Educational Media Reviews Online

What is a food allergy? Why are we seeing so many kids with allergies to peanuts and other nuts? Can allergies be outgrown? Can someone “catch” an allergy? The answers to these and many other questions are found in I’m Not Nuts. Using the stories of people with food allergies (children and adults) to introduce topics, a good, basic introduction to food allergies unfolds.

Everything from the reasons allergies arise, i.e. heredity, environmental factors, to the optimistic outlook for future treatments are covered in this film. Alarming, but understandable, is the misunderstanding on the part of the general public to the dire consequences of anaphylactic reactions to allergens. Most valuable is the evidence from kids who are dealing with allergies, as well as their parents, concerning the impact on their daily routines and their lifestyle. Expert testimony from allergy physicians and researchers compliment the “real-life” experiences to create a thorough program for the general public concerned about this health condition.

Technically the DVD is of average quality. There is an appreciated multicultural focus and a welcome judicious use of repeated visuals – a technique that strict educational and training films often misuse. The division into 22 chapters is valuable, particularly for classroom use, since the 83 minute running time is a bit long. (A shorter 58 minute version will be broadcast on PBS in the spring of 2009.) A fine initiation to the world of food allergies, I’m Not Nuts will be welcome in public library collections and academic health sciences collections at the senior high through junior college level, as well as those with consumer health collections.