Looking out for each other

You can protect others from allergic reactions by:

• Asking your friends if they have any food allergies
• Always take food allergies seriously
• Washing your hands after eating
• Don’t share food with friends who have a food allergy: if you sit next to them, think about what you eat
• If someone with allergies has a reaction, get help immediately – even if they don’t want you to.

If you have a food allergy:

• Tell your friends about your allergies
• Don’t share someone else’s food
• Learn how to read labels on food to check it you can eat it
• Don’t kiss someone who has just eaten something you’re allergic to

If your doctor has given you an “adrenaline pen”:

• Get an ‘trainer device’ so you can practice using it. Go to the website for the brand you’ve been given, to order these.
• Talk to your friends about your pen and why you might need to use it.
• Show them your trainer device, so they know how to help you in an emergency.
• If you don’t have your adrenaline “pen” with you, don’t take any chances.

The best way to keep you and your friends safe from allergic reactions is for a school to be “allergy-aware”.

This means:

• those with allergies can participate in daily school life and not feel left out.
• raising awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis, so it becomes something which everyone knows about
• everyone can play their part in keeping people with food allergies safe.

Many schools have successfully taken this on as a project involving both students and school staff. Click here for more information.