Martin’s Point Health Care Hosting Food Allergy Information Event on May 19 in Brunswick

Martin’s Point helping raise awareness about food allergy and anaphylaxis

Children and parents of children who have experienced a severe reaction to food are invited to attend a free event on food allergy and anaphylaxis on May 19 at Martin’s Point Health Care at Cook’s Corner in Brunswick.

Registration is encouraged for the free event, which will take place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19. Please call the Martin’s Point Health Education Center at 828-2497 or 800-260-6681. Online registration is available at www.martinspoint.org.

In a fun, informal atmosphere, children will be able to talk to other young adults about the challenges of living with food allergies. Food allergy basics and the latest research on this difficult condition will also be discussed. Members of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Support/Information Group, including parents, will be available to provide resource materials.

More than 6 million Americans have a food allergy, and that number is growing. Statistics show that between 150 and 200 people die each year because of severe allergic reactions to food. Better education and awareness about how to manage these allergic reactions are the keys to keeping food-allergic individuals safe, according to medical experts.

The food allergy support group at Martin’s Point – the only group of its kind in Maine – meets quarterly to discuss and learn more about the troubling condition, said Leigh Kirchner, a Senior Health Educator at Martin’s Point. “For people who have this condition, or are related to someone who experiences this severe reaction to food, this support group offers guidance in meeting their everyday challenges,” she said.

Anaphylactic shock can occur within minutes of exposure to a food allergen. Symptoms, which can come on suddenly and can last a few minutes to several hours, include feeling faint, rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, nausea, hives and swelling of the lip, tongue or throat.

Someone who suffers a severe allergic reaction needs emergency medical attention. When vital organs cannot function properly, the body goes into shock. This is a life-threatening situation that must be dealt with quickly.

Established in 1981, Martin’s Point is a not-for-profit health care provider with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, and mammography, as well as other fields.

The Martin’s Point Health Education Center has a variety of related resource materials that includes publications and videos. The center also offers information and classes that focus on a host of other topics, ranging from weight loss and smoking cessation to disease management. For additional information, visit online at www.martinspoint.

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