Did you know that as many as 1.2 million Canadians may be affected by allergies? And many of those reactions are severe, life-threatening ones. Ractions can range from mild skin irritations to anaphylaxis and even death; food allergies are nothing to mess with. If an anaphylactic child is exposed to an allergen, death is a real risk.
In light of the severity of such allergies, Health Canada released a statement today reminding parents to be mindful when packing lunches for kids heading back to school.
The most common allergens are:
• peanuts
• tree nuts
• sesame seeds
• soy
• seafood (including fish, crustaceans, and shellfish)
• wheat
• eggs
• milk
• sulphites, and
• mustard
Now, not all those have to be avoided, of course, but most schools are nut-free at the very least so be sure to inquire about the bans that are in place in your school.
And please remember that we allergy parents really appreciate the community's effort to save our kids' lives. We really, really do.
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