Exaggerating Food Allergies! We’re Nuts?
Oh my goodness, if you are the parent of a child with food allergies, you may not want to listen to this interview. Everyone’s Gone Nuts
The author of the Harper's Magazine article is sharing her opinion with the world that food allergies are exaggerated. She claims to have food allergies herself but then goes on to say that she is allergic to vermouth.
Are you kidding me? You can survive on a vermouth-free diet???
Try avoiding milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, seeds, lentils, chick peas, green peas, green beans, kiwi and garlic.
To be allergic to vermouth and to compare that to a child who is contact sensitive to peanut or milk or egg is unfair. I guess I would think the “danger is being overstated” too if my child were only avoiding martini’s.
How hard can that be? Certainly no need for a vermouth-free table in the cafeteria! (grin)
I previously posted about the article here, and have heard from many of you on this. I emailed Ms Broussard to ask if I could interview her. She said things were "a bit hectic at the moment" but offered to provide sources to me.
I may take her up on this. In the meantime, I think it's important to know that many out there thing we're hysterical parents creating anxiety in our children in response to an exaggerated threat.
We wish...
If you’d like to read the Harpers article, click here.
January 7, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Yes, it is true that SOME parents of allergic children have exaggerated the condition of their childs allergy. However, it is unfair and unethical to write an article that could have such ramifications on innocent children. Consider the already hesitant teacher/principal, after reading your article they may go on to dismiss the real food allergic children, and precautions that need to be taken.
Unfortunately, yes you are the voice of many in this country. But their is so much more you could do to promote awareness and set the story straight.
January 8, 2008 @ 1:06 am
Wow, you got a response out of Meredith! She didn’t respond when I asked her for a big donation to the Illinois Food Allergy Education Association because she just made our work a lot harder. I sent a letter to the editor of Harper’s. Meredith has removed all the nasty comments about her article from her blog. She is very uneducated about food allergies. NPR also had her as a guest. That website is loaded with angry comments about it.
January 9, 2008 @ 10:41 am
Unfortunately there will always be people who do not get it. There will also be people looking for ways to provoke others. Some might do it for power, or maybe they weren’t breastfed as children, or their shoes are too tight–what’s important is to let go of the reasons why–ignorance, after all, only goes so far–and to start focusing on what we can do in response.
Gina, your offer to interview her is the perfect example of an actualized allergy parent doing what she can do.
For many of us, just facing the fact that we can’t control other people’s thoughts and opinions–and their rights to express them–is a big step. I think many parents churn inside because of the pain comments like this woman’s cause. They perceive themselves to have been slandered and run-down, unfairly injured when all they are trying to do is nobly protect their children.
It’s important to hold tightly to the truth of the situation: we, as allergy parents, have our children’s best interests at heart. A magazine editor or an outspoken pundit have their own interests at heart, as well. It doesn’t make their exploitation of allergy parents okay, but until we garner the strength as a group to approach these issues from the perspective of the higher road, we’re not going to have as much success.
I’m glad people are voicing their disapproval to the powers that be–I just hope they are letting go of their anger and moving on. I fear that in the long-term, most parents are only being hurt, and hurting themselves over stuff like this. Either that, or their hardening themselves. There are so few who speak openly from a place of peace.
January 28, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Once again…..Most people that do not have to deal with the preparation and care needed as well as the constant vigilance of the procedures from epi pen to emergency plans to caregiver instructions to holiday restaurant outings ect……Have no idea of what a food allergy truly is. Being a parent or relative of someone with a food allergy is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy! The love and fear that we have with each day that our child leaves the house to go to school and the panic that comes with any phone call that might be an emergency “reaction” is part of our daily lives.
Until you have actually experienced any major (or minor) kind of reaction you just dont get it!
By speaking up, sticking together and eduacting we can make those who are ignorant eventally understand.
January 28, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
Hear, hear!
You go, Girl.
I’m so glad to have other sisters-in-allergies also doing their parts to stand up to ignorance, intimidation and sometimes, downright bullying.
THANK YOU!
Louise Larsen
February 1, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
One of my very own sisters told me that she ‘would just consider me a picky eater,’ which is pretty amazing considering I gave up only foods that I love. People who think/act like that author don’t make it any easier for people with food allergies and intolerances. I’m so grateful for the internet/blogging community that provides such good support to people with food allergies and intolerances.
February 1, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
I have said this before (in fact, I wonder how many more times I will have to say it?): the ignorance out there about the true nature of food allergies astounds me. That being said, the ignorance portrayed by this author is not what bothers me the most about this article! What really gets me is knowing that ignorance was not only received by some as “truth,” but will now be touted as the gospel for non believers.
It’s time to double our efforts, allergy moms and dads. By keeping a level, mature, informative air and allowing the facts to speak for themselves, we will continue to educate those around us. Let’s keep fighting for a cure and, in the meantime, love our babies and do what’s right every day!
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Nice article!!!
It sound very cool but informative also. This type of information is needed to me because my friend have a allergies with some kind of food not all food.
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