Greater awareness of food allergies

Dec 24 2009 By Neelanjona Debnath

A SCHOOLBOY from Harrow has spoken at Parliament on behalf of young people who suffer from potentially deadly allergies like himself.

Joshua Ilan, 13, of St Andrews Drive, addressed MPs about the need for greater awareness of dangerous food allergies in children.

The pupil at JFS in The Mall, Kenton, said: "At first I felt quite nervous because I did not know how many people would be there.

"But I was happy afterwards because I didn’t make any mistakes. It was a great experience."

His parents first realised his sensitivity to certain foods after he broke out into hives from touching a bowl of peanuts when he was just 18 months old.

"I have a severe nut allergy and I am also asthmatic which makes my allergy more serious, as this can cause difficulties with my breathing.

"I have to carry emergency medication and adrenalin injections with me at all times,” he said.

Joshua’s speech was part of an event organised at Portcullis House in Westminster on December 3 by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Allergy and the National Allergy Strategy Group (NASG).

The NASG is lobbying the government to provide better education for NHS primary care workers on treating allergies as well as introducing more specialists in the area at secondary and tertiary care levels.

Joshua added: "I would be so much happier if the general public and health professionals had more insight and accurate information on dealing with and treating allergies."

He will be meeting Tony McNulty, Labour MP for Harrow East, next year to discuss the matter further.