Food Allergy Conferences Begin This Week-end

FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) is kicking off their conferences in Baltimore this Saturday, April 2. On April 16, the Chicago conference is scheduled in Oak Brook Illinois and the west coast conference will be in Anaheim California on June 11. In 2012, the Baltimore (east coast) conference will be in Tarrytown NY, so you may want to plan accordingly.

I have found these conferences to be helpful during our food allergy journey. The speakers range from doctors sharing new treatment and research information to teens talking about how they deal with food allergies every day. At lunch, attendees sit with "their zip code" in order to meet people who live close to you. Discussion of local schools and support groups often takes place during this meal.

There are special sessions for teens (ages 11-18), school nurses and adults with food allergy. Other sessions focus on 504 plans and preparing allergy-friendly foods.

Check out the schedule and consider whether a FAAN conference may help you better deal with food allergy this year.

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Camp for Children With Food Allergies

Have you worried that your food allergic child won't be able to participate in typical kid activitites like summer camp? FAAN has just announced registration for Camp TAG. These specially designed half day camps are "95% fun and 5% educational". Children ages 3-12 will be grouped by age and participate in activities including camp games, arts and crafts, boating, mini-golf and more.

There are three locations for the summer of 2011:

• Joliet Park District in Joliet IL
• Tall Pines Day Camp in Williamstown NJ
• Sandy Springs Friends School near Gaithersburg MD

TAG stands for The Allergy Gang and this camp experience may help kids with food allergies feel a connection to others who deal with food allergy every day.

Check out the registration page for more information.

Your family may want to consider a summer vacation around Camp TAG. Williamstown NJ is an easy distance to all the sights of Philadelphia. Gaithersburg Maryland is just outside of Washington DC and Joliet Illinois is 45 miles from Chicago.

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