About Food Allergies and FAAN

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) was established in 1991. FAAN's membership now stands at close to 30,000 worldwide and includes families, dietitians, nurses, physicians, school staff, representatives from government agencies, and the food and pharmaceutical industries. FAAN serves as the communication link between the patient and others.

For more information on FAAN, click here.

For those of you not familiar with food allergies or anaphylaxis, they are an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Anaphylaxis is a sudden, severe, potentially fatal, systemic allergic reaction that can involve various areas of the body (such as the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system). Scientists estimate that around 4% or 12 million Americans suffer from true food allergies (6-8% of children under 5). While many children outgrow some or all of their allergies, many others must cope with the challenges and potentially devastating consequences of food allergy throughout their lives. The cause of food allergies is unknown; there is no known cure, and it is not clear what the best path is to help children increase their chances of outgrowing them.

For more information on food allergens, click here.