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.
Provided by the Office of the Governor of Alabama | governor.alabama.gov