Supernanny, aka Jo Frost, has opened up about a debilitating health condition following her diagnosis.
The TV icon, who rose to prominence in the UK in the early 2000s helping struggling parents, has revealed that she has anaphylaxis.
However, she is determined for it not to ‘define’ her.
As explained by the NHS, anaphylaxis is ‘a life-threatening allergic reaction that happens very quickly.’ It can be caused by food, medicine, or insect stings, with the most widely noted triggers being wasp and bee stings, peanuts, and tree nuts.
If a person shows signs of an anaphylactic shock, they require urgent medical attention. Left untreated, it can ultimately cause cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Taking to Instagram with a video to share her experiences, Jo, 55, began: ‘I’ve survived more anaphylactic shocks than I’m prepared to go into detail about right now.
‘I have anaphylaxis, a life-threatening medical condition to certain foods that will compromise my body so horrifically to the point of hospitalisation.’
She continued, raising awareness: ‘Absolute millions of my community around the world, children and adults, live cautiously and anxiously navigating this journey with not nearly enough compassion, education, and empathy from those who do not.’
On just how dangerous it is to ignore the severity of the condition, she likened it to ‘shoving a loaded gun in [her] face’.
Insisting that she is ‘unapologetic’ about living with anaphylaxis, Jo added: ‘I did not ask for it, and it does not define who I am and the impact that I make in the world daily.
‘But it does impact how I live my life daily, like the precautions I take, the energy I have to use to discern with hypervigilance.’
Jo proceeded to slam those who don’t pay close attention to her condition in public settings, such as restaurants.
She also stressed the importance of clarity on ‘it may contain’ food labels.
‘By the way, I speak on behalf of those who also have coeliac disease, too, because we are not all faddy eaters,’ she went on. Coeliac disease is a condition where the immune system attacks its own tissues when a person eats gluten, causing damage to the gut.
‘I’m not looking to be treated special; I’m looking to be treated with the same dignity and attentiveness as you just showed others.’
The TV personality implored people not to leave ‘passive-aggressive’ comments on her post should they not fully understand the condition.
Instead, she wants people to educate themselves, concluding: ‘Get curious and learn more, because really, as mentioned before, we all know someone.’
Jo received an outpouring of support from her followers, with the likes of @merylottenstein1 writing: ‘Thank you Jo. Been living with this my whole life and see how it has gotten so much worse for children now. Education is so important as well as looking at our food supply and what is in it. We need to look at the root cause and source as well. ❤️❤️’
‘The way you spoke through this was so powerful. I know from lived experience the hardships and shit times a medical condition can dump upon us, but as you can see in this video you move through it with strength, dignity and courage. You do not let it define the woman you are and you have a constant light about you which is radiant and bright 💛’, praised @katiepalmer_x.
Jo is pretty much TV royalty in England, with clips from her Supernanny days continuing to go viral on TikTok even now. The show originally ran from 2004 to 2008, while a US version was also picked up.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis
- Signs of an anaphylactic reaction become apparent very quickly, typically within minutes of coming into contact with something you’re allergic to.
- Symptoms include:
- swelling of your throat and tongue
- difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat, or a hoarse voice
- wheezing, coughing, or noisy breathing
- feeling tired or confused
- feeling faint, dizzy, or fainting
- skin that feels cold to the touch
- blue, grey, or pale skin, lips, or tongue—if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet
- a swollen, itchy, or raised rash
Its concept saw Jo visit troubled parents in need of guidance. After observing the children’s behaviours and how parents responded, she would give instructions and advice on alternative methods of discipline to restore harmony in the household.
Of course, one of her most famous approaches involved the ‘naughty step,’ which involved placing kids on ‘time out’ instead of smacking, encouraging them to reflect on their actions.
The programme was a hit from the start, with six million tuning in for series 1. Consequently, after steady success over the years, other shows were created in 48 countries by 2014 that were modelled off the Supernanny format.
Outside of Supernanny, Jo, who worked as a nanny for over 30 years, beginning when she was just 18, has appeared on Extreme Parental Guidance and Family Matters, as well as several other programmes in Europe.
She is also an active campaigner for vaccinating children, speaks out against neglect and poverty, and has written six parenting books.
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