Here's the latest on HB 1148. According to my contact at PA State Representative Thomas Murt's District Office,
"HB 1148 was tabled because several Education Committee members were concerned about the wording on the the bill and it's impact on existing laws. The bill was tabled to allow for further research and clarification. We are working with the Harrisburg legislation unit to resolve the concerns. We may have a vote as soon as July 1."
I just sent a response asking if they needed any help from families who deal with food allergies every day. I believe in the power of the moms and dads who know what kind of help they need when trying to manage their child's food allergies in a school setting.
I'll keep you posted if there are ways we can help.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Friday, 26 June 2009
Avoid Certain Allergy Medications if you Have Food Allergies
I've said it before, I'll shout it again:
If you have a dairy allergy, do not take certain tablets of Zyrtec, Benadryl and Singulair. Do not use the inhaler Advair. All contain dairy.
They're not labelled clearly, but a call to the customer service departments of these drugs confirms that those with a milk allergy should not take these forms of the medications.
Allergists, other doctors and pharmacists I've spoken to were unaware of dairy in these tablets and in the inhaler.
Do not take samples of medications in the doctor's office until you have checked all medication ingredients through a label, company website or contacting the company directly.
If you have a dairy allergy, do not take certain tablets of Zyrtec, Benadryl and Singulair. Do not use the inhaler Advair. All contain dairy.
They're not labelled clearly, but a call to the customer service departments of these drugs confirms that those with a milk allergy should not take these forms of the medications.
Allergists, other doctors and pharmacists I've spoken to were unaware of dairy in these tablets and in the inhaler.
Do not take samples of medications in the doctor's office until you have checked all medication ingredients through a label, company website or contacting the company directly.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Food Safety News
Phyllis Entis, a food safety microbiologist and author of "Food Safety: Old Habits, New Perspectives" and "Food Microbiology - The Laboratory", maintains a very informative blog about food safety. She wrote a thorough discussion about the TollHouse Cookie dough re-call and provides a food recall round-up each week.
Her blog isn't necessarily directed toward food allergies, but it is helpful for anyone who eats food.
Take a look.
Also, check out her discussion about the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. There's even a link if you want to read all 116 pages of the act.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world where all foods must be labelled with their country of origin and where food manufacturers can't refuse the FDA's request to recall foods. Oh yeah, and how about out-of compliance facilities having to pay for their own recalls and re-inspections rather than the FDA (meaning the government...translation, your money and mine through taxes)?
That's in there too.
Her blog isn't necessarily directed toward food allergies, but it is helpful for anyone who eats food.
Take a look.
Also, check out her discussion about the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. There's even a link if you want to read all 116 pages of the act.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world where all foods must be labelled with their country of origin and where food manufacturers can't refuse the FDA's request to recall foods. Oh yeah, and how about out-of compliance facilities having to pay for their own recalls and re-inspections rather than the FDA (meaning the government...translation, your money and mine through taxes)?
That's in there too.
Monday, 22 June 2009
House Bill 1148
Even if you don't live in PA, please consider copying and pasting the following e-mail addresses and letter into an e-mail and send it to our PA Reps. There is power in numbers and if all of us band together, no matter where we live, we can make all of our schools safer for those with food allergies.
Just copy, paste and put your name and address at the bottom of the letter. The vote is this Weds. June 24, so please do this today or tomorrow. Thank you.
Send to:
JRoebuck@pahouse.net, ksmith@pahouse.net, LCurry@pahouse.net, JYudicha@pahouse.net, bsmith@pahouse.net, mcarroll@pahouse.net, sconklin@pahouse.net, RGrucela@pahouse.net, pharkins@pahouse.net, mlongietti@pahouse.net, MOBrien@pahouse.net, JPallone@pahouse.net, cwagner@pahouse.net, JWheatle@pahouse.net, RYoungbl@pahouse.net, Pclymer@pahousegop.com, mfleck@pahousegop.com, Dmetcalf@pahousegop.com, dmilne@pahousegop.com, Boneill@pahousegop.com, Tquigley@pahousegop.com, Klrapp@pahousegop.com, MReese@pahousegop.com, trock@pahousegop.com, WTallman@pahousegop.com
Letter:
Dear Representative,
House Bill 1148 is a public health necessity. We have young students hiding their life-saving medications in backpacks because some schools require medications to be kept locked in the nurse's office. We have students exposed to potentially dangerous allergens because schools are reluctant to engage in dialogue with parents about food allergies. School buses and after-school activities are, at minimum challenging and sometimes not possible, for children with food allergies.
The incidence of food allergies has been growing exponentially in recent years and about seven percent of the student population is affected by food allergies. At present, many schools are managing these students on a case by case basis, and the results are mixed. As a result, families are forced to seek private or home schooling for their food allergic children to keep them safe.
Accommodations for food allergic students can be made easily and effectively in the classrooms and school communities. By law, all children are guaranteed an appropriate and free public education, and students with food allergies are legally entitled to appropriate protections. We just want to have the opportunity to talk with our schools about what is best for all children.
I am asking you to vote yes to HB 1148.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE
Just copy, paste and put your name and address at the bottom of the letter. The vote is this Weds. June 24, so please do this today or tomorrow. Thank you.
Send to:
JRoebuck@pahouse.net, ksmith@pahouse.net, LCurry@pahouse.net, JYudicha@pahouse.net, bsmith@pahouse.net, mcarroll@pahouse.net, sconklin@pahouse.net, RGrucela@pahouse.net, pharkins@pahouse.net, mlongietti@pahouse.net, MOBrien@pahouse.net, JPallone@pahouse.net, cwagner@pahouse.net, JWheatle@pahouse.net, RYoungbl@pahouse.net, Pclymer@pahousegop.com, mfleck@pahousegop.com, Dmetcalf@pahousegop.com, dmilne@pahousegop.com, Boneill@pahousegop.com, Tquigley@pahousegop.com, Klrapp@pahousegop.com, MReese@pahousegop.com, trock@pahousegop.com, WTallman@pahousegop.com
Letter:
Dear Representative,
House Bill 1148 is a public health necessity. We have young students hiding their life-saving medications in backpacks because some schools require medications to be kept locked in the nurse's office. We have students exposed to potentially dangerous allergens because schools are reluctant to engage in dialogue with parents about food allergies. School buses and after-school activities are, at minimum challenging and sometimes not possible, for children with food allergies.
The incidence of food allergies has been growing exponentially in recent years and about seven percent of the student population is affected by food allergies. At present, many schools are managing these students on a case by case basis, and the results are mixed. As a result, families are forced to seek private or home schooling for their food allergic children to keep them safe.
Accommodations for food allergic students can be made easily and effectively in the classrooms and school communities. By law, all children are guaranteed an appropriate and free public education, and students with food allergies are legally entitled to appropriate protections. We just want to have the opportunity to talk with our schools about what is best for all children.
I am asking you to vote yes to HB 1148.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE
Rough Recovery
It's been a hard week for my little guy (and the rest of the family) as he recovers from tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. The doctors are very nice, but quite casual about the whole recovery process.
We wound up going to the emergency room Thursday night. He had been having such a hard time swallowing he needed fluids, morphine for pain and a steroid to shrink the swelling. There was talk of admitting him as he still wasn't swallowing easier after several hours. We decided to go home (for reasons explained below) and we had an okay week-end. Still not out of the woods yet. Dr. said we may need to take him back again for more fluids- ugh!
So we opted not to stay overnight...here's why. When we walked into the ER, we saw signs posted- "If you've been to Mexico, Texas or New York City recently and have flu-like symptoms, alert the staff immediately". At registration we were offered masks. People in the waiting area were wearing masks and several looked very sick with flu-like symptoms.
It looked like a scene in a movie.
Later, when an overnight stay was being discussed, the pediatrician from the floor talked to our ER nurse. The pediatrician advised that we try to take him home as there was "a lot of flu on the pediatric unit". We high-tailed it out of there.
So, we're managing, but still lots of pain, especially in the morning. A popsicle and pain medicine helps that. Then I begin my mantra for the rest of the day, "Drink, swallow, drink, swallow". After I say that about 10,000 times it's time for bed and we begin the whole thing the next morning.
This too shall pass...
We wound up going to the emergency room Thursday night. He had been having such a hard time swallowing he needed fluids, morphine for pain and a steroid to shrink the swelling. There was talk of admitting him as he still wasn't swallowing easier after several hours. We decided to go home (for reasons explained below) and we had an okay week-end. Still not out of the woods yet. Dr. said we may need to take him back again for more fluids- ugh!
So we opted not to stay overnight...here's why. When we walked into the ER, we saw signs posted- "If you've been to Mexico, Texas or New York City recently and have flu-like symptoms, alert the staff immediately". At registration we were offered masks. People in the waiting area were wearing masks and several looked very sick with flu-like symptoms.
It looked like a scene in a movie.
Later, when an overnight stay was being discussed, the pediatrician from the floor talked to our ER nurse. The pediatrician advised that we try to take him home as there was "a lot of flu on the pediatric unit". We high-tailed it out of there.
So, we're managing, but still lots of pain, especially in the morning. A popsicle and pain medicine helps that. Then I begin my mantra for the rest of the day, "Drink, swallow, drink, swallow". After I say that about 10,000 times it's time for bed and we begin the whole thing the next morning.
This too shall pass...
Friday, 19 June 2009
Free Pretzels! Really Yummy Pretzels!
Check out this fun contest sponsored by RFAK.com (Raising Food Allergic Kids). RFAK author, Lissa, is celebrating her birthday by giving a gift.
Enter to win a 10 Pretzel Gourmet Sampler Gift Set from Kim and Scott's Gourmet Pretzels.
Good Luck!
Enter to win a 10 Pretzel Gourmet Sampler Gift Set from Kim and Scott's Gourmet Pretzels.
Good Luck!
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Holy Cow Food Allergy News
Tech savvy Saffie Farris is the mother of a child with a severe milk allergy. She created a site that uses RSS feeds to pull articles from online sources and places them in a "custom e-newspaper." In other words, no need to surf for food allergy news, websites and blogs. This site contains it all.
I don't know how she did it, but I love it! Check out the site and sign up for the newsletter. Contact Saffie to add your website and/or blog.
One-stop shopping...it's a beautiful thing!
I don't know how she did it, but I love it! Check out the site and sign up for the newsletter. Contact Saffie to add your website and/or blog.
One-stop shopping...it's a beautiful thing!
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