Welcome to Food Allergy and Your Kiddo, where you will find evidence-based, practice-proven information about food allergy.
Being a parent is such a blessing, and you dedicate your life to keeping your kiddo healthy and happy. So when your kiddo has a food allergy, the safety precautions you thought you'd put in place are exponentially increased.
You probably have wondered:
- What all can I do to prevent my child from having a reaction?
- How can I navigate social situations without my kiddo feeling alienated?
- And how do I interpret the overwhelming amount of food allergy information available online – what’s accurate and what’s not?
If this sounds like you, then you are in the right place.
The Foundations Guide for Parents will provide you foundational knowledge upon which to expand and deepen your understanding and management of food allergy.
Through the Guide and the expansive resources on Food Allergy and Your Kiddo, Dr. Hoyt will walk with you on your food allergy journey so you can access and interpret credible information. As your understanding of food allergy grows, those fears of “what if…” will diminish!
A Note From Dr. Alice Hoyt
Hello!
Like you, I love someone with a food allergy.
I’m also an allergist, wife, and mother. My clinical practice focuses on food allergy as does much of my community outreach. I’ve spent most of my career simply talking (mostly listening!) to families of kiddos with food allergy. I’ve learned that what most parents want is accurate food allergy information so they can be informed to make lifestyle and treatment decisions that are best for their children.
The goal of Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is to provide evidence-based information to families of kiddos with food allergies. Each article and podcast episode is an amalgam of science and strategy, developed in a way that is easy to understand.
Death from food-induced anaphylaxis is rare, but the anxiety that such a tragedy could possibly occur is what fuels so much of the anxiety I see in food allergy families. Another underlying cause is the fear of your child being alienated and bullied based on a medical condition. These concerns are real, and they are valid. It is knowledge, strategies, and skills, that can help you navigate these situations so that you and your family can live that “normal,” happy life you so desire.
A critical component of learning about food allergy is applying information appropriately. That can only be done in collaboration with your allergist. The information you find here is for educational purposes only and should in no way be considered medical advice or replace what your allergist advises you. Use the information here to fuel deeper discussions with your allergist.
My prayer is that Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is a blessing to you and your family, and I look forward to walking with you on your journey! Subscribe to my newsletter and let me know where you are on your path and on which topics you would like more information.
Now, keep reading for my Food Allergy and Your Kiddo Foundations Guide for Parents. Whether your kiddo is newly diagnosed or you’re a pro, this Guide will provide you with the solid foundation of food allergy including what it is, how it is evaluated and managed in this quickly advancing landscape, and why your kiddo needs to see the allergist at least once per year!
So grab a cup of coffee, and keep on reading. When you have a question, drop me a line.
Warmly,
Alice Hoyt, MD
Allergy is my profession, family is my heart, Christianity is my soul.
Food Allergy is a Journey
Food allergy impacts millions of families. If you are reading this guide, it’s probably because your kiddo has food allergy.
Perhaps Little Sweetpea has had food allergy for years.
Y’all have dealt with food allergy for years though every year seems to come with new challenges. And now there are therapies for food allergy. You may be wondering what treatment really may look like.
Or maybe you have a pro-active allergist who recommends re-evaluating the food allergy with repeat testing. This may also mean an ingestion challenge, and you may be wondering about the safety of that type of procedure.
And maybe you are hesitant to stay plugged in with other food allergy family groups, especially on social media, because of the stories you hear that you simply just don’t want filling your mind.
But life does not have to be that way…
Or perhaps food allergy is a new diagnosis to you and your family.
For example, it may have been recently that your doctor told you, “Sweetpea is allergic to peanut so needs to avoid all peanut products, and I’ve sent a prescription for an EpiPen to your pharmacy.” While there probably was more to this conversation, it’s to be expected that this news may send your thoughts in many directions and very quickly. You may have thought:
- But it’s just a food… how can a food be so dangerous?
- But my child is healthy…
- Does this mean my child is allergic to other foods?
- Does this mean my child may develop other allergy conditions?
- Is there any treatment?
- What about school?
- What about holidays?
- What if…
Thinking all of these thoughts is completely normal. It’s also normal to be angry, sad, and scared. You’ve probably heard the tragic stories about children having severe allergic reactions, and you’ve also probably seen from friends or family members or on social media how much anxiety and a change in lifestyle this diagnosis can bring.
But life does not have to be that way either…
Download the Foundations Guide for Parents and begin your journey of evidence-based reassurance as you walk this unique road with your kiddo and entire family.
