Okay, I have six children, three with food allergies. When they are little, they have mom and their school teacher and school nurse to watch out for them, yes? But more valuable than this, are the friends that they make along the road...because as they grow, their friends become their loyal pals and look-out for them.

Being a teen, you want to blend in, this is why there are new stumbling blocks and hurdles that you want to protect your teen from, but in reality, they must learn to advocate and take care of themselves at some point before making the leap to college.

• By now, your teen with food allergies is a label reader. Gently remind them to continue to check their labels, mine always double checks at home before eating (even though it is theoretically a 'safe' kitchen. I have told him that everyone makes mistakes, and, food manufacturers do change their lables, ingredient lists, and warnings.) Keep re-inforcing this habit, right up until they leave the nest...just like saying please and thank-you, it becomes a natural habit for them.

• Going out socially, that's easy with good friends. They know by now to let your teen check labels at their house too. God has blessed my kids with such great friends, they order pizza from safe places, et. Eating out is okay too, if you know by now which restaurants are SAFE. My teen has pizza places and fast-food hamburger places that are fine for him. Over the years we have asked, "Do you use peanut oil or peanut flour in your pizza?" Most pizza places are okay for peanut allergic kids, but Domino's used to use peanut flour in their thick crust pizza (i don't know for sure if this is still the case, but have never used them). McDonalds and Burger King are also allergy-friendly, and peanut-free as far as their burgers and fries go. Additionally, my teen sticks to the simple just a slice or two of pizza, no dinners. Or, the burger and fries, period. Ditto for my egg-allergic son. A regular burger and fries - - thus avoiding the special sauces which do contain contaminants. This gives your teen enough of a base for somewhere to eat after bowling or a movie. Remind them when going out socially of 'Murphey's Law', if they don't have their emergency meds (epi pen, benadryl, inhalor), that is the one time that they will need them.

Note: I have several sets of 'emergency allergy meds' for my teen. When he was on swim-team, he had a 'set' in his swim team bag. For school, he has a 'set' in his backpack. When he goes out, he as a 'set' he throws in his pants pocket. It makes it easier for them to carry, less of a 'hassel' and easier to remember this way.

• Social 'Events', like school banquets and the 'prom' can be a little trickier...what my teen does is bring his own dinner, take-out style, from a 'safe' restaurant. Because he is soo allergic, it isn't worth the risk of cross-contamination to 'chance' it. However, feel free to call the chef of the restaurant, i have found that the chefs are a)very ameniable to my teen bringing in his own food and b)very willing to accommodate the allergy by offering to cook a 'safe' meal. You need to do what feels right for your teen.
• Going out to concerts, movies, et. Okay, your teen wants to live. My teen's own rules are: if it isn't sealed with an ingredient label, or it isn't in my pocket from my own kitchen (boys have big pockets! Girls, purses), I will not eat it. Always best not to get sick, ya. Also, always eat before going out. Stick to bottled water and soda at a party. Avoid big bowls of chips, cross-contamination! Open a bag, and be the first to put your chips in a plastic cup (always out for sodas), and don't go for re-fills.
• If he eats ANYTHING, and feels sick (stomach, throat, head, hives), he takes a benadryl. Period. If you have a serious and life-threatening food allergy, you have to assume it is a possibility that you imbibed a food, perhaps incorrectly labled. Period. That is the rule of thumb.
• Dating. This was a 'biggie' for me. I was so afraid that he would die after kissing a girl who ate nuts, that i thought i would 'go nuts' when he had his first girlfriend! But guess what? I had bought him a book through FAAN (The Food Allergy and Asthma Network) 'Stories from the Heart, A collection of essays from teens with food allergies'. In it teens share stories of being embarassed to disclose their food allergies, and then, after kissing, being even more embarassed to have their lips and tongue swell, and ask to go to the e.r. My son came clean, and he has the most wonderful and adorable girlfriend, who bends over backwards to keep him safe with her. Her mom even took him shopping with them for food to keep in their freezer that he could eat. So they just need to be honest about their food allergy.
• Medical I.D. I gave up asking my teen to wear his medic alert bracelet or necklace. He now carries an I.D. card in his wallet that lists his allergies/asthma. For a girl, the I.D. bracelets that they make now, come with beads and all sorts of pretty trinkets, if not, her wallet should contain an Medic Alert I.D. Card that she carries in her purse always.
• I think the biggest thing is to re-inforce all of the behaviors that you need to keep safe if you have a serious food allergy. Having a food allergy doesn't mean you have to live a life in fear of food, it does mean, that you have to be clear about your food choices, and be prepared with your emergency meds, should the need arise.
  • I have also shared with my teen, stories of other teens, who sadly, didn't make it after a bad reaction. These situations included 1) a teen who went to a rock concert and ordered nachos with cheese. He asked the vendor if he could read the ingredients on the bag of chips. They were o.k. Then he asked to see the can of cheese. That was okay. After eating them, he tragically passed away. The chips were fried in peanut oil on premise. 2) A teen was out to dinner, ate at a chinese restaurant, stated her peanut allergy, and was served an egg-roll pasted together with peanutbutter. SHE DID NOT HAVE HER EPI-PEN in her purse, and she sadly passed. 3) Another teen, ordered fries from her cafeteria. She was allergic to dairy. The server used the same tongs to serve the plain fries as the cheese fries, due to cross-contamination, she did not make it.
• I share these stories with my teen, just to impress upon him the fact, that until more education is made, perhaps via HR4063(an allergy education bill promoted by Nita Lowey,D NY - to give education to schools and restaurants), that HE needs to be the one to make the safest choices possible. He is going out in the world on his own now. I am no longer with him everywhere he goes, so it is vital, to know your allergy facts.

The next step for my teen will be going off to college, and already I am praying that he gets accepted into the one that has what some parents feel a disadvantage....no cafeteria, each dorm has a kitchen and they make their own food..this is perfect, as all the food can be prepared and purchased and eaten safely. I never would have imagined that I could picture him going to grade school, nevermind highschool and dating and out and about socializing. And now? With college around the bend, I do think he will be ready to have a safe experience , especially if he gets into that college:) God is GOOD!!!!!

Good luck with your teen too!

God Bless You,

Patty