7 Things Never To Say To Someone With Allergies

I was born with a surplus of severe food, pollen, and dust allergies, so by now I’ve gotten just about every reaction in the book. The replies I get from people are varied—sometimes dismissive, usually overly pitiful, and occasionally, flat-out offensive. Honestly, it’s not even that most of them have ill intentions. But unless you grew up with someone who suffers from allergies, most people are just ignorant on the right and wrong things to say. If you need an etiquette rundown on how to react to someone with allergies, I’ve compiled the worst responses that I’ve actually received over my many years of allergy-living. I speak on behalf of all the allergy sufferers out there when I say this: please avoid saying any of the below. RELATED: What Parents Should Know About Sending Kids With Food Allergies to School, According to an Expert