k12allergies

Amanda (18+ years old)

March 8, 2021 / , , , , , , ,

I was born with rashes, leaving my mom to suspect I suffered from food allergies since my first day. However, I was not properly diagnosed until I was 4 years old. My mom was taking me in and out of doctors who couldn’t figure out why the rashes were starting. Most just gave her creams to help them go away but that never helps. It took until one doctor finally suggested an allergist and we learned I was allergic to dairy, shellfish, and red meat. I never grew out of my allergies. They expanded instead. Today, I am allergic to dairy, soy, corn, gluten, shellfish, nightshades, and coconut.

We kept up with the trends of FARE. Recently, we discovered Spokin to help us find new food allergy brands.

Emily McElroy (18+ years old)

March 8, 2021 / , ,

After having multiple non-anaphylactic reactions to peanuts before the age of 2, my physician told my mom to avoid giving me peanuts and assured us that I would likely grow out of my allergy. However, a few days after this, an accidental ingestion of a peanut butter granola bar put me in anaphylaxis and sent me to the hospital. After this experience, I had my first appointment with an allergist who gave me a prescription for epinephrine, and was formally diagnosed with an anaphylactic peanut allergy. I am currently 20 years old, and my last anaphylactic reaction was right before my 18th birthday. 

I’m not currently taking any medication but carry epinephrine and Benadryl with me at all times.

Allergytraveler (18+ years old)

March 8, 2021 / ,

I was very sick as a baby and after many tests for cancers and other illnesses they discovered it was allergies. I’ve only ever outgrown my egg allergy.

I used antihistamines and an everyday inhaler.

A’s story (5 years old)

November 13, 2020 / , , , , , ,

I suspected he had allergies. When he stopped eating dairy/egg/nut products I noticed a considerable difference in his eczema. He was not offered an allergy test, I was advised to give him allergens through my weaning journey – one spoonful of dairy and we were in hospital – another taste of cooked egg and we were in hospital. His doctors diagnosed his allergies based on his reaction to the food introduced during weaning. He used an adrenaline pen, Jext, piriton, and an asthma pump inhaler.

Jenna Tso (18+ years old)

March 8, 2021 / , , , , , , , ,

When I was first born, I was given formula in the hospital that I reacted to because it had dairy in it. At the time, food allergies were poorly understood and rarely diagnosed. My mom had to go to multiple doctors to get my allergies tested and a doctor said I was diagnosed with a milk allergy. She also had to go on an elimination diet to see what it was in her breast milk that was making me react severely. I have never outgrown or overcome my dairy allergy, it is still anaphylactic and actually has gotten worse with age. 

I use EpiPens, Albuterol Inhaler, daily Zyrtec, Benadryl as needed, and daily Flonase. I have asthma, food allergies, and other allergies to dust and animals so these help me keep that in check.

Daphne (17 years old)

November 13, 2020 / , , , ,

When I was two years old, I ate some chocolate at a restaurant, and when I got home I was throwing up so my mom instantly knew something was wrong. Her instinct was right and I was soon diagnosed with a tree nut allergy. When I was four, I was diagnosed with a peanut allergy as well. When I was around seven, I was able to successfully do the peanut challenge and I’m no longer allergic to peanuts, but as for tree nuts, I still am allergic to all of them.

FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) has always been a super helpful source in learning more about food allergies!

J’s story (8 years old)

November 13, 2020 / , ,

J was sick from 3 months old with tummy, skin, and breathing problems. We took him to many doctors and finally the 6th doctor diagnosed him with multiple food allergies at 17 months old. He has only outgrown a few of these allergies. 

He only takes Zyrtec and an albuterol inhaler as needed. Also, we carry EpiPens on us.

Ham (1 year old)

November 13, 2020 / , , , , , , , , , ,

I knew from birth since he was born with a weird rash all over his face and body. I knew that allergies would play a part in these skin issues since I myself have skin issues related to foods and so does my other daughter. Months go by and we start experiencing worsening eczema and vomiting… although my breast milk was 100% dairy free, he was still having severe reactions after drinking breast milk so I decided to find a formula option that might help him. I switched to a soy formula so I could allow dairy to completely leave his body which cleared up the vomiting issues we were having but the eczema still persisted especially around his eyes, arms and legs. At 4 months we were able to get a scratch test done which proved a dairy allergy and a severe egg allergy as well. I was cooking and consuming eggs daily in our home and he was exposed to them via breast milk and through skin contact. That day we became a complete egg free home and much of his eczema started healing. From then on we have been on the allergy journey slowly introducing foods one at a time mostly with negative results but luckily we have a handful of good safe foods. We fight allergies and eczema daily in our home and continue on our journey figuring out what this little one can and cannot be around. Currently he is allergic to eggs, dairy, peas, dogs, clover, bananas, and other fruits and veggies that we suspect could be a form of oral allergy syndrome. We hope our journey can help spread knowledge and awareness about how people living with allergies face life everyday from birth and beyond.We use topical steroids, Benadryl when needed, and an EpiPen prescription.

William (@positivelyallergic – 8 years old)

November 13, 2020 / , ,
William went into anaphylactic shock from a smoothie at the age of 3. Before this, we had no clue he had allergies. Although he had eczema, no medical professionals raised this with us. Since then he has developed further allergies and we are still learning how to manage life with severe food allergies. It is an adventure we are going on, together as a family. William has EpiPens. We found social media as the best tool. You connect with other parents and are able to chat and get their perspective. Anaphylaxis Campaign and Allergy UK are wonderful, informative sites too.

Fiyya (1 year old)

November 13, 2020 / , , ,

Fiyya has terrible colic as a newborn, then she broke out in red, blistered eczema and would make herself bleed. She was constantly in pain and always was unsettled. Fiyya still has multiple food allergies. The only allergy so far that she’s overcome is wheat.


Fiyya has piriton and antihistamines for any reactions. We also use prescribed creams for her eczema. I didn’t use any websites mainly but I did do a google search at the time when I thought it was allergy related. Obviously google isn’t the best of sources but always listen to your motherly instinct.