I'm Starting High School
Dear FAANTeen,
I’m starting my freshman year of high school. I don’t want to advertise the fact that I have an allergy to milk, but my parents think I should tell everyone I meet. This school is a lot different from my old school -- there are more kids, more classes, and more teachers. I’m not trying to give everyone a reason to pick on me, but my parents don’t understand. What should I do?
One of the first things I learned in high school was that people view you with about as much comfort as you view yourself. The key to making everyone else comfortable with your milk allergy is to first make yourself comfortable with it.
Remind yourself that not being able to drink milk is just another aspect of who you are. I'm sure you've heard this before, but everyone has something about them that sets them apart from the crowd. Your milk allergy just adds to your uniqueness.
When you meet new people, first decide whether they need to know about your allergy. The girl who sits next to you in geometry doesn't necessarily need to know what symptoms characterize your reactions. Who does? Anyone you eat around, anyone you become close friends with, anyone you socialize with a lot outside of school. As the school year goes on, odds are that you will wind up telling more people — as your classmates bring in food for class parties and your teachers start organizing field trips. However, as the school year goes on, you will probably also feel more comfortable telling people about your milk allergy, since you'll be more comfortable with high school in general.
As for those people who you do decide to tell about your allergy, just explain it to them in a matter-of-fact, informative way. If you don't act embarrassed about being allergic to milk, they won't think it's something to be embarrassed about. Explain why you're telling them, and what they can do to help keep you safe. Then give them an opportunity to ask you questions. By describing to them the seriousness of your allergy without making it into a huge deal, you'll give your friends the impression that you shouldn't be treated any differently because of your allergy, you just need them to be extra careful about eating foods with milk around you.
Enjoy your time in high school! It'll go by in a flash, and before you know it, you'll be getting ready to graduate, remembering how nervous you were to tell people about your milk allergy.
The trick is to be comfortable with yourself... other people will follow suit.
Marguerite is a 24-year-old graduate of the College of William and Mary. She lives in northern Virginia and likes to run, write, and cook.
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The information above is not designed to take the place of a doctor’s instructions. Patients are urged to contact a doctor for specific information regarding guidelines for care.
