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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Approximately 32 million people in the United
3States have food allergies; results from a 2015 to 2016 survey
4of more than 38,000 children indicated that 5.6 million
5children, or nearly 8%, have food allergies; that is one in 13
6children, or roughly two in every classroom; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Children with food allergies are two to four
8times more likely to have other related conditions, such as
9asthma and other allergies, compared with children without
10food allergies; this is of great importance as children with a
11coexisting food allergy and asthma may be more likely to
12experience anaphylactic reactions to foods and be at high risk
13of death; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Food allergy is a potentially serious immune
15response to eating specific foods or food additives; eight
16types of food (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish,
17shellfish, soy, and wheat) account for over 90% of allergic
18reactions in affected individuals; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Reactions to these foods by an allergic person
20can range from a tingling sensation around the mouth and lips
21or hives to death, depending on the severity of the allergy;
22every three minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to

 

 

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1the emergency room; each year in the U.S., 200,000 people
2require emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food;
3between 2007 and 2016, medical procedures to treat anaphylaxis
4resulting from food increased by 377%; more than 40% of
5children with food allergies have experienced a severe
6allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The mechanisms by which a person develops an
8allergy to specific foods are largely unknown; food allergies
9are more prevalent in children than adults, and a majority of
10affected children will outgrow food allergies with age;
11children under age 5 years had higher rates of reported food
12allergy compared with children at 5 to 17 years of age; boys
13and girls had similar rates of food allergy; and
 
14    WHEREAS, A food allergy can sometimes become a lifelong
15concern; food allergies can greatly affect the well-being of
16children and their families; annually, caring for children
17with food allergies costs U.S. families nearly $25 billion;
18there are some indications that the prevalence of food
19allergies may be increasing in the United States and in other
20countries; and
 
21    WHEREAS, A food allergy is an impairment that limits a
22major life activity and may qualify an individual for
23protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

 

 

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1(ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Increased food allergy awareness will lead to
3greater public understanding of these health problems and will
4lead to more life-saving research on the subject; therefore,
5be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
7HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we declare May of 2021 as Food Allergy Awareness Month in the
9State of Illinois.