About 33 million people in the United States have at least one food allergy, which means their summer vacations may require extra effort. Taking steps such as learning how to navigate airports, researching restaurants, and packing emergency medications leads to less stress and more time creating vacation memories.
At Allergy & Asthma Affiliates in Lansdowne and Gainesville, Virginia, Srinagesh Paluvoi, MD, FAAP, FACAAI, offers food allergy testing and treatments that keep you and your loved ones safe from severe allergic reactions. Here’s what our team wants you to know about traveling with food allergies.
These food allergens are common among people in the United States:
Allergy testing at Allergy & Asthma Affiliates is the first step in determining the best ways to avoid allergic reactions to specific foods while traveling this summer.
Here are a few tips to help you and your family remain symptom-free while traveling with food allergies during the summer months:
Packing healthy snacks free from allergens helps ensure you always have safe options while on the road, at airports, or at your vacation destination.
Consider packing fresh fruit, dried fruit, freeze-dried fruit, fresh vegetables with hummus, or dried veggie chips. Other options include 100% fruit and vegetable pouches, allergen-free protein shakes, rice cakes, air-popped popcorn, and baked chickpeas.
Plan ahead when choosing restaurants to find one that accommodates food allergies. Look at online menus before dining out to help you avoid potentially risky situations. AllergyEats and similar apps can help you discover allergy-accommodating restaurants nearby.
If you’re more comfortable preparing your own meals to ensure allergy-free ingredients, choose lodging accommodations that contain a kitchen. Bring your own pans and shop for allergen-free foods at a nearby grocery store, or bring your own in a cooler when traveling by car.
Whether you’re on the road or at your summer vacation destination, it’s helpful to stay informed about nearby healthcare facilities and emergency rooms just in case of an allergic reaction emergency. Check your health insurance policy to learn which facilities and providers are covered by your plan.
Never travel without your allergy medications, especially an epinephrine pen for severe food allergy reactions.
If you need an epinephrine refill before summer travel, visit with Dr. Paluvoi at Allergy & Asthma Affiliates. Keep your medications at the appropriate temperature. Bring a medicine cooling pack if you’re going to be in hot weather or must leave your meds in a warm car.
Bring sanitizing wipes to clean restaurant tables and chairs, airplane tray tables, hotel room surfaces, and other surfaces that may contain crumbs of food allergens.
When dining out, consider bringing chef cards that include a list of your or your family’s allergens. Hand a card to restaurant staff to help ensure your meals remain allergen-free.
By wearing a medical ID tag with your allergens and emergency contacts, medical personnel can better understand how to treat potentially life-threatening medical emergencies.
Signs of an allergic reaction to watch for include:
A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can lead to loss of consciousness and be fatal when not treated promptly.
In addition to food allergies, Allergy & Asthma Affiliates can also treat sinus infections, immunodeficiency, eczema, asthma, seasonal allergies, and chemical allergy reactions.
Before traveling with allergies this summer, see Dr. Paluvoi at Allergy & Asthma Affiliates for a customized allergy treatment plan. Contact our office by phone or book an appointment online today.
