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Food allergies don’t just bring the fear of anaphylaxis. They also bring unique social challenges that are often overlooked. In this episode, I sit down with psychologist clinician and researcher Dr. Melissa Engel, whose recently published paper introduces a new model for understanding social anxiety related to food allergies.

We discuss why this distinction matters, especially for adolescents navigating peer relationships, independence, and identity alongside food allergies. Dr. Engel shares her hopes that this framework will inspire better screening, more targeted treatments, and a broader acknowledgment of the emotional toll that living with food allergies can take.

If you’ve ever felt that the mental health aspects of food allergies aren’t fully recognized, this conversation will validate your experience and point toward a future where research and care finally catch up to what families and patients already know.

Read Dr. Engel's paper here:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12400901/

Center for Food Allergy And Asthma Research (CFAAR):
https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/cfaar/index.html

Episode 32 with Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard mentioned in our discussion:
https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/17506930-building-bravery-tackling-allergy-anxiety-with-dr-katherine-dahlsgaard

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
-welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

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In this episode of Don’t Feed the Fear, Emery Brown, school psychologist and FAACT’s Behavioral Health Director, joins me to talk about how parents and schools can better support children with food allergies. We explore practical strategies that help children and their parents feel safe, understood, and able to thrive. This episode is packed with helpful tips from Emery's real-life personal and professional experiences, practical skills you can use right away, as well as ideas on how to use the many resources she has created for FAACT's Behavioral Health Resource Center.

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team | FAACT
Behavioral Health Resource Center | FAACT
Camp TAG | FAACT

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
-welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

Send us a text

In this episode of Don’t Feed the Fear, the family behind the ADINA Act joins me to talk about the federal bill's recently reintroduction to Congress. The Act seeks to require clear labeling of the Top 9 food allergens and gluten in prescription and over-the-counter medications. It's a critical step toward safety and transparency for people living with food allergies and celiac disease.

We explore the story behind the bill, the urgent need for allergen labeling in medications, and how families, advocates, and clinicians can come together to push for this change.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why allergen labeling in medications matters for millions of families
• Common challenges faced by patients and providers without clear labeling
• How the Adina Act could change the future of allergy care and safety
• Practical ways you can support this legislation right now

ADINA Act – A federal bill, requiring plain language labeling, for all top food allergens and gluten containing grains in medication.

Instagram: @the_adina_act_effort
Facebook: The ADINA Act

Find Your Representative | house.gov
U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

Find Dr. Whitehouse:
-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist
-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
-welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com