HowToDoThings.com Recent Allergies Articles

How To Use an Epi Pen to Treat Severe Allergic Reactions

The2 — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:15:00 -0600

An Epi Pen, or epinephrine auto-injector, is a treatment for severe allergic reactions (also known as anaphylaxis) resulting in respiratory distress and/or shock (hypoperfusion). An Epi Pen administers an exact dosage of epinephrine to the patient. Adult Epi Pens deliver a single dose of .3 mg and should be used on any patient weighing more than 66 lbs. The Epi Pen Jr. delivers .15 mg of epinephrine and should be used on children weighing less than 66 lbs.

How To Help Your Child Cope with a Food Allergy

Samantha533 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 17:12:00 -0600

Depending on your child's age, there is a lot you can do to help your child cope with his food allergy. Empowering him to take charge is important. Here are steps that can help you do that.

Educate your child. Teach him about his allergy. Make sure he is knowledgeable about ingredients, his reactions, and good foods for him to eat. Teach your child about cross contamination and hidden ingredients. You will not always be there to help him navigate so teach him to do it himself.

Make your child read food labels. Take your child to the store and have him read the food labels. Encourage him to choose new foods to try.

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How To Order in a Restaurant with a Food Allergy

Samantha533 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 17:01:00 -0600

These days, eating in a restaurant is getting easier and easier, so don't be afraid. With a little caution, common sense and the tips below, eating out will be a breeze.

Plan ahead. Check to see if the restaurant has a website. Lots of chain restaurants have there menu evaluated for allergens, posting this information with their menu on their website. You can print these out and take them with you. If it is a nicer place, they usually will have this information in the restaurant.

Call ahead. If the restaurant is local and they don't have an allergen-evaluated menu, then call the manager. If you call ahead, you can assess the restaurant's level of knowledge and concern about food allergies. If they are not very helpful, best to not to take your chances.

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How To Host a Person with a Food Allergy

Samantha533 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:52:00 -0600

For a person with allergies, the hardest place to eat is other people's homes. As a host you can make it a little easier by following these simple steps.

Do a little research. Search the Internet and get yourself familiar with their allergy. Don't just assume that you know, because many foods have hidden ingredients.

Review the menu with your guest. If you let them know ahead of time what you are serving, then they can help you provide foods they can eat. You can also ask them to drop by ahead of time and bring some foods for you to try and incorporate in the menu.

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How To Know If Food Is Gluten Free

Samantha533 — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 19:23:00 -0600

Reading food labels is an important part of living gluten free. Unless you know what to look for, this can be extremely difficult. There are many ingredients that can fool you. Below are some tips that can help make this task easier.

Look for the words "gluten free." Look on the front of the packaging and the side panels. It is not always in the same place from product to product. If you see the words "gluten free," you know you are in the clear.
Watch out for the words "wheat free." Wheat free does not mean gluten free. Often oats are used in place of the wheat when this claim is made.

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How To Differentiate a Food Allergy from Food Intolerance and Food Sensitivity

Samantha533 — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:39:00 -0600

Often food allergy, food intolerance and food sensitivity are confused. Even doctors tend to interchange these terms as they have food in common and treatment for each can be similar. They are very different and it is important to know which one you actually have.

A food allergy is an anaphylactic immune response. It is usually severe, requires immediate medical attention, and is life-threatening. Early symptoms of an allergy include rash, swelling of the tongue, throat and face. Some of the most common food allergies are to peanut, shellfish, clams, egg, corn, wheat and milk.

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