Focus on Food Allergies
By Laurie Griscom
Dr. Laurie Griscom, executive director of Event Services and Campus Engagement, and Anthony Thomas, director of the Learning Access Program, both members of the Stockton University ADA-504 Steering Committee, are partnering to establish a workgroup to focus on the needs of Stockton University’s food allergy community.
An estimated 33 million Americans live with food allergies, according to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), an organization dedicated to research, education and advocacy.
Food allergy is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act as it substantially limits the major life activities of eating and breathing. Specifically, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 broadened coverage to individuals who may only show symptoms at certain times, as in the case of food allergen exposure.
Food allergy is different from food sensitivity or intolerance. With a food allergy the immune system overreacts to a harmless food protein. FARE reports the nine most common food allergens in the U.S., as milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish and sesame. Symptoms of food allergy may involve the skin, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and the cardiovascular system. Life-threatening anaphylaxis isa serious allergic reaction that involves swelling, hives, lowering of blood pressure and shock. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is the only effective treatment for anaphylaxis.
Mild symptoms can rapidly escalate into a life-threatening situation, so prompt recognition and medical intervention is critical. For more information, FARE offers a comprehensive overview of food allergies through a Food Allergy Facts and Statistics for the U.S. resource guide.
Statistics provided by Food Allergy Research and Education.
As part of my doctoral research in Stockton’s Organizational Leadership program, I designed and conducted a study to explore the needs of college students living with food allergies. Through the lens of a parent or caregiver, the study explored two research questions: 1) how parents prepared their adolescents for independent management of food allergies, and 2) what expectations parents had of institutions to support the transition, retention and safety of their students.
The research was conducted in the spring of 2021 using a quantitative method that invited parents or caregivers living in the U.S. who cared for adolescents with food allergies to complete an online questionnaire. The 286 respondents were recruited through the following food allergy-related Facebook pages: Friends of FARE, Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Team (FACCT), The No Nuts Moms Group Food Allergic Families and Positive Parenting with Food Allergies.
The survey collected demographic information as well as the schooling and food allergy history of their referenced adolescents. Using Likert scales, respondents rated levels of psychosocial impacts, frequencies in which they practiced food allergy management strategies, and abilities to self-manage their food allergy. They were also asked to select educational sources and resources that had been used to help educate their child about food allergies. To gain additional insight, participants were asked to rate the importance of on-campus housing, dining and general campus features.
- Use a variety of strategies and formats that are age and developmentally appropriate to help the adolescent gain autonomy over self-management of food allergies
- Partner with medical professionals, educators and other trusted sources
- Reinforce concepts related to communication, decision-making, risk-taking, relationships and dating, and carrying epinephrine
- Utilize online resources such as FARE’s College Search Tool or the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Team’s (FACCT) College Resources
- Connect with Disability Services, Dining, Residential Life and other campus partners
- Share emergency protocols with friends, roommates and romantic partners
- Offer allergy-friendly living and dining options
- Develop a campaign to help educate the campus community about food allergies
- Develop, review, evaluate and disseminate emergency protocols for allergic reactions using input from key stakeholders
- Evaluate the financial, legal and logistical implications of stocking undesignated emergency epinephrine auto-injectors
- Offer counseling resources targeted to students living with food allergy
- Implement marketing strategies to promote the support services offered to prospective students and their families
Stockton University offers coordinated support for students with food allergies through the Learning Access Program, the Wellness Center, Stockton Cares, Residential Life, and Stockton Dining.
To schedule an appointment with the Wellness Center nutritionist, Abby Broschard, MS, RDN, students should contact Health Services at (609) 652-4701.
About the Contributor
Dr. Laurie Griscom serves as the Executive Director of Event Services and Campus Engagement. She earned her doctoral degree as a Cohort 4 student in Stockton University’s Organizational Leadership program. As a parent of a child with food allergies, this topic is of both personal and professional interest.
Emotional Support Animals on Campus Reduce Stress, Anxiety
FALL 2022 ISSUE
Sometimes the cute dog or cat—or hedgehog or guinea pig—you see with a student on campus is more than just a fluffy friend.
According to Anthony Thomas, director of the Learning Access Program, “An emotional support animal (ESA) is any animal that provides emotional support by alleviating one or more symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.”
“ESAs provide someone with a disability companionship and can help alleviate the symptoms of depression, anxiety and certain phobias,” he said. “ESAs do not have to go through specialized training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Emotional support animals are also not limited to dogs.”
In the spring 2022 semester, there were 31 approved emotional support animals: dogs, cats, rabbits, hedgehogs, hamsters, guinea pigs and a chinchilla, Thomas said. The Learning Access Program is Stockton’s student disability services office within the Division of Student Affairs.
Other Related Articles
