AllergyMoms

AllergyMoms was started by Gina Clowes, a concerned mom whose son has multiple severe food allergies.  The website connects readers to the latest in food allergy research and news, features interviews with medical experts, a blog and a free monthly email newsletter.  Its goal is to support the physical, emotional, and social well-being of food-allergic children and their caregivers and empower families with knowledge. 

I like to learn about current allergy studies but it can be hard to track different studies.  Plus my head starts spinning when too many scientific terms are introduced.  What I really appreciate about AllergyMoms is that it pulls in food allergy news from all over and translates the research into more understandable terms for the non-science-minded, like me.  I recently checked out an archived article on different food allergy tests written by pediatric allergist Robert Wood.  The article explained the benefits and limitations of each test better than any of our doctors had!  I feel more confident than ever about my choice to do RAST blood tests.

Another AllergyMoms article is written specifically as a guide for grandparents.  In today's society, roughly 1 in 12 children has at least one food allergy.  When I was growing up, food allergies were uncommon or undiagnosed.  Diagnosis, symptoms, strict avoidance, and potentially fatal allergic reactions are all new concepts to most baby boomers.  Ms. Clowes' advice to caregiver grandparents is both sympathetic yet appropriately stern:  Grandparents may not fully understand some decisions their own kids' make but every decision comes from a place of knowledge and concern for a food-allergic child's well-being.  When it comes to their food-allergic grandchildren, grandparents need to follow their children's lead.  (It's nice to have an authority figure issue this reminder!)

Check out AllergyMoms website and sign up for an email newsletter.  Ms. Clowes is an author, speaker, coach, and advocate on the subject of caring for children with food allergies.  Her book, One of the Gang: Nurturing the Souls of Children with Food Allergies, is available on Amazon.com.