Food Allergy Awareness Week

WHEREAS, as many as 15 million Americans have food allergies, including nearly six million children under the age of 18; and

WHEREAS, research shows that the prevalence of food allergy is increasing among children; and

WHEREAS, symptoms of a food-allergic reaction can include hives, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress and swelling of the throat; and

WHEREAS, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, food allergy causes more than 200,000 emergency department visits each year, including about 90,000 for probable anaphylaxis; and

WHEREAS, reactions typically occur when an individual unknowingly eats a food containing an ingredient to which they are allergic; and

WHEREAS, there is no cure for food allergy and scientists do not understand why. Strict avoidance of the offending food is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction; and

WHEREAS, anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death; and

WHEREAS, Food Allergy Research & Education is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the safety and inclusion of individuals with food allergies while relentlessly seeking a cure:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of the state of Alabama, do hereby proclaim May 10 through 16, 2015, as

Food Allergy Awareness Week

in the state of the Alabama.