Advice from FA Veterans to the Recently Diagnosed
In the new edition of Newsweek posted just hours ago, I read a story called “A Plea for My Daughter.” It’s written by a mom whose 5 year old daughter was just diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy. The author is struggling with the same issues that many of us face: what to say to other parents, how to deal with people’s insensitivity, and how to help her daughter navigate the physical dangers and emotional challenges that accompany this diagnosis.
I wish I had easy answers for her.
The best advice I have seen comes from the testimony of two veteran food allergy moms at the 5/14 hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families, chaired by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT).
Teresa Walters: I think my biggest piece of advice for other parents would be, don’t let other people tell you how to react to your child’s food allergies. Don’t let them tell you that you’re being overprotective.
Chris Dodd (D-CT): We had a woman behind us one day (on a flight) eating a peanut butter thing, and I said, I apologize, profusely, and explained that my daughter has a severe reaction, potentially, to peanut butter, and her comment was, “What’s she going to break out in a little rash?” And I almost felt like saying, look — maybe I shouldn’t bother in a sense — that reaction of letting other people, sort of, cause you to be less than vigilant. So it’s a good piece of advice.
Colene Birchfield: I would echo her sentiment…(T)he key piece is to trust yourself and only yourself and educate yourself as much as you can, try to educate everybody around you. You may ruffle some feathers along the way, but it’s necessary. You must be the advocate for your child.
Good advice for us all to keep in mind.