Alert Others to Your Child’s Peanut Allergy

According to the Mayo Clinic, peanut allergies are common, especially in children, and can be quite serious. Peanut allergy symptoms can vary greatly, from one to child to another, even within the same family. Reactions can be a mild skin irritation — or something more deadly, like an anaphylactic or life-threatening reaction. While your child is home and in your care, exposure to peanuts may be easy to control. But when your child ventures out into the world, particularly when they begin school and start visiting the homes of new friends, the chance for exposure is exponentially increased. Fortunately, there is something you can do to alert others to your child’s condition. A medical alert bracelet can help let others who are in charge of your child know that he or she has a peanut allergy. This may help your child to avoid being exposed to the harmful allergy stimulant, in some cases. In those cases where exposure occurs, the medical alert bracelet will alert caregivers and emergency responders to the allergy. Precious minutes can be saved and proper medical treatment can be given. This may not prevent all instances of exposure, but it is one more thing you can do to protect your child when you can’t be there to do it yourself. Make sure the school is also notified of peanut or other allergies. This should include the administration, your child’s teacher, and the medical staff. Make sure other parents whose homes your child might visit understand the severity of the allergy. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.