YouTube clips to tackle food allergies

THE charity Anaphylaxis Australia has called for a national strategy to address food allergy risk, releasing a series of celebrity YouTube clips targeting teenagers.

The videos, featuring TV stars, entertainers and AMA president Dr Steve Hambleton, have been launched in the memory of Nathan Francis, a 13-year-old Victorian boy with severe peanut allergy who died five years ago after taking a mouthful of a satay beef ration pack during a school cadet camp.

The results of a coronial inquest into his death will be released to the public at the Melbourne Coroner’s Court on Friday, Anaphylaxis Australia president Maria Said said.

Nathan suffered a severe allergic reaction to the meal within half an hour of eating it, despite being given several doses of adrenaline but was pronounced dead hours later.

“People don’t intend for someone with food allergy to have a potentially life threatening reaction, it’s usually systems that let people down,” Ms Said said.

“Manageable strategies to reduce risk are ticked off on paper, but often not implemented unless there is a parent in the background driving the process.”

Ms Said, who was called as an expert witness at the inquest, said teenagers were a high-risk group due to nut allergies and increased eating outside the home.

The videos include Neighbours stars Kaiya Jones and Morgan Baker in a skit about dating in which a teenage girl pauses before kissing her date to ask him whether he’s eaten any peanuts.

Other videos feature appearances by Anthony Field from The Wiggles and comedian Peter Helliar.

http://www.foodallergyaware.com.au/videos/