chocolate

I was diagnosed with food allergies at 3 weeks old after being constantly ill and breaking out into hives. Since then, I’ve been on a strict avoidance diet, yet I continue to discover new allergies. At 4 years old, I realized I was allergic to pineapple after eating a tropical eggless cake, breaking out into hives, and having my throat close. I’ve since also learned about fish, sesame, and most recently mushroom allergies in similar ways.

It feels scary to find out about new allergies unexpectedly, especially at school or in restaurants, because you never know what you might discover. Still, I’m hopeful that things will change in the future. I have already outgrown allergies to strawberry, mango, chocolate, sunflower, and pineapple. With every allergy test, I see how far I’ve come in my journey. The main thing I’ve learned is this: never be afraid to go to the emergency room, and always use your EpiPen if you suspect a reaction. Although I’ve never had to use mine, I remember close calls where I should have erred on the side of caution. It’s always better to use your EpiPen than to be too late. Early intervention is crucial to preventing life-threatening reactions.

I’ve never used online information to diagnose myself, but I’ve looked to FARE for recommendations on allergy management and to stay up to date on food allergy news. When the FASTER Act passed and many companies started using sesame in their products, I had to be extremely vigilant about finding allergen-free food, and FARE provided helpful updates on recipe changes. Now that I’m almost a senior in high school, I’ve also used online resources to make informed choices about college — Gluten Free Friends’ survey database has been particularly useful for finding colleges that accommodate my needs, since it asks college students about their dining, housing, social life, and safety experiences. Facebook groups like the FAACT community have also been a huge help in connecting with parents and college students navigating the same search.

I only started taking advantage of the food allergy community’s resources once I entered high school, and knowing there’s a wealth of support out there means the world to me. In talking with other students and adults who have food allergies, I’m learning how to advocate for myself and be the role model I wish I’d had when I was younger.

I used Singulair and Flovent previously, and currently use Albuterol.