Strollerderby : allergies

A Cure for Peanut Allergies?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:29:00 GMT

Researchers are cautiously optimistic that they may have found a way for children with nut allergies to reintroduce the popular legume into their regular diets. Two new American studies, which mirror earlier British findings, offer hope that kids who are born with allergies to peanuts need not be denied the tasty goodness of a PB&J sandwich for their whole lives.

In one study of 33 children, participants were given gradually increasing daily doses of nuts, beginning with just one-thousandth of a peanut and eventually increasing to 15 nuts. The majority of the kids have had no allergic reactions to the treatment, with five children being able to consume nuts at their leisure. However, four kids had to drop out of the study due to allergic reactions.

Another study of 18 children used a placebo to test the effectiveness of this treatment. All of the children who had been given a placebo over the course of 10 months developed allergic reactions to a real dose of nuts, while all of the kids who had been given the actual therapy were able to eat 15 peanuts without incident.

Clearly, these are small numbers of children in only two studies, so researchers plan to test out the treatment on a much grander scale before making any official assessments. In other words, do not try this at home.

Photo: New York Times

Salmonella Might Be In Second Peanut Plant

Brett Singer — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:26:00 GMT

The AP is reporting that samples from a second Texas plant owned by The Peanut Corp. of America have a "presumptive positive" result. What'd they find? Salmonella.

This just keeps getting worse.

The news is currently being reported as a "maybe," and the AP story says that no products from the plant were shipped to consumers. Personally I have a hard time believing that. Not that I have any knowledge of the situation beyond what I've read. I'm just suspicious.

This line made me furious: the plant in Plainview, Texas "had operated unlicensed and uninspected for nearly four years." How exactly does something like that happen?

Are you still giving your kids peanut butter and jelly? Or have you switched to cream cheese or some other sandwich spread?

Source: AP via Yahoo! News

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The Problem with Testing for Food Allergies

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:30:00 GMT

It turns out you may not need to buy that expensive hypoallergenic formula after all. After years of steadily rising allergies in kids, pediatricians are beginning to acknowledge that it might be the allergy tests, not the food, that’s the problem.

The rise in false allergy diagnoses is due to a little something called modern convenience. (Speed coming at the price of accuracy? No!) Instead of administering lengthy food challenges—in which doctors watch children consume a whole variety of foods—most doctors now test for allergies by giving kids a blood test for certain antibodies. The problem is that this test falsely identifies allergies more than half of the time.

Given this finding and other studies that have linked early peanut exposure to a lower allergy risk, doctors’ groups are considering revising allergy guidelines to encourage parents to introduce high-risk foods like peanuts and shellfish earlier rather than later.

In the meantime, parents may need to start relying more heavily on the only tried-and-true allergy test there is: if your kid can eat it, he’s not allergic.

Photo: MSNBC

Babies Get It -- "Dirt Don't Hurt"

Amy Kuras — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:29:00 GMT

Good news for those of us whose housekeeping skills are, perhaps, a little less than sparkling – accumulating evidence suggests that eating a little dirt is actually good for kids. And that annoying tendency of babies to put every little thing in their mouths may actually be an instinctual attempt to build up their immune systems.

As someone who hates housecleaning more than anything else in the world, pretty much, I love the “hygiene hypothesis.” This holds that our hyper-clean, germophobic society may actually explain why autoimmune diseases, allergies and asthma have all been on the rise in recent years.

The theory is that kids who live in super-clean environments don’t have sufficient opportunity to build up their immune systems. The human body harbors something like 90 trillion microbes, some of which are actually good for us, and not getting exposed to those can cause immune over-response.

No one is suggesting that outright dirty and foul conditions are acceptable, but simple handwashing after diaper changes, bathroom breaks and before and after handling food would go a long way to stop pathogens, while running around with antibacterial hand sanitizers and wipes can actually be harmful.

Skip this next bit if you are eating: intestinal worms are actually considered key to the development of a healthy immune system. The human whipworm has shown promise as a treatment for multiple sclerosis, and pig whipworms as a treatment for Crohn’s disease.

Given that I spend huge amounts of every day fishing God knows what out of my almost one-year-old son’s mouth, this is the kind of thing that makes me feel much, much better.

Is The Peanut Allergy Scare Overblown?

Brett Singer — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:32:00 GMT

Over at the new SuperEco, Alex Fayle wonders if the increase in peanut allergies and the resulting peanut bans in schools are a lot of hooey.

Fayle cites stats that show the increase in peanut allergies is a North American thing. He says that in Spain, where I guess he resides, "no one ever talks about peanut or other nut allergies." Nuts and nutty spreads are consumed at a much lower rate of course, but when Fayle asks parents about the topic, "they look at me blankly then say that it's the responsibility of the parents to manage their child's allergies."

This jives with my own (admittedly limited) experience. I know someone who returned to the States after living in Europe and giving birth there, and they told me a story about visiting the doctor and asking about allergies. The doctor just shrugged and said, "Well, if you see symptoms, call me." Basically, no big deal, just see what happens. Both of these anecdotes remind me of a Chris Rock routine – "We got so much food in America we're allergic to food. Allergic to food! Hungry people ain't allergic to sh*t. You think anyone in Rwanda's got a f**king lactose intolerance?!"

I did once see a child have a reaction to peanuts that was quite frightening. It was several years ago, before I had children myself. I was working at a theater and during the intermission, a little boy bought a cookie from the concession stand. The cookie had peanuts in it, but there was no sign to indicate that. (Like I said, it was several years ago, pre-allergy mania.) The little boy's grandmother did not that he was allergic. One of the ushers noticed that he was having a reaction, asked the grandmother, who didn't know what was happening. The theater manager called 911 and everything worked out fine. But if no one had been able to figure out what was happening, I don't know that it would have.

At the same time, the wholesale bans on peanuts make me insane. Peanut butter is a staple food in my house. (I myself have no allergy issues; I just don't like peanut butter. Yes, I'm a weirdo. Whatever.) When my children's schools banned peanut butter and all nuts from the premises, I was annoyed. If someone in the classroom has an airborne allergy, I understand a ban in that classroom. But what if there are no kids in the class that have an allergy at all? And not all allergies are airborne. How hard is it to teach kids (and parents) to just keep away from the peanuts, and to keep an Epipen around in case of an emergency?

Other good statistical tidbits from the SuperEco piece include: "50 fewer people die from lightning in the US each year (150 from nuts vs. 100 from lightning)", and a British report from December of 2008 that concluded "that perhaps the protections against nuts are actually making things worse" by creating a kind of "social hysteria."

(Let's not forget the recent recall of peanut butter products due to Salmonella. That's a different issue not related to allergies, but it's worth mentioning. Oh, and check your Cliff Bars too.)

What do you think? Is the peanut allergy epidemic as real and dangerous as some say? Or should we not believe the hype? Should parents take responsibility for their kids' allergies or is it up to society to adjust?

Source: SuperEco

Image: Wikipedia

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How To Feed Your Baby Well

Amy Kuras — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:02:00 GMT

One of the most fun parts of having a little baby in the house, without question, is feeding them their first solids. It’s hilarious to see them react to new tastes and textures and get the whole world of food opened up to them with just a few little spoons of puree.

Like most parents, though, I feel pretty clueless about exactly what to feed him and when. Like, is he ready for “people food” in mushy little bits or should I stick with the chunky baby food? Are tomatoes OK or not? How about pasta, tofu, etc., etc. And when is it important to buy organic and when is it OK to save a little bit and skip it?

Enter Well-fed Baby. This, I like. You click on your baby’s age and where they are in the transition-to-solids process, and get a clickable list of various foods you could try with them, along with suggestions for preparation and an adult recipe so you can eat right along with your baby. They also suggest what foods (like apples) make it worth it to buy organic and which ones aren’t.

I’ve been really cautious, probably overly so, on solids – I have tried grinding up our meals a few times only to have my son look at me like I was feeding him dog food, and haven’t ventured much beyond the pasta-and-puree things. When my daughter was a baby, meanwhile, people in our baby group were feeding their nine-month-olds little bits of burger and letting them taste cookies. I also have a terror of food allergies after my daughter had a mild reaction to blueberries at around 7 months –seriously, I was so panicked she didn’t get her first peanut until age 3.5.

So a site like this is nice reassurance that I can be a little more adventurous with my little guy’s food, and has suggestions I wouldn’t even have thought of.

New Study To Test Formula and Allergies

Amy Kuras — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Some research has shown that babies who are breastfed suffer fewer allergies than babies who aren’t.

So an international study is recruiting currently pregnant women who have a history of allergies to test out hypoallergenic formula on their children. The study, known as the PATCH study, is attempting to recruit 1200 mothers in total.

Like breastmilk, the trial formula contains prebiotics, compounds that encourage the development of health bacteria in the gut, as well as partially digested milk proteins, that are more likely to be easily tolerated by the babies.

A pediatrician involved with the British part of the study cautions that the idea is not to replace breastfeeding with formula. Ho notes that at least in Western countries it’s pretty common to at least supplement with formula after the first few months of life, so the goal is to find a formula that’s less likely to trigger allergies in children

“We know that a significant proportion of women do introduce formula within the first few months of life in this part of the world and we believe this increases the risk of allergic symptoms, compared to exclusive breastfeeding,” said Dr. Bob Boyle.

The study is looking at eczema especially, and will follow children through 18 months, by which time 70 percent of eczema cases are apparent.

They Say: Antacids During Pregnancy Up Risk for Child's Asthma

JeanneSager — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:35:00 GMT

Yet another checkmark on the list of things I've done to screw up my daughter's future: scientists are now saying moms who take antacids during their pregnancies are increasing their baby's risk of developing asthma.

Researchers from the Children's Hospital of Boston analyzed more than five hundred thousand birth records of kids born in Sweden between 1995 and 2004. They say moms who used acid-suppressing medicines were linked to a forty-three percent greater likelihood that their child would suffer from an allergy serious enough to require prescription medication or hospitalization.

The chance of a child developing asthma if his or her mother used antacids was as high as fifty-one percent.

Lest you think you and I are the only ones who did this to our kids - eighty-five percent of pregnant women experience heartburn, the researchers admitted, because high estrogen levels are thought to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter (say that three times fast), which makes it easier for the stomach acids to roil back up. And then there's that kid pushing up on everything . . .

Diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, the condition that essentially means you have morning, noon and night sickness throughout your pregnancy, I had the kind of killer heartburn that felt like I was carrying a dragon with a bad case of the hiccups. Stomach acids would come up, and I would, well. . . upchuck. Thanks to my friendly OB/GYN, in the later months, after I finally got off of the anti-nausea drugs they give to chemotherapy patients, I was considering an investment in the stock of certain antacid makers.

What's important to note here, is women who can't keep any food down are hardly doing their babies a service by turning away the Tums. Even one of the Children's Hospital researchers says as much in this PRWeb release. She suggests you try cutting out caffeine and spicy foods and try to have smaller meals instead of using antacids; but how many pregnant women do you know who can FIT anything more than a teeny weeny meal in that eighth month . . . after they've already cut caffeine for the sake of the baby and the scent of hot wings makes them want to ralph?

So, by all means, it's worth a shot. But if you come running back to the antacid gods, don't let it eat at you. Have heart - at least you can have a handfull of peanuts now.

Image: OnlineDownloads.com

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They Say: Pregnant Women Can Eat Nuts

JeanneSager — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:28:00 GMT

Once you're done snickering class, I'll begin. Because unfortunately for you (or fortunately - if you happen to be pregnant), a new study has found pregnant women eating peanuts has little affect on the allergies developed in their offspring.

The report from the British Food Standards Agency Committee on Toxicity says pregnant women with a family history of hay fever, eczema and food allergies can eat all the peanuts they want. Unless they're allergic themselves - of course.

The new look at peanut allergies comes on the heels from a Harvard Medical School expert's statements that parents have been taken over by nut hysteria. According to the BBC report on the new advice, Harvard's Professor Nicholas Christakis apparently cited "a gross over-reaction to the magnitude of the threat" posed by food allergies, and particularly nut allergies."

Parents, overreact? Not us. Oh wait, is that a nut in my daughter's bowl of all natural, high fiber, whole grain, organic sticks and twigs? Shut down the area. We need a decontamination unit, stat.

Oh, er, where was I? So Moms, lay back, take it easy. Eat a peantu butter and jelly sandwich if you feel the need. Or maybe some Reese's Pieces . . . or how about some peanut brittle? What the heck, just go nuts.

Image: BBC

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Breastfeeding Poisons Baby! (Sort Of)

Amy Kuras — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:33:00 GMT

You can always count on London’s Daily Mail for a good attention-grabbing headline, and this one doesn’t disappoint: “I Poisoned My Baby by Breastfeeding –But Doctors Said I Was Being Neurotic.”

The headline’s just a wee bit overdramatic – the article is actually a first person account from a mother whose second son was miserably wracked with undiagnosed food allergies and sensitivities from birth. He would scream almost nonstop, couldn’t be laid down or he’d choke on his own mucus, and was almost deaf from all the phlegm in his head.

Vanessa Collingridge, his mother, tried getting doctors to help her son but was brushed off with “Some babies just cry.” Sound familiar? Finally, they went to a specialty pediatric hospital. After tests found nothing, the doctors suggested she go on a “clean” diet of only fish, rice and vegetables. Almost immediately, her son’s disposition improved and soon he was playing like a typical baby. At two, he still has major food allergies but is otherwise a normal, happy little boy – and awfully cute, based on the picture over there.

Yikes. I know I had to cut certain things out of my diet (including my beloved chocolate) with both my babies when they were newborns because otherwise they were just miserable, but I can’t imagine the agony of months upon months of a screaming, unhappy baby. And this also points out the importance of finding a doctor who will listen to you and take your concerns seriously. Dr. Google is good and all, but it’s not the same as a caring, trained medical professional who “gets it” and knows how to help.

I Dare You to Find a Cuter Kid Video

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:03:00 GMT

The eight painstaking years I spent studying French just paid off. I don’t know who this girl is or where she came off, but I am pretty sure that she will one day inherit the earth.

Just in case you temporarily forgot that little kids speaking French is the best part of life, I share this video with you of a master storyteller with the most zurbert-able cheeks you’ve ever seen. She spins an impressive tale involving Tigger, poverty, a clawed mammoth, a suicidal hippopotamus, and allergies to magic. Truly, this is not to be missed.

Photo: gledwood2.blogspot.com

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

They Say: More Children Have Allergies

Brett Singer — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:30:00 GMT

If you thought it only seemed like every other kid had allergies, it turns out that they do. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "About 3 million U.S. children have a food or digestive allergy -- an 18 percent increase over the past 10 years." The CDC also says that slightly more girls (4.1 percent) than boys (3.8 percent) have some sort of allergy.

What I wonder is how common food allergies are outside of the United States. As Chris Rock said, "We got so much food in America we're allergic to food. Allergic to food! Hungry people ain't allergic to sh*t. You think anyone in Rwanda's got a f**king lactose intolerance?!" Obviously someone in a less developed country could have an undiagnosed allergy, but it's an interesting question.

The article also doesn't say what they think the cause of this allergic increase is, or offer a theory as to whether or not these allergies were always there and just went undetected. (It does, however, mean that when that mother leaps across the table at you during a birthday party and screams, "BUT MY CHILD IS ALLERGIC!" she's probably telling the truth. But it's still OK for you to wish she'd just tell you calmly.) There's also some good news: "Most children outgrow" their allergies to food, they say.

Frankly, I wish I were allergic to Autumn Mix candy corns. That would make it a hell of a lot easier to stop eating them. Maybe.

Source: Reuters

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Keep Kids From Getting Fat - Get a Dog

JeanneSager — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:32:00 GMT

Want to keep your kids from falling victim to the obesity crisis? Australian researchers say get a dog.

The study of more than 1,100 kids ages 5 to 12 showed kids with a friendly Fido in the house were in better shape - even if they weren't walking the pooch on a regular basis. If the dogs were anything like mine, it might have more to do with the amount the dog's stealing from their plate. Just saying - my dog gained 11 pounds in the year after my daughter started solids.

On a more serious note, pets have long been touted as good for kids, boosting self esteem, helping kids learn discipline and responsibility and even lowering kids risk of developing allergies down the line. Put each of those benefits together, and it would make sense that kids who have a four-legged friend have a healthier outlook on life - which usually translates to overall health. Then add in the exercise of chasing the dog to rescue all that stolen food, and that's one canine who's earning his keep.

Image: Pet Door Decor

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Relax with Worry Free Dinners

SunnyChanel — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:16:00 GMT

Imagine going out for a simple family dinner at a local restaurant but instead of relaxing and enjoying some good old quality family time and savoring the food, you have to worry the entire time that the evening could potentially end up with a visit to the emergency room. For a growing number of families, this is a very scary reality. Why? Because childhood allergies to such common ingredients as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy are on the rise. One in every 17 kids under the age of three has some sort of food allergy. 80% of those are “cyclic” which are mild allergies similar to dust or pollen allergies. But others have serious reactions that could trigger anaphylaxis that could lead “to blocked airways, cardiovascular collapse, and even death.”

So you want to go out to dinner with your allergy-inflicted kid but want to avoid the being filled with dread and terror? Enter the Worry Free Dinners. These New York City dinner parties are a series of monthly meals that were designed to accommodate families with food allergies with a menu that is sensitive to the dietary restrictions that they face with no fears of cross contamination of ingredients. The organizer of these dinners is Sloane Miller who does a blog called “Allergic Girl”. Although the events are currently only in NYC, she hopes that they’ll branch out to other locations in the country since there are 12 million people in America that suffer from food allergies. For more info about Allergic Girl and Worry Free Dinners check out her site here.

Photo: Corbis

Student suspended for smearing peanut butter on classmate

Brett Singer — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:00:00 GMT

A high school student in Wenatchee, Washington has been suspended after he smeared peanut butter on the head of one of his classmates. What's the big deal? The kid has a peanut allergy.

Two facts worth noting:

- The smearer is 19 years old. And in high school
- Despite having a peanut allergy, the smeared had no reaction whatsoever to having peanut butter put on his forehead.

The allergic student, or someone posing as him, posted a comment on the wenatcheeworld.com where this story appeared. He said, " I would like to comment on this, because I am the student who had the peanut butter spread on my forehead….What is not stated in this story, was the fact that he did this to be after i alerted him to the fact that I had a deadly allergy. I simply thought this would be a nice addition to the story."

Now I know this may seem insensitive, but if you have a "deadly allergy" to peanuts and peanut butter is smeared on your forehead, wouldn't you have some sort of reaction? This doesn't mean that the 19 year old smearer isn't a schmuck who deserves a severe punishment. But shouldn't contact between head and peanut butter cause at least a rash or something?

Source: wenatcheeworld

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They Say: Pregnancy Stress Can Make Your Kid Have Trouble Breathing

Jen Chaney — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:02:00 GMT

If you're pregnant and stressed out, here's some news designed to make you even more stressed: Apparently your excessive fretting c ould place your unborn baby at higher risk for asthma and allergies.

A new study by researchers associated with Harvard Medical School in Boston indicates that expectant mothers who experience stress -- over finances, relationships or other issues -- are more likely to deliver a child with elevated levels of IgE, an antibody found in asthmatic and allergic reactions. The study was conducted on 315 moms.

This new data only confirms what seems like common sense: Being anxious and tense during pregnancy can have an adverse effect on both the mother and her child. The question is, how do we women avoid that? We can do our best to remain calm and manage our worries. But some issues arise -- problems at work, a relative's illness, a spouse's lost job -- that are totally out of our control and will inevitably cause some amount of discomfort.

It's the classic maternal Catch 22: We know that stress is bad in pregnancy. But trying to keep that stress at bay can cause even more stress. One day, I'd love to see a study that proves stress is actually beneficial. And when that day comes, I will be the healthiest woman in town.

Top Ten Reasons We Take Kids to the Doctor

Karen Murphy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:25:00 GMT

Taking kids to the doctor is always such a judgment call. Is it just a cold? Will they get over it in a day or two? That sore throat, is it strep or just a sore throat? What about allergies? And what about alternative remedies? Which ones to use when and do they really work?

Those of us who have a $10 copay can take our kids in at will, risking only the accumulation of germs at the doctor's office (and the perpetuation of the out-of-control U.S. healthcare system, but that's another story), but in general, how do you know when to go and when to stay home? Here's a list I found on MomLogic of the top ten reasons kids visit the doctor:

1. Routine physical exam. Yay, this should be #1. Preventive care is the best care. Yay for you if this is you; nearly 23% of visits are routine health visits.

2. Ear infections. This is a toughie, though I'm inclined to administer garlic oil and something for the pain. I've read things that say that traditional medical treatment is no better, though some kids can develop chronic infections. A judgment call, for sure.

3. Common colds. I know, I know, when the kids are miserable we want to do something, but I think more education about what's-a-cold and what's-something-that-requires-medical-treatment would be helpful. I've been in the mommy business a long time and I still second guess myself.

4. Sore throat (non-strep). See #3, above. But...I know, you're wondering, "What if it's strep? How do you tell?" The answer: better education. See #1, above.

5. ADD. Wow. That's a LOT of visits for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Is anybody else concerned about over-diagnosis here?

6. Asthma. You can't mess with asthma, and a kid's got to breathe, but I can't help but wonder what about our environment is making this more prevalent than it used to be.

7. Chronic sinusitis. Are they kidding? In kids? How did this get to be a problem?

8. Vaccine for bacterial disease. In other words, most standard vaccines. I would expect this to be on the list.

9. Strep throat. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, and only a throat culture knows for sure.

10. Allergies, the hayfever kind. See #6, above; again, could this be environmental to a degree? When we were kids only a few has asthma or allergies, so what gives here?

So where to you fall on the continuum? What is likely to win your kid a trip to the doctor?

Photo: aroundtownkidsfrisco.com

Strollerderby Playdate: Anyone Have An Epi-Pen?

Kelly Mills — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:03:00 GMT

Wow, school is almost back in for us. I'm happy-sad about it, but I do sort of regret that we did not do many playdates for the wee one this break. Nor have I done much playdating blog-style, because what with the big meals and the family crap and blah blah blah, I'm lucky I could read the dosage on the bottle of Advil, let alone check out anyone's blog.

But in a gallant stab at returning to normalcy, I've come up with a date for y'all. Its on one of our hot topics: kid allergies. There's all kinds of theories about what causes allergies out there and so on, but I must confess this is the first time I'd heard Jimmy Carter's name dropped. It makes sense. Anyone who does that much good in the world, building houses for people and all must have some dark karma he's trying to purge. And causing kids to go to the hospital is pretty bad karma.

You might even recognize this blogger, because he is one of our own, meaning he's taken the dark oath and had the pentagram carved into his chest. And he's a funny guy who often drops the kind of musical references I can relate to, thank god. (So tired of the kids talking--make that texting--in language I don't understand about bands I've never heard of and who are probably too loud.) Anyhow, he sacrificed his blow-up doll for his kid, so you know he's going for a world's best dad trophy too. Check out his conspiracy theory on allergies, and bring your inhaler.

Family Members Eating Peanuts May Trigger Allergies In Kids

Kelly Mills — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:33:00 GMT

Okay, so one of the theories about peanut allergies is that a lack of exposure to peanuts may be responsible for an increase in the allergy. Folks point to the fact that peanut allergies are evident at a much lower rate in countries where peanuts are a big part of a baby's diet. And it makes sense, since allergies are an immune system overreaction, so less exposure might be bad, right? Um, maybe not. A study funded in part by the British government found that in households where more peanuts were eaten, kids were more likely to develop peanut allergies.

Now, we should be clear that the study wasn't talking about the kids themselves eating peanuts, but other family members. The thinking is that dust and oil from the peanuts get into the kids' skin and noses, triggering the immune system and leading to an allergic reaction when the kid finally has peanuts for the first time. Here's your quote: "These results suggest that higher environmental exposure to peanuts in early life in families of those children who went on to develop peanut allergy may have promoted the development of peanut allergy." By the way, they also found Brazil nuts cause worse breathing problems for the allergic than peanuts, so throw out all that Brazil nut butter.

Phantom Food Allergies?

Amy S.F. Lutz — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Every day, I struggle to come up with creative ideas for my daughter Erika's lunch. She started first grade this year at our local public school, which is officially "nut free" - which means not only no peanut butter, but nothing made at a facility that uses nuts in other products (you've all seen the labels). Which pretty much rules out most manufactured cookies, granola bars, and other packaged snack foods. And every day I chasten myself for the resentment I feel towards the young victims of the food allergy epidemic, the fragile immune systems that might erupt with just one whiff of Erika's trail mix. So you can imagine how intrigued I was by an article in this month's Harper's Magazine by Meredith Broussard analyzing the data behind this perceived epidemic and suggesting that in fact food allergies present no greater a threat today than they did when we were kids.

I found this shocking, given the tremendous amount of media coverage this issue has received recently. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) estimates that 30,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms due to food allergies and that up to 200 of these patients die. Broussard explains that this statistic was extrapolated from a very small study and that, actually, only 12 deaths from food allergies were reported in 2004. Furthermore, there have been no documented cases of children suffering allergic reactions from incidental contact with food. Even the well-publicized 2005 story of the girl who supposedly died after kissing a boy who had recently eaten peanut butter turned out to be wrong - she actually died of an asthma attack brought on by smoking pot.

Broussard doesn't deny that food allergies are real. But she does talk to a statistician from the CDC, who admits that there is no epidemiological evidence to support that food allergies are now any more prevalent or more severe than they have been. More parents today may believe their children are allergic, but that's most likely due to both the high false positive rate common to all allergy tests and the inflammation of public fear by my favorite focus of all conspiracy theories, the big pharmaceutical companies, who naturally support initiatives such as one by FAAN recommending parents carry an EpiPen on them at all times. What has been documented, according to Broussard, is the incredible anxiety children feel who have been diagnosed with food allergies, and how fearful they are of restaurants, supermarkets and any place they may be exposed to allergens. Studies report that these children feel more constrained and endangered than their peers with diabetes and other childhood diseases.

Of course children with food allergies need to take certain precautions. But maybe their parents can stop keeping them home from birthday parties and playdates, just because there might be allergens present. And maybe our schools don't have to be under a constant state of nut lockdown. I know I'm looking forward to the day I can pack a snack other than goldfish in Erika's lunchbox.

Kids Are Developing Peanut Allergies Much Younger

Kelly Mills — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:01:00 GMT

Researchers found peanut allergies are showing up in younger kids than before, and they don't know why. In a study of 40 kids, the median age of first allergic reaction was 14 months for those born between 2000 and 2005, compared to a median age of 22 to 24 months in kids born between 1988 and 1999. Doctors urge parents to avoid exposing susceptible kids to peanuts until they are older, because as one says, "When kids are older, it can be easier to manage bad reactions. They can tell you right away if their mouths feel funny. For that reason alone, it's worth delaying exposing your child to a peanut product, especially if a child is at high risk."

But hold on a minute--could it be that by limiting exposure, we're helping create these allergy problems? That was one theory in this article I posted about a while back, anyway. I love it when our caution turns out to be the thing that invites the plague upon us. 'Course we should still follow the doctors' advice here, because I doubt anyone wants to test that theory in a potentially fatal way. For now, PBJ can just remain food for thought.

Drinking Organic Milk in Pregnancy May Reduce Baby's Risk of Allergies

Karen Murphy — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:05:00 GMT

At last! I knew that eventually there'd be a reason to feel good about drinking organic milk. Not that I didn't already have many reasons. And not that I'm presently pregnant or (knock on wood) planning to be. But if I were, I'd be very interested in the new study that says that "Children who drank organic milk and whose mothers drank organic milk during pregnancy [and while breastfeeding] had a 36% lower incidence of eczema than those using normal dairy products."

And this is why:

Previous research has shown that organic milk has higher levels of vitamin E, omega 3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants than non-organic milk, and also that milk from pasture-fed cows may contain more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a type of fat which is thought to protect against health problems. And the study in question revealed that the difference in organic milk translated into raised CLA levels in breast milk and a reduced chance of eczema in the children whose mothers drank it and who drank it themselves.

At approaching $5 a half gallon, I would still say it's worth it, especially if there is a family history of allergies.

Of course, I could go one step further and suggest grass-fed raw milk which avoids the factory farms that even mainstream organic milk producers utilize, but...one step at a time.

Weekly Check-Up: Scary Allergies on the Rise Because We're Too Careful?

Kelly Mills — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:06:00 GMT

Once a month we bring snack for my daughter's class of 20 kids. Because of allergies, the list of forbidden foods includes dairy, nuts, strawberries, and wheat. Which means the kids can have rice cakes, and cut fruit, and veggies, and...did I already mention rice cakes? While I'm glad to know he needs of allergic kids are being taken care of, I was stunned by the number of foods on the danger list. Turns out that allergies, like the deadly peanut one, are on the rise in the younger population. But I was even more surprised to learn why more kids are having these reactions, because it seems like it could be due to our collective cautious parenting.

One theory for the increase in allergies is that with our highly clean, sanitized, germ-free lifestyles, we have basically given kids' immune systems too much free time. Without the need to wage small battles against bacteria and other stuff, the immune systems start amping up a response to innocous things like wheat. And our zealousness at protecting kids from allergies themselves may actually cause problems. Countries that advise avoidance of peanuts early in life have seen the biggest increase in peanut allergies. One researcher is actually conducting a study with babies that have egg allergies and eczema, but no peanut allergy--he is going to give half the kids a snack containing peanuts, and then follow the children to see if the exposure actually prevented a peanut allergy.

And then there's one more factor in the cautious parent-allergy relationship: some parents may believe kids have an allergy when that hasn't actually been confirmed. In fact, "'Studies have shown that up to 25 percent of parents think their children may have a food allergy,' says Dr. David Fleischer, of National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, 'but they've only been confirmed in about 8 percent.'" Good to know--maybe next year my kid's class will be able to ditch the rice cakes.

Eczema-Asthma Link Theory in Kids Debunked

Karen Murphy — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:28:00 GMT

There's been a common belief that kids with eczema mostly go on to develop asthma. But you can forget about all that, according to a new report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, which is in contrast with earlier research. But data from 14 previous studies was reviewed and it was found that the association between eczema and asthma was in actuality quite weak.

The new findings reveal that "on average, only 1 in 3 young children with...eczema develops asthma at the age of 6 years or older." Which is a far cry from the "invariably" association that's been commonly assumed. In fact, it was found that no more than 46% of children with eczema go on to develop asthma.

I don't know, 46% still sounds like a lot, though, doesn't it? And 46% suggests that the association between the two is weak? Hmm. I'm not ready to completely throw out the notion that there's a correlation between the two, but at the same time I'm glad to see that people are questioning long-held presumptions. If any of my kids had eczema (and about 1 in 10 kids do) I'd likely try to avoid environmental or dietary triggers for asthma as well as treat the immune system as a whole, and hope for the best in avoiding asthma or forms of allergies, whch also seem to be related to eczema.

One of these days we'll get all this health stuff figured out, maybe, but until then it's pretty much a guessing game.

Kid Only Eats Six Foods. But Not By Choice

Karen Murphy — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:41:00 GMT

We all have our picky-eater horror stories. The year my older son would only eat white foods and subsisted on bread, pasta and bananas. The Phase of Chicken for my daughter, unlikely and sort of horrific in a largely vegetarian household. The fact that my younger son will no longer eat anything green. We've all had these times as parents, and some of us fare better than others. "He'll grow out of it," is the kind of assvice we get. "She'll eat when she's hungry."

What if everything but six foods made your kid horribly sick? So sick as to cause convulsions in a kid weighing only 50 pounds at age 10?

Such was the life of Tylor Savage before doctors figured out what was wrong with him and pared his life down to six foods: apples, carrots, grapes, potatoes, tuna, and chicken. Hmm, I like all those things well enough (except tuna, bleh), but eating nothing BUT those foods? For breakfast, lunch and dinner? Day in, day out? That's gotta get old. (Though I am pretty sure I could survive on a diet of wine, chocolate, oatmeal, autumn apples, mashed potatoes, and Mexican food.)

But knowing how sick he could get makes it easier, I imagine. Going back to a life of constant vomiting, diarrhea, and pain would not be high on the list, which is great motivation for finding new ways of combining those six golden foods.

Tylor has a very rare condition called eosinophilic enteropathy, in which his intestines malfunction and produce too many white blood cells, attacking everything coming through the gut in one rare and weird auto-immune disease. That doctors were able to find this and isolate the problem at all is amazing, since they removed his appendix "What does it do?" "I dunno, let's take it out!") to see if that helped. It didn't.

But Tylor seems okay with his diet for now. Kids like repetition anyway. But next time mine are getting to that Place of Pickiness I'll think of Tylor and what he and his family went through, and be thankful.