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In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Michael Pistiner, pediatric allergist at Mass General for Children, we focus on anaphylaxis management in young children and epinephrine use.

Dr. Pistiner walks us through which epinephrine devices are appropriate for infants and toddlers, and demonstrates the best techniques for administering them safely. He shares practical guidance for holding a squirming baby, minimizing fear, and building confidence in epinephrine.

-->We encourage you to watch what this looks like in action. You can find the video demonstration on my Instagram and Facebook pages @thefoodallergypsychologist or here:
*Infant epi administration: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BrzXaONN9yQy6KgMAn4LXNSh8jJ8rpS7/view?usp=sharing
*-->Toddler epi administration: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J0EIzwE7zAV3vwzLQQ3EvstBM2SgtEvR/view?usp=sharing

This episode is a must-listen for anyone caring for a child with food allergies, because preparation and confidence can make all the difference in an emergency.

How to Use an Epi Autoinjector:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/How-to-Use-an-Epinephrine-Auto-Injector.aspx

Joint Task Force Practice Parameters:
https://www.allergyparameters.org/

Food Allergy Management and Prevention
Support Tool for Infants and Toddlers:
https://famp-it.org/

Creating an Allergy and Anaphylaxis Plan:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/allergies-asthma/Pages/Create-an-Allergy-and-Anaphylaxis-Emergency-Plan.aspx?sfns=mo

AAP Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan:
https://publications.aap.org/pediatriccare/resources/17512/AAP-Allergy-and-Anaphylaxis-Emergency-Plan?autologincheck=redirected

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this first of a two-part conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Michael Pistiner, pediatric allergist and Director of Food Allergy Advocacy, Education, and Prevention at Mass General for Children, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Pistiner discusses his work on developing the newly updated criteria for recognizing anaphylaxis in infants and toddlers, breaking down medical terminology into clear, everyday language parents can understand. He explains how reactions can progress from early to advanced anaphylaxis, the importance of giving epinephrine early, and how to recognize the signs even when they don’t look the way we might expect.

Dr. Pistiner has a gift for translating complex medical concepts into practical visuals that help parents see what’s happening, both in their child’s body and in their own decision-making process.

If you’ve ever worried about missing the signs or hesitated to give epinephrine, this conversation will give you the clarity and confidence to act when it matters most.

Food Allergy Management and Prevention
Support Tool for Infants and Toddlers:
https://famp-it.org/

Creating an Allergy and Anaphylaxis Plan:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/allergies-asthma/Pages/Create-an-Allergy-and-Anaphylaxis-Emergency-Plan.aspx?sfns=mo

AAP Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan:
https://publications.aap.org/pediatriccare/resources/17512/AAP-Allergy-and-Anaphylaxis-Emergency-Plan?autologincheck=redirected

Development and Evaluation of Modified Criteria for Infant and Toddler Anaphylaxis:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38777125/

How to Use an Epinephrine Auto Injector:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/How-to-Use-an-Epinephrine-Auto-Injector.aspx

Mass General Food Allergy Buddies Program:
https://www.massgeneral.org/children/food-allergies/food-allergy-community

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this special holiday episode, I welcome Megan Lavin, the creator behind Allergy Awesomeness. She is a trusted voice in the food allergy community, allergy mom of four, and now a morning TV anchor. Together, we explore what it means to create a happy and connected (not perfect) holiday for our families.

We also discuss Megan’s recent experience with a brand partnership, how she approached it with honesty, and her take on what it means for us to be positive members of the food allergy community.

This episode is a reminder that clarity and  can transform the way we approach food, family, and advocacy.

Listen now for heartfelt conversation, practical insights, and permission to make this season your own.

Follow Megan at https://allergyawesomeness.com/ and on social media @allergy_awesomeness

Megan's top 3 holiday recipes:
https://allergyawesomeness.com/allergy-friendly-sugar-cookies/
https://allergyawesomeness.com/dairy-free-fudge/
https://allergyawesomeness.com/dairy-free-caramels/

Cookbook:
https://www.amazon.com/Allergy-Moms-Lifesaving-Instant-Cookbook/dp/1624147607

Megan's adorable Tootsie Roll ad:
https://youtube.com/shorts/ox0UqOOOYSo?si=6fJ2NYXzk3Uk-SBa

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this deeply personal Thanksgiving episode, I reflect on the ways that grief and gratitude are intertwined.

This episode is dedicated to my brother Adam on his birthday. Acknowledging Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month, I share how his death reshaped what gratitude means to me.

Join me to explore how we create meaning after trauma, how you're doing gratitude wrong, and ways to utilize it for better health and happiness.

This episode is an invitation to reflect, not a prescription for how to feel. It’s a compassionate look at how healing, gratitude, and meaning-making can coexist, even when life doesn’t look the way we imagined.

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

This inspiring episode features Devin August Sailer, teen allergy advocate and founder of Safe to Eat, an organization providing Top 9 and gluten free foods to domestic violence and emergency housing shelters in upstate New York. 

We talk about what it's like navigating the world with food allergies as a young person, how Safe to Eat was created, and how even the smallest acts of advocacy are important. 

Trigger warning: Devin shares a story about a severe allergic reaction. He talks about how infusing his unique sense of humor into these experiences is a part of how he has come to accept them as his reality, while learning from them to prevent future reactions.

This is a great episode to share with teens managing allergies.

Support Devin's work at https://www.safetoeatnow.com/

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this episode I am joined by Zoë Slaughter, the influencer behind the Invisibly Allergic blog and social media accounts and author of the upcoming book by the same name. Zoë shares candidly about her airborne and contact reactivity, her experience using the new nasal epinephrine Neffy, and how she has navigated a safe work place. We also talk about what it means to advocate for change in a world where food allergies are still misunderstood, and how storytelling can open doors for awareness, empathy, and progress.

https://invisiblyallergic.com/

https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/medwatch-forms-fda-safety-reporting

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

Food allergies don’t just bring the fear of anaphylaxis. They also bring unique social challenges that are often overlooked. In this episode, I sit down with psychologist clinician and researcher Dr. Melissa Engel, whose recently published paper introduces a new model for understanding social anxiety related to food allergies.

We discuss why this distinction matters, especially for adolescents navigating peer relationships, independence, and identity alongside food allergies. Dr. Engel shares her hopes that this framework will inspire better screening, more targeted treatments, and a broader acknowledgment of the emotional toll that living with food allergies can take.

If you’ve ever felt that the mental health aspects of food allergies aren’t fully recognized, this conversation will validate your experience and point toward a future where research and care finally catch up to what families and patients already know.

Read Dr. Engel's paper here:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12400901/

Center for Food Allergy And Asthma Research (CFAAR):
https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/cfaar/index.html

Episode 32 with Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard mentioned in our discussion:
https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/17506930-building-bravery-tackling-allergy-anxiety-with-dr-katherine-dahlsgaard

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this episode of Don’t Feed the Fear, Emery Brown, school psychologist and FAACT’s Behavioral Health Director, joins me to talk about how parents and schools can better support children with food allergies. We explore practical strategies that help children and their parents feel safe, understood, and able to thrive. This episode is packed with helpful tips from Emery's real-life personal and professional experiences, practical skills you can use right away, as well as ideas on how to use the many resources she has created for FAACT's Behavioral Health Resource Center. 

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team | FAACT
Behavioral Health Resource Center | FAACT
Camp TAG | FAACT

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this episode of Don’t Feed the Fear, the family behind the ADINA Act joins me to talk about the federal bill's recently reintroduction to Congress. The Act seeks to require clear labeling of the Top 9 food allergens and gluten in prescription and over-the-counter medications. It's a critical step toward safety and transparency for people living with food allergies and celiac disease.

We explore the story behind the bill, the urgent need for allergen labeling in medications, and how families, advocates, and clinicians can come together to push for this change.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why allergen labeling in medications matters for millions of families
• Common challenges faced by patients and providers without clear labeling
• How the Adina Act could change the future of allergy care and safety
• Practical ways you can support this legislation right now

ADINA Act – A federal bill, requiring plain language labeling, for all top food allergens and gluten containing grains in medication.

Instagram: @the_adina_act_effort
Facebook: The ADINA Act

Find Your Representative | house.gov
U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]

Send us a text

In this episode of Don’t Feed the Fear, Gabby Hemond (@noglutengabby) joins us to talk about being a young celiac influencer diagnosed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We talk about the unique challenges of navigating a new diagnosis in young adulthood during the global shutdown, the insecurities and uncertainties that came with it, and coping through connecting with others. Gabby shares how she began posting online, the ups and downs of sharing her life so publicly, and continuing to build community for people living with celiac. 

Follow Gabby @noglutengabby
Hear Gabby speak at the FAACT Summit 10/3-5/25:
FAACT Allergy Summit

Celiac and kissing study: Smooching Safely: New Study Finds Kissing After Gluten is (Mostly) OK for People with Celiac Disease | Celiac Disease Foundation

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
[email protected]