Educational Media Reviews Online

Following several children with severe food allergies, this documentary introduces viewers to the prevalence, dangers, and possible treatments for this medical problem. Various techniques for presenting the information are used: talking heads, which are usually doctors who are allergists; parents being interviewed; and shots of the children at play or being treated.

While the bulk of the film concentrates on a handful of children who are being treated by desensitization, the film also addresses the numbers of children allergic to food or other substances; the studies that have found fewer allergies in populations having more exposure to germs, especially rural areas; and the interaction between antibiotics and the necessary bacteria humans need to avoid allergies.

A good mix of talk, outdoor scenes, indoor scenes, and graphics keep the film visually interesting. There are also several shots of enlarged microscopic photos of allergens that present beautiful images. The balance between the personal look at individual children and their families with the overall coverage of the prevalence of allergies works well.

The featured families and doctors are all from Canada, although this information has universal appeal. Several breaks appear in the film, which seem to be especially timed for commercials as if this could be shown on television.

This film would be a wonderful resource in public libraries for interested viewers, especially families that have children with allergies. College libraries could possibly use it for classes that examine health or medical topics.