“Introduce those allergens early, diversify that microbiome, and don't let fear rule you.”  -- Dr. Priya Bansal

On this episode of The Allergist, Dr. Mariam Hanna teams up with Dr. Priya Bansal, a triple board-certified allergist, to tackle the challenges of managing food allergies and the anxiety that often comes with them. Together, they walk through real-world cases that allergists frequently encounter, offering practical strategies to support patients and families.

On this episode:

• Introducing Allergens at Home: Handling parents’ hesitancy to introduce allergens like tree nuts in infants who already have a known allergy. Dr. Bansal offers approaches for building trust and using shared decision-making.
• What’s Not a Food Allergy: Dr. Hanna and Dr. Bansal discuss the common misconceptions around what qualifies as a food allergy and how to communicate with patients who might confuse intolerances or other reactions with true food allergies.
• Self-Carrying Epinephrine in Schools: Practical tips for helping children and teens manage epinephrine autoinjectors at school, including discussing comfort levels, age appropriateness, and new technologies like nasal epinephrine.
• School-Wide Allergy Bans: The pros and cons of school-wide bans on allergens like peanuts, and why such bans may cause more harm than good. Dr. Bansal shares alternative strategies for managing food allergies in schools without increasing social isolation.
• Health-Related Anxiety After a Reaction: Managing patients, especially children, who develop restrictive eating behaviors or heightened anxiety following a food allergy reaction. Discover when to involve mental health professionals and how to address fear in the clinic.

Join us as we explore food allergy management and anxiety, with actionable insights designed to support both healthcare providers and patients navigating the challenges of food allergies.

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The Allergist is produced for CSACI by PodCraft Productions