomach-related issues, like persistent vomiting, which are more frequently reported in babies and toddlers than in older patients.[1], [2], [3], [4] You can print copies of the Signs and Symptoms guide from AUVI-Q to share with your family and caregivers.
Remember to also share your anaphylaxis emergency care plan as well as how and when to use an epinephrine auto-injector, like AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP), with caregivers. AUVI-Q provides step-by-step instructions in a calm voice to help parents and caregivers administer epinephrine without hesitation or fear and even reminds users to call 911. AUVI-Q is available in three doses and is the only FDA-approved epinephrine auto-injector for babies and toddlers 16.5 to 33 pounds.
“Protecting our children starts with conversations. I encourage parents to talk to their childcare facility about their child’s food allergies,” Gupta explains. “This can include sharing medical records and regular updates and making sure they are ready to treat a child with a food allergy reaction with an epinephrine auto-injector immediately. It can help staff members be more aware and prepared to respond in an emergency.”
3. Empower Your Children
As your kids get older, they can start to learn more about their allergies. Children love to learn, so letting them be involved with their own health is a great way to help them deal with the challenges of food allergies.
“Parents can empower their kids as they grow older by role playing conversations around food, what to say when ordering food, and how to talk to teachers and friends,” suggests Gupta. “Supportive friends and teachers are also important so helping them understand and support your child is critical.”
4. Prepare as a Family by Making a Food Allergy Game Plan
Talk to your child’s pediatrician to learn more about the risk of food allergies for your child. If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy, learn more about how to be prepared at www.FoodAllergyGamePlan.com.
Brittany Mahomes was compensated for her participation in this campaign.
Indication
AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP) is a prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions.
Important Safety Information
AUVI-Q is for immediate self (or caregiver) administration and does not take the place of emergency medical care. Seek immediate medical treatment after using AUVI-Q. Each AUVI-Q contains a single dose of epinephrine. AUVI-Q should only be injected into your outer thigh, through clothing if necessary. If you inject a young child or infant with AUVI-Q, hold their leg firmly in place before and during the injection to prevent injuries. Do not inject AUVI-Q into any other part of your body, such as into veins, buttocks, fingers, toes, hands, or feet. If this occurs, seek immediate medical treatment and make sure to inform the health care provider of the location of the accidental injection. Only a health care provider should give additional doses of epinephrine if more than two doses are necessary for a single allergic emergency.
Rarely, patients who use AUVI-Q may develop infections at the injection site within a few days of an injection. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, or the area feels warm to the touch.
If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use AUVI-Q. Be sure to tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma. Also tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have asthma, a history of depression, thyroid problems, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart problems or high blood pressure, have any other medical conditions, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related (cardiac) symptoms.
Common side effects include fast, irregular or "pounding" heartbeat, sweating, shakiness, headache, paleness, feelings of over excitement, nervousness, or anxiety, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, or breathing problems. These side effects usually go away quickly, especially if you rest. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Please see the full Prescribing Information and the Patient Information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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REFERENCES
[1] Simons FE, Sampson HA. “Anaphylaxis: unique aspects of clinical diagnosis and management in infants (birth to age 2 years).” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;135(5):1125-1131.
[2] Dosanjh A. “Infant anaphylaxis: the importance of early recognition.” J Asthma Allergy. 2013;6:103-107.
[3] Greenhawt M, Gupta RS, Meadows JA, et al. “Guiding Principles for the Recognition, Diagnosis, and Management of Infants with Anaphylaxis: An Expert Panel Consensus.” J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2019;7(4):1148-1156.e5.
[4] Pistiner M, Mendez-Reyes JE, Eftekhari S, et al. “Caregiver-Reported Presentation of Severe Food-Induced Allergic Reactions in Infants and Toddlers.” J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(1):311-320.e2.
