Preparing for an Allergy Appointment as a Parent

Appointments with your child’s allergy consultant can be a mixed bag of feelings: hope, anxiety, frustration, guilt and even anger.

Here are my top 3 tips an allergy parent myself (dairy, eggs, peanuts, cashews and pistachios):

1️⃣ Check in with yourself
How am I feeling about the appointment? What thoughts or worries do I have? Write them down. What are hoping to get from the appointment? What are your expectations?

2️⃣ Write down any questions ahead of time
Managing you and your child’s anxiety can mean you’re in a state of high alert, and when we’re anxious we can forget as our brain is focused on fight/flight. Write down any questions, worries or concerns you have ahead of time. Keep a specific note to compile any questions or observations between appointments.

3️⃣ Plan ahead for some self-care
Choose to do something low-key or soothing after the appointment. Listen to some calming music on the drive home or plan a call with a friend or block out 20 minutes before your next meeting. Or my personal fav - have a mindful cuppa ☕️