How to Talk to Children About Food Allergies and Death

Don't Feed the Fear: Food Allergy Anxiety & Trauma

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This challenging and important episode concludes our spring season, "I Don't Want to Talk About It."

We tackle one of the most difficult questions food-allergic families may face: “Could I die from my food allergy?” Though we hesitate to bring it up, kids often overhear scary headlines, which there have been far too many of recently. When they ask, avoiding the topic or lying can erode trust and leave them unanchored.

I share why considering your responses ahead of time is important, give insight into how to recognize that the time is right, and walk through what conversations might sound like at different ages. Highlights include:

• Signs your child might be worrying, even if they haven’t asked
• Age‑appropriate guidance from preschoolers through teens
• Why clarity, calm, and validation are essential—and when to use them
• How parents can manage their own anxiety about the topic
• Tips for creating moments when kids feel safe bringing up “the hard stuff”

This episode offers practical tools and compassionate insight, helping families deepen connection, create emotional safety, and bring confidence and groundedness to an important and challenging conversation.

Fatal Anaphylaxis: Mortality Rate and Risk Factors - PMC

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]

Chapters

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Be Prepared (00:03:18)

3. Mistakes to Avoid (00:06:01)

4. Tips for Constructive Conversations (00:11:15)

5. Infants and Toddlers (00:16:27)

6. Preschoolers (00:17:30)

7. Elementary Ages (00:22:54)

8. Tweens (00:28:37)

9. Teens (00:33:44)

10. Conclusion (00:39:19)