Food Allergy Bullying: Part 2

First there has been regular bullying such as picking and teasing upon others. Then with the rise of social media, came the advent of cyber bullying. Now there's food allergy bullying. Basically what it is, is kids who are allergic to certain types of foods such as peanuts and dairy products, get picked on because of that. Kids who have food allergy already have hardships, being denied some of their favorite foods such as peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Now, they have to contend with others picking on them for a health issue that is out of there own hands. According to a "study that was published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, about 35% of children over the age of 5 with food allergies have experienced bullying, teasing or harassment". Some methods of bullying involve the bully threatening to use the food(s), of which the victim is allergic to, if they don't comply with certain demands, failing to understand the health risks involved of exposing the victim to food allergens. Parents and teachers can usually tell if the child is experiencing food allergy bullying by the following signs: withdrawal, anger, depression, and not wanting to go to school. These signs are also the norm for other types of bullying. We encourage parents and educators to communicate with the kids and provide them with all the support they need. We also encourage kids are experiencing food allergy bullying to attend our monthly support group meeting along with parents, to share there experiences.