Megan Lavin’s eldest son with multiple food allergies is on the school soccer team and had a big tournament coming up. One that would be 500 miles from home.
The Allergic Living parenting contributor realized she faced a big issue. Neither she nor her husband could accompany their son, due to work commitments. The family discussed and reached a solution: the teen would go solo – or at least parent-free – on this soccer trip.
It was a huge step up in his food allergy management. “To say I was a little nervous is an understatement!” notes Megan, in this episode of the Megan’s Minute series.
Several things helped Megan feel that her son was up to the challenge, though. First, he knew how to use his auto-injector, and had self-administered during a reaction.
Second, the soccer mom the teen would travel with put Megan at ease. She listened closely when Megan explained about food allergies. Then, she volunteered to make sure all food stops her family made on the road would be safe for the young man.
“She made sure that everywhere they ate, they all ate together. I found this incredibly thoughtful,” says Megan.
Soccer Trip Allergy Measures
There were more reasons to feel her son could handle the soccer trip. His Gizmo watch afforded easy communication with his parents. The chaperoning family was staying at an Airbnb, so Megan could pack and freeze full meals for him to reheat.
Her son was already responsible about always reading food labels, asking questions of servers and always carrying his auto-injectors. “I felt he was ready,” the allergy mom says.
That readiness didn’t happen overnight. Megan has been working to advance her son’s food allergy skills. She’s especially mindful that college looms in the not-so-distant future. She has shared videos on her dining training to prepare her son for a teen conference camp and on helping him learn to plan and make his own school lunch.
Enjoy watching this video to see mom’s pride in how the allergy management and the soccer tournament turned out.
Join Allergic Living monthly for a new installment of Megan’s Minute with Megan Lavin, the creator of the Allergy Awesomeness blog. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
More Megan’s Minute Videos:
How to Stay at a VRBO and Have Great, Safe Food
Allergy Mom’s Dining Out Boot Camp to Prepare Allergic Son
Our First Cruise with Food Allergies was a Hit
Easy School Lunches with Food Allergies
Food Allergy at School: Self-Carrying Epi Matters
My Food Allergy Tween Masters School Lunch
Going to Birthday Parties
Eating Out Safely with Allergies
