How Incredibly Brave our Allergic Children are

When Natasha was at primary school, school Christmas parties used to make my stomach lurch in anticipation of all the things that could go wrong.

Natasha had multiple food allergies and around this time every year, I would be acutely aware that I had to ensure her safety from food allergy dangers whilst not getting in the way of her fun and also that of the other children. I also mustn't 'make a fuss' because that would be seen by her as highly embarrassing. It was a delicate balance to achieve.

Christmas party food was brought in by helpful and well-meaning parents usually on the last day of term for class parties and following the Christmas play. I'm sorry to say that I told Natasha not to eat any of it every year. Even if I brought in a 'safe plate' of party food, it was impossible for me to ensure it remained 'safe' due to cross-contact with other allergens through little hands picking the food up and putting it back down again. Instead, I would give her a packet of crisps and maybe a sandwich in her bag to keep her going until it was time to go home.

To make up for this, we would always make sure we had prepared her favourite dinner when we got home and maybe invite a friend over to continue the fun of the last day of term.

Without saying anything, we would try to make up for her having missed out earlier in school and she accepted this every single year without question. She was amazing, her maturity always astonished me, and she always understood and was grateful.

Allergic children, teens and adults as well, are so incredibly accepting, so grateful for receiving inclusivity around food and so careful around their condition. They really are amazingly brave and courageous and deserve to be recognised as such ❤️