SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Teens with food allergies are at the greatest risk of suffering a fatal reaction. Fifteen-year-old Olivier Deldicque is on a mission to change that. His new book, “When Every Bite Matters: One Teen’s Journey with Food Allergies” (ISBN: 978-0578418537; Pop Fly Publishing) outlines life saving tips and advice for teens coping with food allergies.
Living with life-threatening food allergies himself, Deldicque’s goal is to make his book available to all food allergic teens, especially the newly diagnosed.
“I wrote the book I wish someone had given me,” Deldicque stated. “It’s hard enough being a teenager but having life threatening food allergies complicates life even more. My story reminds other teens they aren’t alone. I want to decrease anxiety among teens and their families and show that it’s possible to lead a “normal” life while managing allergies. I have allergies but I still go to parties, play sports, eat out and travel.”
An estimated 32 million Americans have food allergies including 5.6 million under the age of 18. Incidents of food allergies are on the rise. A Centers for Disease Control study found food allergies in children rose 50 percent between 1997-2011. The teenage demographic presents unique risks.
“Many factors converge during the teenage years that make it more dangerous for allergic reactions. Teens are becoming more independent and start to manage their allergies themselves rather than always having a parent around watching out for them. Teens are also more likely to engage in risky behavior. At the same time, they don’t want to draw attention to themselves by talking about their allergies or carrying their medication. This can be deadly,” Deldicque warns.
“When Every Bite Matters” includes information on how food allergic teens can navigate social activities, dining out, traveling, deciphering food labels and finding the support they need.
While written with food allergic teens in mind, Deldicque says his target audience is broader: “My book is important for anyone who has a friend or family member with food allergies. The more people understand and the more information we share about food allergies will save lives and hopefully bring us closer to more treatments and a possible cure.”
“When Every Bite Matters” is currently available at Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578418533/.
For more information visit: https://wheneverybitematters.com/ and https://popflypublishing.com/.
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Related link: https://popflypublishing.com/
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