Chapter 1: The ABCS of NAvigating High School with Food ALLERGIES
Advocacy- advocating for yourself is one of the most important skill you can learn in high school. As you get older and mature and go on to college, your parents won't always be there to speak up on your behalf. Take your four years in high school to practice advocating your needs on your own. Talk to your teachers and administrators on your own instead of your parents. Be the one to lead 504 plan meetings and the one to make sure the school's allergy plan will keep you safe. For more on advocacy click here.
Biology- Biology labs seems to be one of the few classes with food related ingredients (other than maybe a cooking class). In my bio class we used eggs, milk and potato products a lot. If you know that you will be doing labs in your bio class, talk to your teacher as soon as possible so that if there is an allergen issue, you can figure out what to do about it before it is too late.
Community Service- Community service was one of my favorite parts of high school! Unfortunately, a lot of our class community service trips involved cooking for homeless shelters and less fortunate families. If that is the case at your school, don't be afraid to talk to your teachers about getting community service hours another way. There are plenty of ways to get involved without having to deal with food even though it often seems like food is a central part of community service (I guess that is because everyone has to eat).
Dating- Actual dating and not middle school crush type dating often starts in high school. Dating can be problematic for kids with food allergies because kissing someone who ate something you are allergic to could cause an anaphylactic reaction. Before you get too close, explain to your date about your food allergies and what he or she needs to do to keep you safe such as brushing their teeth, washing their hands or avoiding your allergens. Please know that teeth brushing alone does not remove allergens from saliva. Before kissing your date, make sure they have not eaten your allergens for at least 4 hours and that they have had an allergen free meal. Doctors say that this is the only way to truly rid your date's saliva of your allergens. Only expect them to avoid a reasonable amount of food. If you are allergic to milk, that is unfair to expect him or her to avoid all milk products. If you are only allergic to peanuts, it is ok to ask them to avoid peanuts because peanuts are relatively easy to avoid. Be careful. Even if he or she has claimed to avoid nuts, they may have unknowingly eaten something that contained your allergen (remember their body will not have a reaction if they eat your allergen so they will most likely not know). Always have them brush their teeth and wash their hands before kissing.
Extra-Curricular Activities- Extra-curricular activities and clubs are a HUGE part of high school and I highly recommend getting involved in one way or another. Many times clubs meet at lunch of have food at their meetings, if this is problematic for you, talk to the club leaders or the faculty supervisors so you can figure out a safe way to participate. Sometimes extra-curricular activities involve sports. Sports are a great chance to create your own family in high school. Sports teams often stick together and have each others backs. If you decide to join a sport, be sure that your water bottle is clearly marked so that someone doesn't drink out of it and then you drink out of it and have a reaction. Also, you may consider leaving an inhaler or an epinephrine injector with your athletic trainer so that incase of emergency it is accessible. Don't be afraid to join a sport or club because of your allergies, they definitely make it more fun! For more information on sports, click here.
Food- Food is a huge part of high school. There is often food everywhere; in lockers, the hallway, the cafeteria, the gym, classrooms. If the food starts to become an issue, talk to the staff and figure out a way that you can be safe without risking a reaction every time you step into a classroom or the hallway. One thing that helped me since students often at lunch at desks during club time was to ask students to use clorox wipes to clean up after themselves. Eventually it became habit and it was better for everyone to be able to sit at clean desks!
Grades- High school is the first time where grades actually matter, especially if you want to get into a good college. My advice is start out strong an don't let them slip. Don't be afraid to ask your teachers for help! If you have a reaction that keeps you from school, contact your teachers so you can make up your missed work.
Hazing- Unfortunately hazing takes place in both college and high school. Sometimes hazing can be as harmless as making the freshmen get the water for a team practice or as harmful as bullying or making fun of other students. There is nothing good about hazing and it can be dangerous for anyone, especially for kids with food allergies. Students have reported being forced to eat their allergens to be allowed access into a certain group. If you feel like you are being hazed, tell an adult immediately. Do not put your health in jeopardy just to become part of a group.
Individuality- High school is the time when people start to define themselves by how they dress, act, the kind of things they like to do, and the people they hang out with. It is ok to be someone other than the food allergy kid. Be yourself and let food allergies be a part of you, but not who you are!
Jokes- Like hazing, for some reason kids like to play jokes on other kids. For people with food allergies, jokes involving food (like spearing peanut butter on someone's locker) can be life threatening. If you ever feel like you have become the butt of any joke, seek help immediately! For more information on bullying, click here.
Key- If I could give you the key to making the best out of high school, I would say, don't be afraid to try new things, don't let food allergies get in your way, don't be afraid to get involved, do study hard, do have fun, and do enjoy your last few years as a kid!
License- High school is the time when most kids learn to drive! It is an awesome new freedom that many teens enjoy. Food allergies don't make driving any different, but they do make it more dangerous. While you should never eat and drive, don't eat something while driving that could cause you to have a reaction on the road, as a reaction can distract you from the road. If you start to feel like you are having a reaction, pull over right away and call for help, don't try to drive it out. Along those lines, epinephrine and some allergy medications like Benadryl impair your reflexes and you should not drive if you have either of them in your system.
Moms- We all know that moms can be a bit overbearing, and it usually only gets worse in high school. Your mom (and dad or maybe moms or dads) are trying to savor the last few years they have with you under their roof. I can tell you from experience, the more you prove to them you can keep yourself safe, the more they will trust you and back off.
Nervous- It is perfectly normal to be nervous when starting high school. If you are, try going to school during the summer and find out where your classes will be. Knowing where to go can help make you feel more comfortable. Also, remember that you are not the only new kid, and everyone else in your class will be looking to make new friends too!
Office- No one wants to have to go to the principals office, but if you need to talk to someone about getting allergy accommodations, that is probably where you will have to go. Don't be afraid, principals are usually only mean when you have done something wrong!
Prom- Prom was one of the best parts of high school! I loved getting dressed up and feeling like a princess. If you are going to be eating at prom, you may want to consider bringing your own food or talking to the chef at the venue since the food is often pre-prepared. Since carrying around allergy medication can be a little difficult to do at prom, I always gave mine to a teacher I could trust.
Quick- High school goes by so quick! Enjoy every minute of it!
Risk-taking- High school students are notorious for taking risks, such as using drugs or alcohol. While drugs and alcohol are never a good idea whether you have food allergies or not, they are especially bad if you do. Drugs can alter your mental ability which can make you less alert and less vigilant about making sure to avoid food you are allergic to. Alcohol can do the same thing as drugs can, but it is actually proven that alcohol speeds up a reaction as well as reduces the effectiveness of epinephrine. My advice: you can have plenty of fun without using illegal substances.
School Nurses- Chances are, in middle and elementary school, your school nurse knew you by name. It is a good idea to form a relationship with your high school nurse too! They are going to be the ones who help you in an emergency, but they can't help you if they don't know who you are!
Teachers- In high school, I had an awesome relationship with my nurse, but I also found it was important to have a relationship with my teachers. All my teachers knew about my allergies and what to do incase of an emergency. The reason for this was that my teachers were often closer to me than the nurse who was on the other side of the school. Training teachers pays off, I actually had one teacher give me epinephrine and another help me during an anaphylactic reaction before the nurse could get tome. If I hadn't taught them what to do, they probably wouldn't have been able to help me as much as they did.
University- For many students, the end goal of high school is not only a high school degree, but an acceptance into college. If that is the case, and you plan on going to college, be sure to check out our guide for college students here!
Voice- One thing you will learn in high school is that you have a voice. If something isn't right, don't be afraid to voice you opinion and change it!
Wisdom- Like anything, high school is going to make you wiser. You are going to make mistakes, but you will learn from them and gain the wisdom you need to keep yourself healthy as an adult with food allergies.
eXciting- As I have said a million times it seems like, high school is exciting! Get involved and have fun!
Yearbook- High school year books can be a big deal! Don't be remembered as the kid who is "Most Likely to Have an Allergic Reaction", be the kid remembered as "Most Likely to Succeed" or "Most Likely to Become A ____________________ (whatever you want to do when you get older)".
Zebra- There are going to be times when you feel like you are a zebra in a school of horses. It is ok; there is a time when everyone will feel that way at one time or another. Wear your stripes proudly and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
Biology- Biology labs seems to be one of the few classes with food related ingredients (other than maybe a cooking class). In my bio class we used eggs, milk and potato products a lot. If you know that you will be doing labs in your bio class, talk to your teacher as soon as possible so that if there is an allergen issue, you can figure out what to do about it before it is too late.
Community Service- Community service was one of my favorite parts of high school! Unfortunately, a lot of our class community service trips involved cooking for homeless shelters and less fortunate families. If that is the case at your school, don't be afraid to talk to your teachers about getting community service hours another way. There are plenty of ways to get involved without having to deal with food even though it often seems like food is a central part of community service (I guess that is because everyone has to eat).
Dating- Actual dating and not middle school crush type dating often starts in high school. Dating can be problematic for kids with food allergies because kissing someone who ate something you are allergic to could cause an anaphylactic reaction. Before you get too close, explain to your date about your food allergies and what he or she needs to do to keep you safe such as brushing their teeth, washing their hands or avoiding your allergens. Please know that teeth brushing alone does not remove allergens from saliva. Before kissing your date, make sure they have not eaten your allergens for at least 4 hours and that they have had an allergen free meal. Doctors say that this is the only way to truly rid your date's saliva of your allergens. Only expect them to avoid a reasonable amount of food. If you are allergic to milk, that is unfair to expect him or her to avoid all milk products. If you are only allergic to peanuts, it is ok to ask them to avoid peanuts because peanuts are relatively easy to avoid. Be careful. Even if he or she has claimed to avoid nuts, they may have unknowingly eaten something that contained your allergen (remember their body will not have a reaction if they eat your allergen so they will most likely not know). Always have them brush their teeth and wash their hands before kissing.
Extra-Curricular Activities- Extra-curricular activities and clubs are a HUGE part of high school and I highly recommend getting involved in one way or another. Many times clubs meet at lunch of have food at their meetings, if this is problematic for you, talk to the club leaders or the faculty supervisors so you can figure out a safe way to participate. Sometimes extra-curricular activities involve sports. Sports are a great chance to create your own family in high school. Sports teams often stick together and have each others backs. If you decide to join a sport, be sure that your water bottle is clearly marked so that someone doesn't drink out of it and then you drink out of it and have a reaction. Also, you may consider leaving an inhaler or an epinephrine injector with your athletic trainer so that incase of emergency it is accessible. Don't be afraid to join a sport or club because of your allergies, they definitely make it more fun! For more information on sports, click here.
Food- Food is a huge part of high school. There is often food everywhere; in lockers, the hallway, the cafeteria, the gym, classrooms. If the food starts to become an issue, talk to the staff and figure out a way that you can be safe without risking a reaction every time you step into a classroom or the hallway. One thing that helped me since students often at lunch at desks during club time was to ask students to use clorox wipes to clean up after themselves. Eventually it became habit and it was better for everyone to be able to sit at clean desks!
Grades- High school is the first time where grades actually matter, especially if you want to get into a good college. My advice is start out strong an don't let them slip. Don't be afraid to ask your teachers for help! If you have a reaction that keeps you from school, contact your teachers so you can make up your missed work.
Hazing- Unfortunately hazing takes place in both college and high school. Sometimes hazing can be as harmless as making the freshmen get the water for a team practice or as harmful as bullying or making fun of other students. There is nothing good about hazing and it can be dangerous for anyone, especially for kids with food allergies. Students have reported being forced to eat their allergens to be allowed access into a certain group. If you feel like you are being hazed, tell an adult immediately. Do not put your health in jeopardy just to become part of a group.
Individuality- High school is the time when people start to define themselves by how they dress, act, the kind of things they like to do, and the people they hang out with. It is ok to be someone other than the food allergy kid. Be yourself and let food allergies be a part of you, but not who you are!
Jokes- Like hazing, for some reason kids like to play jokes on other kids. For people with food allergies, jokes involving food (like spearing peanut butter on someone's locker) can be life threatening. If you ever feel like you have become the butt of any joke, seek help immediately! For more information on bullying, click here.
Key- If I could give you the key to making the best out of high school, I would say, don't be afraid to try new things, don't let food allergies get in your way, don't be afraid to get involved, do study hard, do have fun, and do enjoy your last few years as a kid!
License- High school is the time when most kids learn to drive! It is an awesome new freedom that many teens enjoy. Food allergies don't make driving any different, but they do make it more dangerous. While you should never eat and drive, don't eat something while driving that could cause you to have a reaction on the road, as a reaction can distract you from the road. If you start to feel like you are having a reaction, pull over right away and call for help, don't try to drive it out. Along those lines, epinephrine and some allergy medications like Benadryl impair your reflexes and you should not drive if you have either of them in your system.
Moms- We all know that moms can be a bit overbearing, and it usually only gets worse in high school. Your mom (and dad or maybe moms or dads) are trying to savor the last few years they have with you under their roof. I can tell you from experience, the more you prove to them you can keep yourself safe, the more they will trust you and back off.
Nervous- It is perfectly normal to be nervous when starting high school. If you are, try going to school during the summer and find out where your classes will be. Knowing where to go can help make you feel more comfortable. Also, remember that you are not the only new kid, and everyone else in your class will be looking to make new friends too!
Office- No one wants to have to go to the principals office, but if you need to talk to someone about getting allergy accommodations, that is probably where you will have to go. Don't be afraid, principals are usually only mean when you have done something wrong!
Prom- Prom was one of the best parts of high school! I loved getting dressed up and feeling like a princess. If you are going to be eating at prom, you may want to consider bringing your own food or talking to the chef at the venue since the food is often pre-prepared. Since carrying around allergy medication can be a little difficult to do at prom, I always gave mine to a teacher I could trust.
Quick- High school goes by so quick! Enjoy every minute of it!
Risk-taking- High school students are notorious for taking risks, such as using drugs or alcohol. While drugs and alcohol are never a good idea whether you have food allergies or not, they are especially bad if you do. Drugs can alter your mental ability which can make you less alert and less vigilant about making sure to avoid food you are allergic to. Alcohol can do the same thing as drugs can, but it is actually proven that alcohol speeds up a reaction as well as reduces the effectiveness of epinephrine. My advice: you can have plenty of fun without using illegal substances.
School Nurses- Chances are, in middle and elementary school, your school nurse knew you by name. It is a good idea to form a relationship with your high school nurse too! They are going to be the ones who help you in an emergency, but they can't help you if they don't know who you are!
Teachers- In high school, I had an awesome relationship with my nurse, but I also found it was important to have a relationship with my teachers. All my teachers knew about my allergies and what to do incase of an emergency. The reason for this was that my teachers were often closer to me than the nurse who was on the other side of the school. Training teachers pays off, I actually had one teacher give me epinephrine and another help me during an anaphylactic reaction before the nurse could get tome. If I hadn't taught them what to do, they probably wouldn't have been able to help me as much as they did.
University- For many students, the end goal of high school is not only a high school degree, but an acceptance into college. If that is the case, and you plan on going to college, be sure to check out our guide for college students here!
Voice- One thing you will learn in high school is that you have a voice. If something isn't right, don't be afraid to voice you opinion and change it!
Wisdom- Like anything, high school is going to make you wiser. You are going to make mistakes, but you will learn from them and gain the wisdom you need to keep yourself healthy as an adult with food allergies.
eXciting- As I have said a million times it seems like, high school is exciting! Get involved and have fun!
Yearbook- High school year books can be a big deal! Don't be remembered as the kid who is "Most Likely to Have an Allergic Reaction", be the kid remembered as "Most Likely to Succeed" or "Most Likely to Become A ____________________ (whatever you want to do when you get older)".
Zebra- There are going to be times when you feel like you are a zebra in a school of horses. It is ok; there is a time when everyone will feel that way at one time or another. Wear your stripes proudly and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!