A Hamilton Seminar will be held in May launching the updated version of the 'Letting Go: teaching your food-allergic child responsibility’ booklet.
The 30-page booklet provides advice to parents/caregivers of
children with food allergies on how to help their children learn to take
responsibility for the day to day management of their food allergies.
The booklet also discusses the importance of minimising the
risks of anxiety as it could lead to long term psychological problems and
possibility risk-taking behaviours which, particularly in adolescence,
increases the risk of life-threatening reactions.
Allergy New Zealand’s Otago Regional
Coordinator Erin Martin said raising a child with a food allergy and
anaphylaxis, from personal experience, is very challenging.
“It involves a high stress load making sure their food is
free of their known allergens, always having an
adrenaline auto-injector (which going against best practice, Pharmac still
refuse’s to fund) with the child and someone capable of administering the
adrenaline if all goes wrong. All the
while trying to give them a ‘normal’ childhood and helping them grow up to be
independent.”
The Southern Trust, who supports a wide variety of organisations across New Zealand, supplied
a grant of $9,000 towards the writing and printing of 2,000 copies of the ‘Letting
Go’ booklet.
The Southern Trust Chief Executive Karen Shea said they were very pleased to have the
opportunity to support Allergy New Zealand by funding the printing of the
‘Letting Go’ booklet.
“Allergies
are a significant problem for many living in our communities today and we hope
these brochures will give those people access to helpful information.”
The original booklet was released in 2006 and has been found
very useful by many, including many paediatric clinics.
Paediatric Allergist, Dr Jan Sinclair, described the booklet
as a valuable resource for families living with food allergies.
“We see many children for whom anxiety about food allergy
becomes overwhelming. We hope that by being able to provide this resource to
families at the outset they can anticipate the challenges of living with food
allergy, and develop strategies that allow children to develop confidence and
gradual independence.”
The ‘Letting Go’ booklet will be available from the Allergy
New Zealand website
when it is officially realised in early May.
WHEN: Tuesday 7 May
TIME: 7pm – 9pm
WHERE: Western Community Centre
46 Hyde Ave, Nawton
HAMILTON.
REGISTER: number
attending by emailing allergy@allergy.org.nz
or call 0800 34 0800 ext 2
Entry by
gold coin or Koha
