May 12th through 18th is Food Allergy Awareness Week. One of the major focuses of this week’s awareness campaign by Food Allergy Research & Education is the topic of food allergy bullying, a serious and often life-threatening bullying that is occurring at schools around the country. In addition to the emotional impact bullying has, in some cases the bullying is downright scary, exposing unsuspecting youngsters to the very foods they are allergic to without their knowledge.
Please take a moment to watch the following PSA, and if you have children with food allergies, talk to them. One out of every 13 children has food allergies, and it is estimated that one-third of those have experienced bullying relating to their allergies. Of those victims, less than half talk to their parents or an adult school faculty member.
For more information on Food Allergy Awareness Week, visit www.foodallergy.org. Also, keep an eye out for our upcoming blog posts this week, all focusing on food related allergies.
Ramie Tritt, MD, President, Atlanta ENT.
