Teaching your toddlers about their allergies

I was talking a few posts ago about how to help kids deal with their own food allergies.

Well author Linda Marienhoff Coss (How to Manage your Child's Life-threatening Food Allergies) says we should start when our kids are toddlers.

Here's a quick synopsis of her tips:

Only Eat Food Approved by Parents: Parents should teach their toddlers that if they eat certain food, they can get very sick. "Explain to your child that you're counting on him to help you by not eating anything unless you have checked the ingredients and say the food is safe," stresses Coss.
No Food from Strangers: I think this is common sense even for kids without food allergies.
Avoid Touching any Food: Some children have extremely severe allergies that even slight skin contact with the offending food can trigger very bad reactions.
When the Feeling isn't Right: Teach the toddler to quickly spit out any food that is making him sick. A toddler who has already started talking will be able to say if he is itchy, dizzy, having difficulty breathing or just frightened.