The EpiPen. According to an article on MSNBC.com, doctors prescribed 1.9 million EpiPens in 2007, a 36 percent increase from 2003, when 1.4 million were prescribed. Since food allergies are on the rise, this comes as no surprise.

The pocket-sized, life-saving EpiPen has cultivated quite a following. It “auto injects a pre-measured dose of epinephrine to someone experiencing anaphylaxis, a severe whole-body allergic reaction.” Some parents have 10 or more EpiPens around the house at all times, as well as at school, in the car and on their allergy-prone little one.

Stylish EpiPen carriers and portable pouches have even emerged. There are carriers covered in cartoon characters for the younger kids and discreet leg straps for the older kids that might be a bit self-conscience.

For many years, the EpiPen was one-of-a-kind. Currently, there is another company that makes a similar product, but the EpiPen has maintained 97 percent of the market.

For the entire EpiPen article, click here.

- Nita

Relying on the school to provide an allergy-free lunch for your child can often be stressful. Many food allergy parents feel better packing their child’s lunch. It’s an easy way to remain worry-free about what your child is eating at school as well as to ensure that he is getting the proper nutrients.

Here are a few tips on how to pack an allergy-free, nutritionally complete lunch for your school-age kids:
- Plan ahead! It is much easier to make a lunch menu and take a trip to the grocery store when you aren’t on a time crunch.
- Add variety to your little ones lunch so they aren’t tempted to eat off someone else’s plate.

And for more great lunch ideas, check out this blog entry from Allergy Moms.

What are you packing for your little one this week?

- Christine

I came across an enlightening article the other day from Reuters Health on food allergy action plans in schools. Food allergies and specifically allergic reactions in schools have been all over the news lately and I assumed most schools would already have, or be working to create, a food allergy action plan for their students. However, according to this article, I thought wrong.

A survey was taken of 43 elementary and middle schools in the largest public school system in South Carolina on how they handled food allergies. Over half (56 percent) of these schools did not have did not have their food allergy kids on action plans. And even more surprising is that this school system is at or above the national average of food allergy action plans in schools, which is 16-64 percent.

To read the entire article, click here.

Overall, the article is encouraging parents to be proactive about your little ones health! Many adults, even those at your child’s school, may not be aware of the severity of food allergies.

For tips on how to ease your mind while your food allergy child is in school, read our previous blog entry on the topic.

- Nita

Gina Clowes is the founder of AllergyMoms.com. We would like to thank her for guest blogging for us and sharing her family’s allergy story.

Note: This article was originally written for Health Central: My AllergyNetwork.com. To view the article there, click here.

One of my industry contacts sent me a link to a very interesting study recently released by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Their report, appropriately titled the 2008 State Honor Roll – Annual Report of the State Asthma and Allergy Policies for Schools, represents a wealth of comparative information in regard to how well each state in the U.S. deals with asthma and allergy in its public schools.

According to the executive summary of the report,
“AAFA research and policy experts, in consultation with leaders in the fields of medicine, education and advocacy, identified 18 types of “policy standards” relating to asthma and allergies in schools that currently appear in states across the U.S. Three broad categories of policy types were assessed:
• Medication & Treatment
• Awareness
• School Environment
Researchers determined which states currently had most or all of the 18 policy standards in place and considered these states to be at the forefront asthma and allergy school advocacy. States with a minimum of 15 of the 18 policy standards in place are named “Honor Roll” states. These states represent good models for policymakers, administrators, teachers, parents and advocates in other states.”

As a parent of a food allergic child, the first thing I did was dig into the report and find out how my state, Pennsylvania, stacked up. Of course, I found that my state is somewhere in the middle of the pack with regard to the policy stances studied in the document. Nowhere near the bottom, thankfully, but sadly also nowhere near the top.

I was surprised to see that Pennsylvania passed the self-carry law for epinephrine. Sara Shannon (an advocate from Canada who lost her daughter to food allergies) and I worked with Pennsylvania State Senator Orie who sponsored SB731, but the last I heard the bill was in the Pennsylvania House Education Committee. If it has passed, I will very happy to hear it.

But I think the real power of this report is its ability to compare states on these policies, which is something that might be impossible if it were not for this report. Here are a couple of things that I observed and that I thought were especially interesting:

1. The states achieving the highest success in setting policy for asthma and allergy are largely in the northeastern U.S. The exception to that statement is the state of Washington . Why is this? Is it a reaction to the incidence of asthma and allergy in those states (possibly)? Is it the power of advocacy in those states (maybe)? Is it that the legislators in those states are especially wise when it comes to dealing with asthma and allergy policy? For those of us who live in these states, we should be thanking our lucky stars. And for those of us who don’t, this report should motivate us to ask our legislators for changes. I think that this report could provide some powerful ammunition.

2. There is a huge variation in asthma and allergy policy from one state to another. Having been involved with food allergy advocacy for years, I guess that I always knew of the differences in policy between states. In certain areas (medication policies, for instance), many states have addressed an important health concern, and this report points that out. But what I wasn’t aware of is the vast differences among the states in dealing with other aspects of asthma and allergy policy. The AAFA Honor Roll presents this information in an easy-to-read format, and this could, once again, become a powerful advocacy tool.

There are several areas where I’d love to see improvement in Pennsylvania, my state. For example, it would be wonderful if Pennsylvania legislators would mandate indoor air quality policies or requirements. My sons go to a very old elementary school and I’m sure that the mold takes its toll on kids who have allergies and asthma.

I also think it would be very important to track and report severe asthma and allergic reactions. There are other places where Pennsylvania falls short, for example our state has not mandated “no smoking” on school buses but I’m pretty sure this one is in effect anyway. I can’t imagine anyone smoking on a school bus, at least not with permission.

Obviously state laws to protect asthmatic and food allergic children get the attention of school districts. And, this report could be a useful tool to help parents pursue legislation in their states by pointing out what other states have already done. Although I am aware that parents even in the “honor roll” states still have issues keeping their food allergic children safe at school, each of these laws provide another layer of protection and awareness.

I think that this report is long overdue, and I recommend that you spend a few minutes to learn a little more.

- Gina Clowes
 

Well, it doesn’t necessarily go in that order. Often, holidays can be tough for families that have a child with a food allergy. However, if you fall into that category, the holidays don’t have to be a wash! Even though the holidays often revolve around food, you can still make them enjoyable for your allergy prone little one. You just have to prepare!

Here are some tips to help all families have fun without focusing on food:
- Turn the focus from foods to holiday songs, crafts and activities.

- Try using substitutions for the egg, nuts, milk and/or wheat in your favorite holiday recipes (depending upon your child’s allergy).

- Make new holiday traditions that everyone in your family can enjoy, such as taking a walk together or playing a game. For your little one, a new tradition is just as special as an old one!

And, if your child is on a specialized formula, like Neocate, bring it to all holiday functions, even if it’s supposed to only be a short get-together. When family and friends get together, you never know how long the holiday festivities will last!

Recently, I read a great article from Today’s Diet & Nutrition titled “Holidays Safer for People with Allergies” By Carol M. Bareuther, RD. It was a helpful and uplifting article for a family with food allergies.

The article gave some great ideas on how to create a safe allergy environment in and out of your home during the busy holiday season. Here are a few:
- If your family receives an invitation to a holiday party, provide the host with some food tips ahead of time. That way, if your little one isn’t eating, the host knows why!

- Offer to bring your own allergy safe dish.

- ”Revamp grandma’s classics!” Just by changing an ingredient or two, you can create your favorite holiday dish, allergy free!

While holidays are usually filled with laughter and cheer, an allergy scare can turn the festive mood upside-down. We recommend using these tips to make a few simple changes for a happy and safe holiday.

And remember, be prepared for the unexpected! Always bring your child’s medicine or Epipen.

Have a great turkey day!

- Christine