|
|
|
"I'M NOT NUTS": LIVING WITH FOOD ALLERGIES
The purpose of the documentary is to improve the awareness of the general public as to how serious these allergies can be, clear up misinformation people commonly have about food allergies and, most importantly, show that this is something you can live with. It will also provide additional resources for support and education (F.A.C.T, COFAF and also FAAN).
This program will view both the personal and professional perspective .The sixty-minute documentary will focus on five different families as well as contain information from medical experts. The children range in age from 2 yrs to 15 yrs old, male and female, with allergies including peanuts, legumes, seafood and sesame among others. There are also two adults who have allergies, one who had food allergies since he was a child and a woman who developed food allergies after she was pregnant.
With the young children the focus is primarily on how the parents have dealt with the allergies and what they do to minimize them. On the one hand the parents have to "normalize" the situation with the allergic children, who generally handle it well, at the same time they have to convey the gravity of the situation to extended family members and others they and their children interact with.
The film will address the following issues:
- The impact on the parent's, child's, and siblings, daily routine,
- Educating their child and other family members about preventing a reaction
- The time and energy that goes into preparing eating out, going to the park, visiting family and friends
- Dealing with daycare and/or school.
- Lack of understanding or education from family members who are unaware of the danger of the condition
Fifteen-year-old boy will talk about how it affects him in his life, such as with high school and friends and also his determining what foods he can eat, as he has a sesame allergy and sesame isn't always listed on packaged ingredients. His parents will also be interviewed.
The adults will talk about how it has been to live with the allergies for a longer time period and also about having allergic children. One of the adult women was not allergic to legumes until she had her first child (and the child is also allergic to legumes).
Also, interviewing how it affects the entire family and cultural problems that may occur in relation to not being able to be around or eat certain foods.
Several Medical professionals, including Dr. Scott Sicherer of Mt. Sinai in NYC, will talk about the specifics of "What happens with an allergic reaction", "Why do allergies occur", What to do and what the future holds in terms of prevention and cure. Michigan allergists include Dr. Harvey Leo and Dr. Ben Song.
Melissa Dalton, president of the COFAF allergy support group of Oakland County (MI) is interviewed as will be Terry Furlong of FAAN, talking about the importance of support/resources. The F.A.C.T. group of Ann Arbor, MI is also included.
The various coping challenges and strategies--medical, emotional and social-will be addressed in the documentary. The in-depth struggles of allergies on the individual and their family will be portrayed. The lessons of positive things people gained from learning to cope with it effectively on a daily basis will also be shown.
It will be specific enough for individuals seeking information about allergies and broad enough to interest the general viewing public.
Duration of Project from pre-production through final editing: This project will be completed in July of 2008.
<<Back to Our Documentaries
|
|
|
