Comments on: In the News: Physicians Lack Food Allergies Knowledge http://www.foodallergyliving.net/nutrition-specialist-column/in-the-news-physicians-lack-food-allergies-knowledge/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:14:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Linda http://www.foodallergyliving.net/nutrition-specialist-column/in-the-news-physicians-lack-food-allergies-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Linda Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:58:33 +0000 http://www.foodallergyliving.net/?p=921#comment-91 Before my daughter was diagnosed by an allergist I was point blank told by her pediatrician and her gastrointerologist that she did not have an allergy to milk or wheat. This was after her face gradually turned red from her chin up after yogurt and her tummy was always painful. Turns out she was allergic to these as well as other things like peanuts/treenuts(only one she has now). I always tell new parents that they must be their child's advocate. If they feel something is wrong, insist that the dr get a true diagnosis. Before my daughter was diagnosed by an allergist I was point blank told by her pediatrician and her gastrointerologist that she did not have an allergy to milk or wheat. This was after her face gradually turned red from her chin up after yogurt and her tummy was always painful. Turns out she was allergic to these as well as other things like peanuts/treenuts(only one she has now). I always tell new parents that they must be their child’s advocate. If they feel something is wrong, insist that the dr get a true diagnosis.

]]> By: Melisa Gomez http://www.foodallergyliving.net/nutrition-specialist-column/in-the-news-physicians-lack-food-allergies-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Melisa Gomez Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:22:15 +0000 http://www.foodallergyliving.net/?p=921#comment-90 Out of 9 pediatricians that we saw in the past year (my son is 1) only 2 kind of "got it." the first one is no longer accepting Medicaid and was not even my son's PCP, he was just an emergency rotating doctor and doctor 2 (our newest one) only knows about them because her nurse has children with food allergies. Before these two doctors, the 7 other doctors made me feel crazy and guilty for always taking my son in for sick-child visits. When doctor 1 referred us to an allergist at 6 months, my son's PCP did not seem interested in the results and was never in contact with the allergist. Our newest doctor seems genuinely concerned and has even referred us to TEFRA after Medicaid denied my son Neocate 1 +. One of the problems that my husband and I have encountered is that many pediatricians do not know about Neocate. Since they receive most of their sample formulas from a single company, their relationship with Neocate is non-exixtant. My husband and I have come to believe that representatives in each state or county where the doctors can have someone to contact about Neocate. Also food allergies should be just as focused on a childhood diabetes. Medical schools should teach doctors about food allergies just as they teach about childhood obesity. Also since food allergies affect everyone from parents to caregivers to siblings, pediatricians should be proactive and encourage patients and parents to establish support groups. Out of 9 pediatricians that we saw in the past year (my son is 1) only 2 kind of “got it.” the first one is no longer accepting Medicaid and was not even my son’s PCP, he was just an emergency rotating doctor and doctor 2 (our newest one) only knows about them because her nurse has children with food allergies. Before these two doctors, the 7 other doctors made me feel crazy and guilty for always taking my son in for sick-child visits. When doctor 1 referred us to an allergist at 6 months, my son’s PCP did not seem interested in the results and was never in contact with the allergist. Our newest doctor seems genuinely concerned and has even referred us to TEFRA after Medicaid denied my son Neocate 1 +.

One of the problems that my husband and I have encountered is that many pediatricians do not know about Neocate. Since they receive most of their sample formulas from a single company, their relationship with Neocate is non-exixtant. My husband and I have come to believe that representatives in each state or county where the doctors can have someone to contact about Neocate. Also food allergies should be just as focused on a childhood diabetes. Medical schools should teach doctors about food allergies just as they teach about childhood obesity. Also since food allergies affect everyone from parents to caregivers to siblings, pediatricians should be proactive and encourage patients and parents to establish support groups.

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