Your Food Allergy Care Team: What's Missing?
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When it comes to managing food allergies, it sometimes means that you’re doing it all alone. I recently went to the FAACT Food Allergy Influencer’s Conference. There was a session about the value of building a team approach to help make food allergy life safer and easier for families and patients.
I love this because a team approach is helpful and even essential.
So today, we’re breaking down the must-have members of your food allergy care team—some of whom you might not even realize you need!
Whether you’re just starting, or looking to fill in some gaps, this episode is packed with practical information to help you create the right allergy care team without missing essential support.
Let’s get to it!
Hey there, I’m Corinna!
I help severe food allergy parents keep their kids safe, and worry less at home, school, at social events, and while traveling. I believe that food allergy families and kids deserve safe & fulfilling life experiences, and it’s my goal to help you get there!
If you believe this too, make sure to sign up for the FREE Food Allergy Kid’s Empowerment Guide. You’ll get ways to get your child aged 1-8 ready for the independence of school, PLUS I’ll keep you in the loop about the allergy lifestyle programs I offer and ways to connect with hundreds of other anaphylactic food allergy mamas like you! Hope to see you there!
The Best Food Allergy Care Team
I remember like it was yesterday. Feeling the keyboard beneath my fingers and staring at my computer screen for hours and hours. I was desperately trying to learn more about food allergies and how to keep my daughter safe.
This was in 2007/2008, and FARE wasn’t even a thing yet! It was still a fledgling organization called Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. At that time there weren’t even Anaphylaxis Emergency Plans readily available, so even knowing the symptoms of anaphylaxis and when to give epinephrine was a mystery. I know I’m dating myself here, but I’ve been dealing with food allergies for a long time!
Anyway, back then, I needed solid information and practical support, and having it easily found would have been a game-changer. Having a food allergy care team was so far out of reach that I wouldn’t have dreamed about it.
But why does a team approach to food allergy care even matter?
Why Does A Team Approach To Food Allergy Care Matter?
As you all know, food allergies touch so many parts of life—nutrition, emotions, and even the daily juggle of schedules and routines. That’s why having the right team in your corner is such a game-changer. With the right support, families can feel safer, more confident, and better equipped to handle whatever comes their way.
When it comes to food allergies, no one should have to figure it out alone. Building a food allergy care team gives families the tools and guidance they need to manage the medical, emotional, and practical challenges.
This is why I’m encouraged that providing a team approach is starting in some Allergist’s offices now. I still think that having it in every office and for every food allergy family is still a way off, and unfortunately, the teams being recommended are still missing important support, but it’s a solid start.
Even so, you can still access many of these team members on your own, so let's talk about the essential parts of a food allergy care team.
1. Board-Certified Allergist/Immunologist
An allergist provides an accurate diagnosis, guides allergy testing, prescribes medications like epinephrine auto-injectors, and creates an allergy action plan. They’re the primary source for education on potential treatment options, such as oral immunotherapy.
2. Primary Care Physician
The PCP monitors overall health and coordinates care, ensuring other medical conditions like asthma or eczema are well-managed. They also act as a liaison with specialists.
3. Dietitian or Nutritionist (Specialized in Food Allergies)
A dietitian helps ensure nutritional needs are met despite food restrictions, especially for kids during critical growth periods. They also guide families in creating balanced, allergen-free meal plans and avoiding hidden allergens. They can also provide practical guidance on allergen-free cooking, safe food substitutions and managing cross-contact in the kitchen
A little note here is that I think the Dietician needs to be specialized in food allergies. I say this because I’ve heard of a few parents myself included going to a Dietician or Nutritionist and they have no idea about how to help with safe substitutions or managing cross-contact and other allergy issues. Yes, it’s helpful to get their suggestions for other ways to get nutrients, but I found that without understanding allergies and even label reading, it felt like I wasn’t getting the whole picture.
4. Mental Health Professional ( like a Psychologist, Therapist or Counselor)
As we all know, managing food allergies can be stressful and anxiety-inducing, both for the child and the family. A mental health professional provides tools to manage food-related anxiety, fear of reactions, and feelings of isolation, and emotional resilience.
Having a mental health professional that specializes in allergies is helpful because they can help with the nitty-gritty of food allergy anxiety, but if this isn’t possible, even dealing with anxiety, in general, is helpful, and I’ve worked with a Therapist a few times over the last 10-15 years.
Ok, so those are the team members that some Allergist offices are providing access to currently. But in my opinion, they’re missing an essential part of the team.
An Often Forgotten, But Essential Part of the Food Allergy Care Team
Hearing from others navigating similar challenges can alleviate feelings of isolation and encourage you. That’s one reason why I believe that Food Allergy Mentors are essential.
Food Allergy Mentors can offer community, and shared experiences. They can help with strategies and practical lifestyle advice. They can show you what’s worked so that you don’t have to figure things out alone.
That’s why a Food Allergy Mentor is an essential part of every Food Allergy Care Team.
But here’s a couple of caveats.
Peer mentors and support groups can unfortunately lead you astray as well. By this I mean that maybe they are relying on their experience, but not keeping up with evidence-based research which is important in a fast-changing environment like food allergies.
Also, Food Allergy Mentors and support groups are not medical professionals, so it’s important that their advice complements, not replaces, guidance from Doctors and other professionals.
Lastly, many parents go to Facebook groups as a means of support, and although these groups can be helpful, it’s also easy to feel judged in these groups, so it’s important to take advice with a grain of salt and focus on what works best for your family. Online spaces can be valuable, but they can also feel overwhelming or discouraging if everyone seems to have a different opinion.
I hope I can be a valuable Food Allergy Mentor for you who complements other medical professionals and builds you up with confidence instead of judgement.
That’s why I created my Food Allergy Workshops and Templates—to provide food allergy parents with practical, evidence-based guidance in a supportive, judgment-free environment. These workshops & templates are designed to give you practical strategies, actionable advice, and the confidence you need to navigate life with food allergies. Whether you're looking for templates that save you a ton of time and worry, or step-by-step help with travel or trying a new food, I’ve got you covered!
You don’t have to figure it all out alone—let’s do it together! Go here to learn more about my templates and workshops.
CONCLUSION
What do you think? Do you agree with this Food Allergy Care Team, or did I miss anything? Let me know. I love hearing from you!
You can also send me a message in the comments below or over on Instagram @friendlypantry. I love hearing from you!
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