Food Allergy News in 2010

Much has happened over the past year and individuals and families with food allergy have a lot to celebrate:

We found out that we should carry 2 doses of epinephrine.
We discovered how to turn off a food reaction in mice.
We educated the public about bullying experienced by our food allergic kids.
More allergists are trying densensitization programs with food allergic patients.
We read about the creation of a low-allergy peanut.
We're able to determine through a blood test which infants are at increased risk for developing allergies.
Researchers are on the way to discovering the gene that could be responsible for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
Conferences, like one run by AAAAI, were a great source of exciting studies and new information.
The discovery of a specific molecule that  directs immune cells to develop the capability to produce an allergic response helps researchers with another piece of the allergy puzzle.

So, like with many other things, we have much to be grateful for and much more to do.

Thank you readers for checking in throughout 2010. I look forward to a new year filled with many more advances in food allergy, but I can't wait for the day when I can say, "We have a cure!".

Happy New Year!


 

Food Allergy Ball at Waldorf Raises Millions

The 13th annual Food Allergy Ball was held Monday, December 6, 2010 at The Waldorf-Astoria in New York. The evening raised over $4.5 million, which will benefit the Food Allergy Initiative’s research activities and educational programs.

Gift bags featured items like cupcakes from Izzi B's, cookies from Sweet Loren's cookies, and chocolate bars by Divvies. All food served had clearly displayed labels listing all ingredients.
Check out these beautiful pictures from Black Tie magazine showcasing the 13th annual event. What a great way to raise money and awareness for food allergies.

Food Allergy Management Law to be Signed by President Obama

It's taken five years, but the U.S. Congress has finally passed FAAMA, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act. President Obama is expected to officicially sign it into law soon. Here's what the new law will do in the U.S.:

• require the US Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a plan for schools to manage the risk of food allergies and anaphylaxis.
• provide grants for schools to voluntary implement these guidelines.

Yes, it's voluntary, but it's a start. Educating teachers, staff, students and families about food allergies is critical. Perhaps you read this week of the tragic death of a peanut allergic 13-year old who had a fatal allergic reaction at school. The full story isn't out yet, but reportedly the classroom teacher hosted a celebration with Chinese take-out. So tragic!

Write to your school nurse and superintendant today. Make sure they know about FAAMA and offer your support to get a policy in place at your school. Together we can make this standard at every school in the country. Do it for your child, my child and to honor the life of Katelyn Carlson.

Food Allergy Awareness Via New York Stock Exchange

Mark your calendars.  Next Friday, December 30, at 4 pm ET,  FAAN will ring the closing bell on Wall Street to signal the end of trading year 2010 and to begin FAAN's 20th anniversary year. A live webcast of the event can be seen online at the New York Stock Exchange site. FAAN CEO Julie Brasher will be joined by FAAN’s Board Chair Andrew Gilman and his son Sam, FAAN's "Ambassador Who Cares" Chef Ming Tsai and his son David and other members of the food allergy community.

Food Allergy Labeling Continues to Confuse

Those "may contain:" statements on food labels may soon have some meaning behind them- at least in the U.K. The Food Standards Agency is seeking to define thresholds for major allergens which would in turn allow food manufacturers and consumers to speak in a consistent language.

This would clearly be a welcome and important piece of information. In our house, we find little consistency in those "may contain" statements and find we sometimes avoid those foods, and other times we don't. This is usually after careful research, including a phone call to the manufacturer and weighing the reputation of that manufacturer and the perceived severity of the allergy.  Not an exact science by any means and these types of statements certainly raise the stress level within our family.

I'm all for consistency and would welcome specific definitions for food labels. We're still years away, though, as the task force is expected to report back in mid-2012, and then the food industry will weigh in on how, or if, they can live with the recommended definitions.

It's a start. The full article is available at Food Manufacture.

Teens With Food Allergies: More Great Resources

I recently blogged about teens and food allergies. A thank you to reader, Kyle, who alerted me to a great video series on the same topic put out by Anaphylaxis Canada. It addresses those tricky areas like dating, eating out and high school. All 5 videos are posted on YouTube and are worthwhile to check out, even if your child isn't in the teen years yet.

I think all high schools- students and staff- and all restaurants should view these well-produced videos. Check them out and pass them on. The teen years are already tough. Add in an issue like food allergies and nearly everything gets harder. Awareness and education are the key to making the teen years happier and safer for those with food allergies.

Flying with Peanut and Other Food Allergies

Canada's two major airlines are making it safer for those with peanut and other food allergies to fly. WestJet plans to make an announcement requesting other passengers not to eat nut or peanut products when a customer with such allergies requests this. The airline also plans to add an adult and child strength epinephrine auto-injector to its on-board medical kits in early 2011.

Canada's largest airline, Air Canada, has now posted  its official food allergy policy online. Canada’s main airline is starting to provide for a small buffer zone with advance notice and a completed medical form.

Yeah! Now we're getting somewhere!

Calling all other airlines...it's time to step up to the plate. These are reasonable accommodations for passengers in need. It's time to do right and promote a safe on-board environment for people with food allergies.

Read more at Allergic Living magazine's site.

Food Allergy Guidelines: What do They Really Mean?

There has been much buzz over the past week about the recently released "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the U.S". I've been quietly digesting the information in an effort to form my own thoughts and opinions about it. I applaud the two year efforts of the 34 organizations, agencies, physicians and  others who were involved in creating these guidelines. We have had too many years of inconsistent diagnosis, unclear instructions and confusion about what a food allergy really is. I do believe that clear guidelines will allow for some consistency and better education about food allergies.

So, what have we got with these new guidelines?

1. We've got a lot of defined terms now. From food allergy to food intolerances to tolerance to oral allergy, we can all speak the same language by referencing the definitions included in this paper.
2. It seems that we mostly rely on self-reporting as a means to track the prevalence of food allergy. That can impact the statistics as people are generally unsure of what a food allergy is and what the symptoms of a reaction are.
3. It also appears that our current testing methods (blood and skin tests) are not very accurate and cause an over-diagnosis of food allergy. Oral challenges are our best means of diagnosis at the present time, but present the highest risk to patients. I would also argue based on our experience, that oral challenges become less helpful to a person who has anxiety about eating a food they're been told to avoid for many years. The challenge becomes very subjective when the person complains of vague symptoms, like "I think my tongue feels itchy" or "my throat feels funny".
4. While annual food allergy testing was the standard practice, there is no evidence to support this time interval. It is unclear what time interval should be recommended.
5. The guidelines suggest that doctors and professional organizations may be too conservative when it comes to their recommendations for egg allergic individuals to avoid certain vaccines such as influenza, rabies and yellow fever. Those allergic to egg may be able to tolerate these vaccines- according to some studies.
6. Maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding should not be restricted. Introduction of solid foods to infants should also not be delayed.
7. Clear definitions for anaphylaxis are available in the guidelines with epinephrine listed as the first line of treatment, followed by evaluation in a hospital setting. Hospitals are advised to observe patients for 4-6 hours, longer if there are other complicating factors, even though we don't really have a feel for the true incidence of these bi-phasic or delayed reactions.

For those of us who have lived with food allergy for many years, I don't know that we have any more information now than we did before these guidelines came out. I've read and heard all of this before. That said, we needed to make sure all professionals and caregivers were on the same page, and I think these guidelines will accomplish that.

A patient friendly copy of the guidelines will be available in 2011, but in the meantime, if you want to slog through the lengthy document, I'll send you to the correct page in the December 2010 issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Food Allergy Friendly Sales

Those of us who must buy special foods know how expensive that can be. Take advantage of holiday sales from these allergy friendly companies:

10% off all Miss Robens baking mixes, plus 10% off your total order at the Allergy Grocer. Just enter code "JOY2010" at checkout. They are my favorite source for Barry Calabaut chocolate chips and this offer makes it a great time to stock up!

My cookbook shelf contains all of Linda Coss's books. Yours can too with her offer of free shipping and additional savings for book sets now through Dec. 31. She'll even personally autograph your books- just ask in the "special instructions section during check-out. My copies are dog-eared with folds and creases showing years of use. From pancakes to spaghetti and meatball soup, you're sure to find recipes the whole family will love.

Peanutfree Planet is your source for allergy friendly Advent calendars, iced gingerbread men and other goodies for the season. They offer flat rate shipping  or free shipping for orders over $100.

For other seasonal sweets, Premium Chocolatiers is offering beautiful chocolate gifts for the holidays, but hurry as only orders placed by today, Dec. 13, are guaranteed in time for Christmas. Amanda's Own will ship their holiday treats until Dec. 16 and Divvies offers a variety of Chanukah and Christmas treats this season  too.

Happy shopping!

Food Allergy Friendly Christmas Gifts

Do you have a young person with food allergies on your shopping list this season? Consider some of these unique gifts:

Food Allergies Rock!, by Kyle Dine. This fun musical CD is sure to have everyone in stitches! Take a listen. Don't forget about Kyle's first CD, You Must Be Nuts!. Who can keep a straight face with songs like "Tingle on my Tongue" and "Gluten Free Blues"?

Great books about food allergy for the younger set include:

The Bugabees: Friends With Food Allergies
Allie the Allergic Elephant: A Children's Story of Peanut Allergies
Cody the Allergic Cow: A Children's Story of Milk Allergies
"Abby the Alley Cat - Staying Safe from Dairy"
Chad the Allergic Chipmunk: A Children's Story of Nut Allergies
The Itchy Kids Club: Silly Poems for Itchy Kids
Starting School with a Food Allergy: Tips for a Peanut Allergic Kid
The Peanut Pickle: A Story About Peanut Allergy
The Peanut-Free Café
Taking Food Allergies to School...Coloring Book (Special Kids in School)

Did I miss any of your favorites? Please share!

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Don't forget to support FAAN’s bid to win grants from the Pepsi Refresh Project for Fund a Cure for Life-Threatening Food Allergies.
There are three ways to vote through Dec. 31:

1. Vote on the Pepsi Refresh Website:
2. Text 104004 to Pepsi (73774)
3. Vote on Facebook with the Pepsi Refresh app

Teenagers and Food Allergies- A Troubling Time

A recent survey of food allergic teens shows some surprising results. Of those surveyed, very few were troubled by having to carry epinephrine or by having to wear medical jewelry. What troubled adolescents with food allergy the most were:

• being a burden to others who may need to accommodate their allergy.
• feeling left out in social situations where eating is involved.
• not feeling supported by their schools in terms of the school educating others about food allergy.
• stress involved in eating in restaurants and while traveling.

Teens with food allergy are a target group of particular concern because they have a higher risk of death associated with anaphylaxis. This study sheds light on the specific concerns within this age group so that education and counseling can help teens deal with their food allergy concerns.

What can we do to help improve the quality of life for food allergic teens?

• Help our food allergic children, pre-teens and teenagers find the words to explain their allergy confidently and matter-of-factly to others.
• Provide our kids and teens with tools to use during social situations where food is served. This may mean providing safe food for all or suggesting your teen eat before the event and bring a snack to eat later.
• Continue educating and advocating at all school levels- including high school. Make sure school officials understand food allergy. Ensure your school has a food allergy management plan. Encourage discussion of food allergy in health and other relevant classes so students learn of the symptoms and dangers.
• Push for legislation within the restaurant industry to require proper accommodations for those with food allergy.
• Encourage your teen to seek counseling if needed and to be involved with others who deal with food allergy. FAAN Teen is a great resource where teens share their experiences and tips.
• Share books such as Allergy Information for Teens: (Teen Health Series) and Fatal foods:find out how one teen copes with her allergy to peanuts.: An article from: Scholastic Choices

Teens are stressed about their food allergies. We can all help decrease this stress and provide a safer environment for this group.

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Don't forget to support FAAN’s bid to win grants from the Pepsi Refresh Project for Fund a Cure for Life-Threatening Food Allergies.
There are three ways to vote through Dec. 31:
1. Vote on the Pepsi Refresh Website:
2. Text 104004 to Pepsi (73774)
3. Vote on Facebook with the Pepsi Refresh app

Food Allergy Alert- Recall of Allergy Medications

This is getting tiresome and time consuming, but there has been another recall of medications that may affect the allergy community. All Benadryl Fastmelt products, as well as Jr. Motrin, have been recalled by McNeil Consumer Healthcare.

Go check your medicine cabinet and then check here for details of the recall.



For a food allergy reaction, the Fastmelt tablets are not ideal. The liquid form of Benadryl is recommended. Consider the Benadryl pre-filled spoons- we keep one of these in the Epi-Pen waistpouch- for quick and easy use.

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Don't forget to support FAAN’s bid to win grants from the Pepsi Refresh Project for Fund a Cure for Life-Threatening Food Allergies.
There are three ways to vote through Dec. 31:

1. Vote on the Pepsi Refresh Website:
2. Text 104004 to Pepsi (73774)
3. Vote on Facebook with the Pepsi Refresh app

Register for Food Allergy Teleseminar This Wednesday

Gina Clowes, of Allergy Moms, is offering a free workshop via telephone to discuss the holidays and food allergy issues. The workshop is being held today, Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 2-3 pm EST (11 am Pacific). Gina encourages everyone to register, even if you can't participate in the call as all registrants will receive a link for a recording of the call.

Register here!