Other Students Don't Believe That Food Allergies Are Real
Dear FAANTeen,
What do you do when people don’t believe you have food allergies and tease you? How do I prove that my allergies are real when I’m the only one in school who has them? My school doesn’t even teach about food allergies in health class. This mean girl in my class said my condition wasn’t physical--that it was mental. How can I make her understand I’m not making it up?
I think one of the most frustrating aspects of having food allergies is convincing others that your food allergies really do exist. Some people will believe you right off the bat, others will understand once you teach them a little about food allergies, and, unfortunately, some people will never "get it." Yes, it can feel like a long and lonely road when you're the only one in school who has food allergies, but, by talking about them openly, you'll have that many more people on your side.
It seems as though your school situation presents a great opportunity for you to educate a lot of people about how serious food allergies can be. Talk to your school nurse and your health teacher about doing a special presentation in health class to teach your classmates about food allergies. Consider showing a video or describing your personal experiences with food allergies. Often, hearing a detailed personal story will convince people that they actually do exist.
If anyone poses a physical threat to you, ask your parents and your school administrators to help handle the situation. Otherwise, as hard as it can be, just be thankful that your food allergies have made you a more compassionate and mature person than the "mean girls" of the world. The type of people you want in your life will recognize the seriousness of your food allergies; the ones who don't aren't worth your time anyway. Hang in there!
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.
