What Woman With Over 50 Food Allergies Must Do When Flying Shocks Internet

The flight safety measures taken by a woman with dozens of “severe or life-threatening” food allergies has shocked users on TikTok.

Mia Silverman (@allergieswithmia) is a 21-year-old senior at New York University, studying psychology and minoring in child & adolescent mental health studies; she is based in both New York City and Boston, Massachusetts. Silverman is allergic to over 50 foods: “I have had these allergies all my life,” she told Newsweek.

She recently posted a TikTok video of her Delta Air Lines flight from Boston Logan Airport to Dublin, Ireland, on June 11. It showed her carrying out her routine of cleaning her seating area. The clip has received more than 520,000 views since it was shared on July 13.

A note across the viral clip reads: “Traveling with food allergies means boarding the plane early so you can wipe down your seat and ensure your carry-on bag full of lifesaving medication doesn’t get checked.” The video shows Silverman using some wipes to clean her seating area, including the armrest as well as the back of the seat in front.

She said that, “while all these allergies are severe or life threatening,” the foods to which she has had the most-severe reaction are all nuts, seafood and shellfish, sesame, eggs (unless they are baked in a cake for a long time, “as it kills the proteins I’m allergic to”) and dairy, unless it is cooked for ages, such as in a cake or pizza, due to the proteins she is allergic to being killed off in the cooking process.

Silverman said she most likely has an airborne allergy to nuts, “as I’ve had an airborne reaction many years ago in middle school.”

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says peanut allergies are among the two types of allergies that cause the greatest concern for passengers on commercial aircraft, with the other being sensitivities to animal allergens.

However, allergic reactions during commercial air travel are uncommon, “occurring at an incidence approximately 10 to 100 times lower than that reported for accidental allergic reactions to food occurring in the community,” found a July 2023 study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

“Despite increasing passenger numbers and food allergy prevalence, the rate of allergic IMEs [in-flight medical events] has not changed over the past three decades,” the study noted.

The FAA adds: “If you or your child has an allergy to peanuts, contact your allergist/physician before your trip to discuss travel-related risks and ask if you should carry medications with you.”

‘Taking Extra Steps to Stay Safe’

Silverman shares posts on her social-media accounts to spread awareness and educate people about food allergies and shows how she navigates her daily life with 50 or more of them.

In a caption shared with the viral post, Silverman says: “Traveling with food allergies involves more than just avoiding certain foods.” She adds that “it’s all about taking extra steps to stay safe,” such as informing flight attendants about your severe allergies and making sure your bag of lifesaving medication stays with you.

Silverman travels with several EPIPENs, a brand of autoinjectors used to deliver a single dose of epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis during an allergic reaction. “I usually have one in my backpack and then an extra two or three sets in my carry-on,” she told Newsweek.

In addition, Silverman brings packets of Zyrtec and Benadryl, both of which are allergy medications, as well as asthma inhalers, an allergy nose spray and allergy safe snacks.

Before boarding the plane, Silverman will head to the airline’s front desk and say why she needs to board early. As soon as she is on the plane, she wipes down her seat, armrest, television and tray table in case the previous occupier of the seat may have consumed any of her allergens.

Silverman will then tell flight attendants about her allergies so they can be sure to make an announcement on the plane. She’ll also tell the passengers in her row, as well as behind, and in front of her, to refrain from eating nuts.

So far, Silverman has “never had an allergic reaction ever on a flight, thank goodness,” she said.

‘I’d Be Paranoid’

TikTok users were shocked by the extensive precautions Silverman has to take on her travels and sympathetic toward her experience.

Ravechee posted: “i don’t know how to live like that. id be paranoid all the time.”

Mrs Cooper commented: “I’d be overly cautious too if the other option is anaphylaxis.”

Jordan wrote: “Wow this is so great!!! We were told our one carry on (between us 2) had to be checked and we weren’t allowed to preboard, when my kiddo was dizzy from Hyperglycemia (Type 1 diabetic) I love this post.”

Tatjana Ucci noted: “Every time I clean a bit the seat everyone just stares at me like I’m a crazy person. I’m celiac but also severely allergic to wheat, onion, garlic and dairy! It’s chaos traveling the world.”

Sassy….Kim added: “share and normalize this for both people with allergies and to educate those of us who do not so we can be supportive and empathetic and lnow how to help in an emergency!!!”

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