Food allergies and children

It’s become a common question when planning for family dinner parties, playdates or even when sharing snacks on the playground: Does your child have any allergies?

I always ask. At my daughter’s preschool, peanut butter isn’t allowed. Teachers also offer soy milk to the kids who are allergic to dairy.

Children with a peanut allergy can suffer from anaphylactic shock and die if they accidentally ingest peanut products, according to PeanutAllergy.com. They not only have to be cautious around peanut products but also when they’re exposed to baked goods, candy bars, crackers and other foods and ingredients that are subject to cross-contamination.

According to a story this week in The Los Angeles Times, 4 percent of all kids in the United States have food allergies. An analysis of four national surveys also revealed that the number of children with food allergies is rapidly rising.

The cause of this increase is unclear although one theory suggests that children today live in an overly sanitized environment:

“A prominent theory is the hygiene hypothesis, which is based on the notion that today’s children are less exposed to germs and other disease-causing substances than were previous generations — preventing their immune systems from developing the same responses to protect against invaders,” according to the LA Times. “The immune system then overreacts to relatively harmless substances, causing allergies, eczema or asthma.”

Does your child have a food allergy? How do you ensure your child’s safety when he or she is at school, at a friend’s house or anywhere else you’re not? What can other families do during birthday parties or playdates in order to accommodate for children with allergies?