We’ve posted before about concerns over the effects of bisphenol-A or BPA, chemical used to make many plastics. In case you haven’t heard, some recent research suggests that BPA can leach into liquids packaged in bottles and cans made of polycarbonate plastics and could be unsafe for infants and young children.

The FDA is conducting more research on the safety of BPA, but in the meantime we wanted to share some recent articles we’ve read that help shed some light on what it is, why the government is concerned and why you may want to limit your family’s exposure to it. (If your child is taking Neocate, no need to worry – we have already taken the extra step to protect your little ones and all of our powdered formulas now come in cans with a BPA-Free lining.)

• Limit infants’ use of Bisphenol-A products, FDA says, CNN

The FDA recently revised its guidelines for BPA, recommending that parents take precautions to minimize infants’ exposure while they carry out more tests. This article has some good tips on how to limit exposure at home.

• EPA Lists BPA Among ‘Chemicals of Concern, ABC News

The FDA isn’t the only government agency concerned about BPA – the EPA recently announced that they will also be investigating its possible environmental and health impacts.

• The Perils of Plastic, TIME Magazine

As scientists get better at detecting the levels of chemicals like BPA in our bodies, they are discovering the potentially serious impact of even a small quantity on our health. Be sure to check out the full list of “household toxins” that accompanies the article.

• Bans sought for chemical BPA in baby, toddler products, USA Today

States like California and Minnesota have banned BPA from food and drink containers, especially ones for children. See if your state has any legislation in the works.

We hope you find these articles helpful. We will be sure to keep you posted on the latest happenings and research findings on BPA. More information about BPA, including frequently asked questions and resources, is available on our Web site as well.

Have you taken any steps to avoid BPA? If you have any tips, be sure to share in the comments!

- Sarah

I often get asked whether our Neocate^® formulas have all the vitamins and minerals a child would need to thrive for all stages throughout their lives. The answer is yes; but I thought I should explain further what the term “nutritionally complete” really means.

If a formula is considered nutritionally complete it can be used as a sole source of nutrition because it will provide all of the important carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals a child needs to grow and thrive.  For a nutritional product to be nutritionally complete and say so on its product label, it should be age-appropriate and provide all the nutrients a child would need for that specific age.  For example, infant formulas are designed specifically to meet the needs of infants.  As the infant grows into a toddler and older child, their nutritional needs differ and age-specific nutritionally complete products are needed to ensure they are meeting all their nutrient needs.

Having complete nutrition is important for children who are on very restrictive diets because of conditions such as food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and short bowel syndrome (SBS). When children cannot eat a wide variety of foods, it is common for them to have nutrient deficiencies as a consequence. One study¹ found that in children with food allergies, many were not receiving enough vitamin D, calcium, iron, vitamin E and zinc. This is a serious problem because inadequate nutrition in children could have long-lasting implications such as poor growth, delayed development, and failure to thrive.

One way to avoid nutrient deficiencies is by having a registered dietitian involved in your child’s care – they can assess your child’s nutritional status and give recommendations on what options may work for you and your family. Your chosen nutritionist can also help you to properly read food labels and really understand what is being put into your child’s food.  Just as important, finding a nutritional formula that has adequate (and even higher) amounts of important nutrients (such as calcium, iron, vitamin D, phosphorus and zinc) can help you ensure your little one is receiving proper age-specific nutrition to grow and thrive.

As I mentioned, all of the nutrition formulas in the Neocate family are nutritionally complete. If you are also using Neocate Nutra (a semi-solid amino-acid based medical food) don’t forget that it is meant to supplement formula and not replace it. Nutra contains lots of important nutrients like protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin D but just not enough to be the only source of nutrition.

Are there any vitamins and/or minerals you are worried your little one may not be getting enough of due to a restricted diet? Let us hear about it!

Christine

1. Salman et al, Dietary intakes of children with food allergies: comparison of the food guide pyramid and the recommended dietary allowances, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2002.

January is coming to a close (I can’t believe January is almost over!), so we will end our Vitamin Series with a run through of the vitamins we haven’t discussed yet. We have already covered Vitamin D, Calcium, and all of the B vitamins. (Calcium snuck its way into the Vitamin Series even though it is a mineral because it is very closely linked with Vitamin D).

As you may recall, the B vitamins are all water soluble. Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is also water soluble and acts as an antioxidant. In addition, vitamin C is important for wound healing. A deficiency in vitamin C, results in a disease called scurvy.

• Good sources of vitamin C are colorful fruits and veggies such as red peppers, broccoli and strawberries.

You may notice lots of fruit juices out in the market have added vitamin C, as a result deficiencies in this vitamin are rare in today’s world.

Vitamins can be either water soluble or they can be fat soluble. Vitamins D, E, K, and A are all fat soluble vitamins. These vitamins are absorbed into the GI tract with the help of fat. They are also easier to accumulate in the body vs. the water soluble vitamins. Vitamin E and vitamin A are both useful antioxidants. Vitamin A also plays an important role in eye sight.

• Good sources of vitamin A are broccoli, carrots and most fruits or vegetables that are orange or yellow in color.
• Good vitamin E sources are asparagus, avocado and eggs.

Lastly, we will discuss Vitamin K (also known as phylloquinone). This vitamin is interesting because it helps for wound clotting and coagulation. Any scab you may get is a result of vitamin K at work! It is rare to be deficient in this nutrient, unless there is significant damage to your intestine.

• Good sources of vitamin K are leafy green vegetables.

When a child is on a restricted diet due to allergies, ensuring they are getting adequate amounts of each nutrient can be tricky. This vitamin series was developed to help families understand these nutrients and find ways to ensure your little one is getting the amounts they need to thrive. If your little one is on a very restricted diet, it may help to look for nutritionally complete amino acid-based formulas, like Neocate Infant or Neocate Junior, that will ensure these vitamins (along with minerals and macronutrients) are being taken in adequate amounts.

Do you often find it hard to ensure your little one is getting all the vitamins he/she needs? What have you done to help this?

Christine

With help from State Representative Todd Schlekeway, a group of families in South Dakota have introduced a new bill that would require insurance companies to cover amino acid-based formulas like Neocate.

Keloland Television in Sioux Falls, South Dakota recently did a story on the bill and shared the story of the Kurtz Family whose two children, Annie and Quincy, both have milk protein allergies. Annie relies on Neocate for the nutrition she needs to survive, and her mother April is eager for the bill to pass so that it can bring some much needed economic relief to her family.

Hopefully South Dakota will pass the bill requiring reimbursement of amino acid-based formulas and join other states like Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Texas, which have passed similar legislation.

If you are interested in introducing reimbursement legislation in your state, please visit the Children’s MAGIC website and download the “Guidebook to Enacting Legislation,” which can help you get started.

- Sarah

I hope everyone’s New Year is off to a great start! We are excited to begin 2010 with our Vitamin Series. Each week we will highlight interesting facts about a different vitamin and provide tips to help you make sure your kids are getting enough of each one. This week we are going to focus on vitamin D.

Vitamin D has been in the news lately due to a recent study that showed that as many as 70% of children have a deficiency in this vitamin! (http://cli.gs/6S8hqq). A second study found that children with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have high blood pressure and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as “healthy” cholesterol — two issues that are considered major risk factors for heart disease later in life. A deficiency in vitamin D also results in Rickets.

In October of 2008, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) increased their recommendations for vitamin D by 100%, from 200 IU/d to 400 IU/d for infants, children, and adolescents.

So how come so many children are not getting enough vitamin D? One theory has to do with how our bodies get vitamin D. While you can get it from certain foods such as oily fish and egg yolks, the majority of our vitamin D is derived from sun exposure. And in today’s world with computer technology, TVs galore, Xboxes and Wiis; children are just not playing outside as much as they used to.

Not to worry! Here are a few ways to make sure you and your family are getting enough vitamin D.

1. Try to eat more foods that are high in vitamin D.  Unfortunately, if your little one has a cow’s milk allergy, vitamin D can be trickier to get from food. Because of this, you may want to…
2. Take supplements such as a multivitamin. Whichever vitamins you choose, be sure to check with the manufacturer to ensure they are allergen-free and will be tolerated by your little one.
3. Look into formulas, like Neocate, which meet the new AAP guidelines if they are taken as a sole source of nutrition and meeting the child’s calorie needs.
4. Send your little ones out to play in the yard for about 10-15 minutes (without sunscreen) to get the vitamin D amounts they need. Make sure to time them! You don’t want them to get a sunburn!

What do you think of this new finding? How do you make sure that your family gets enough vitamin D?

- Christine