The big story on allergy this past week has been about bullying by way of allergies. Geez, the teen/pre-teen years just get harder and harder, don’t they?

Apparently, an 8th grader from Kentucky slipped crumbs from a peanut butter cookie into the lunch box of a classmate with a severe peanut allergy. Fortunately, the allergic child didn’t eat from the contaminated lunch box and wasn’t harmed. But the 13-year-old bully was arrested on felony wanton endangerment charges.

Click here for the full story from ABC.

So, what does this tell me?

• It’s really important that the school (teachers, administrators, school nurses) are in the know about your child’s allergy – even through the teen years
• Gotta have that EpiPen on hand at all times
• I will never cease to be amazed by the lengths some kids will go to in order to be cruel to one another

What do you think? Have your kids been bullied because of their food allergy? If so, how do you protect them?

Take care,
Marybeth

Hi There,

Last Friday, we were happy to sponsor a really great teleconference presented by dietitian Cynthia Baranoski. She talked about how important it is to make sure that kids get all of their required nutrition – specifically when they have to follow restricted diets due to food allergies and related conditions. She provided a great explanation of the nutrients that every child needs as well as some useful tips about how to include these important nutrients into your food allergic child’s diet.

We are really thankful to Ms. Baranoski for taking the time to talk to all of us and for sharing her presentation with those who could not make it on Friday.

Anyone who was not able to join us on the telecall, just click here to download her presentation.

We hope you find it useful and, as always, let us know what you think

Take care,
April & Marybeth

Despite a lot of research, the exact cause of food allergies and the reason the number of kids affected is on the rise, is still something of a mystery. One very common question on the subject is “Are food allergies genetic?”

While no one has identified a “food allergy gene,” research does show that if Mom, Dad or both parents have a history of any type of food allergy it translates into a greater allergy risk for the children.

According to the University of Michigan, a child’s chance of allergy development is 40% if one parent has an allergy. If both parents have allergies, the chance of a food allergy rises to about 75% for each child. Sometimes, a child is allergic to the same food/foods as the parent.

If food allergies run in your family, there are some ways thought to possibly help prevent or delay the development of allergies.

• Breast-feeding the infants for a year;
• Restricting your diet while nursing to avoid some of the most common allergies (i.e. milk, eggs, peanuts)
• Waiting to introduce solid food until your baby is 6 months old;
• Introducing solid foods one at a time, beginning with those foods that are least likely to cause an allergy, like rice cereal;
• Avoiding processed foods with artificial colors and flavors; and
• Delaying the introduction of potentially allergic foods until your baby is a year old.

If it’s any consolation, if you suffer from food allergies, you’re probably more aware of the symptoms than the average parent and, hopefully, you’re able to spot the signs quickly. If that does happen, remember to consult with the pediatrician and either eliminate all the allergens from your diet while breastfeeding or switch formulas to an amino acid-based formula like Neocate.

As always, I’d love to see how you feel about this.

Take care,
Marybeth

Great news – Nutricia is sponsoring a free teleconference for parents on managing special diets. If you have a child with milk allergy, food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) GERD or another condition that requires a restricted diet, check it out. And feel free to share with friends & family.

Here is the info:

Who: Cynthia Baranoski, MS, RD, LDN
Nutrition Therapy Department Head,
Easter Seals DuPage & the Fox Valley Region

What: Growing and Thriving on a Special Diet:
Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies in
Kids on Restricted Diets

When: Friday, April 18, 2008 / 1:00pm EST

The presentation will address:

· Nutritional deficiencies common in children with food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis and other conditions requiring restricted diets;
· Signs and symptoms of nutritional deficiencies and toxicities in your child;
· Food sources of specific vitamins and minerals;
· Vitamin and mineral supplementation;
· Establishing a balanced diet; and
· The use of elemental formulas to ensure adequacy in your child’s diet.

For more information and to register, click here.

Best,
April, Marybeth and Steven