Cross contamination is a big concern among food allergy sufferers.  According to Kids with Food Allergies, cross contamination can be defined as “a food being inadvertently contaminated with food proteins other than those listed on the food label during the course of its being prepared, stored or served”.

During Manufacturing and Production:

One way that cross contamination may occur is during the manufacturing of a food. For example, when a safe food is manufactured on the same equipment as an unsafe food, there is a chance for trace amounts of the unsafe food to end up in the safe food. For those with food allergies, even trace amounts of an allergen can lead to serious allergic reactions.

Although the Food Allergen Labeling and consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) requires manufacturers to clearly list the top 8 allergens on the food label, this rule does not account for cross contamination. Sometimes you will see “may contain (allergen)” or “made in a facility that also produces (allergen)” on a label but the manufacturers are not required to list this information. If you have any doubts, call the manufacturers and ask about the possibility of cross contamination. If your child’s allergies are severe and the manufacturer can’t guarantee it is safe, its probably not worth the risk.

By the way, this is why we are proud to say that Neocate is the only amino acid-based infant formula prepared in a 100% milk-free manufacturing site, eliminating the risk for cross contamination!

At Home:

Cross contamination can also happen in your home. Kids with Food Allergies provides some helpful tips on minimizing this risk: http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php?id=65.

Eating Out:

Eating out can be intimidating for those with food allergies because you have less control over how foods are handled and efforts to minimize cross contamination. For helpful tips, check out this article from Food Allergy Gourmet.

Food Safety for Everyone:

The risk of cross contamination is not limited to allergy sufferers. Cross contamination of bacteria from foods (such as raw meat, seafood and eggs) is a concern for everyone. To keep you and your loved ones safe, follow these tips from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Have any of your children experienced an allergic reaction as a result of cross contamination?  Any advice to offer other parents?
 

-Mallory

We’re always keeping our eyes peeled and our ears tuned for new news on eosinophilic esophagitis (also EoE or EE). This matters to us because many children with EoE  use Neocate products, as part of their special, healthy diet.


The Study

Dr. Charles DeBrosse and Dr. James Franciosi at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where there is a Center for Eosinophilic Disorders, recently published a new research study about the long-term effects of EoE.  If you’re interested in reading the study here are links to the study abstract as well as a great summary.


The Results

The research team looked at over 100 patients with esophagitis; some had EoE, while others had chronic esophagitis, and compared them to patients who had no esophagitis. On average, this was about 15 years after the patients developed esophagitis. EoE research was in its early stages back then, and many patients went undiagnosed or were misdiagnosed. The participants answered questions about their symptoms and quality of life. The researchers then compared the results of each of the groups to see what differences really stood out.

Patients with EoE reported a lower quality of life and experienced more trouble swallowing and had food become stuck in their esophagus more often. Those patients with higher eosinophil counts in childhood had more trouble swallowing as adults. Also, patients with a diagnosed food allergy were more likely to have trouble swallowing and to have food become stuck in their esophagus.


The Bottom Line

As the researchers concluded, EoE “is associated with reduced quality of life and persistent symptoms 15 years after presentation.” They also noted that both increased eosinophil counts and the presence of food allergy in childhood increase the rate of trouble swallowing in young adulthood. It doesn’t sound very positive, but it’s what many of us expected: there is a strong link between food allergies and symptoms among patients with EoE, and high eosinophil levels can have a lasting impact.


What Can We Take Away from This?

Sure, the results and conclusion don’t sound great at first, but there are a few things to keep in mind. For one, a HUGE amount of research has been conducted on EoE in the last 15 years, and we’ve learned a lot! Patients who had EoE 15 years ago had a much different experience than patients with EoE today have. For instance, the way that EoE is diagnosed and treated has improved in that time. Also, many more of today’s health care teams can recognize, diagnose, and treat EoE, which is more widely known. And many teams also include allergy testing as part of the care process for EoE.

There are also options for managing EoE that are now in wide use. For instance, elimination diets and elemental diets (which we’ll blog about in a few weeks – stay tuned) have come a long way. Elemental diets (or amino acid-based formulas) can be especially helpful in getting EoE under control and are useful in diagnostic phases. These formulas can help improve trouble swallowing when EoE isn’t under control, which can mean better outcomes. They can also provide key nutrients when added to a very limited diet.

Children on elemental diets have lots of options these days in the Neocate family of products. We have Neocate Junior, which is available in several flavors. We also have E028 Splash, which not only comes in multiple flavors, but is also in drink box form, so it’s just as ready-to-go as your child! And for children who miss solid textures on an elemental diet, Neocate Nutra can provide a change of scenery, especially prepared in one of our recipes.


What did you learn from the new research that was published in June?

- Rob 


[Photo: Microsoft Images]

In recent years, there have been more and more news stories about bullying and the impact that it can have on children and teens. It is clear that bullying is a serious problem that must urgently be addressed in schools.

Sadly, reports have shown that children with food allergies are often the targets of bullies. As kids head back to school, we feel this is an important time to address this topic. In this post, we’ll discuss ways to prevent bullying, how to determine whether your child is being bullied and if so, how to help.

Last year, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) published a shocking study about the incidence of bullying among children with food allergies. Researchers at Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai found that:

• Over 30% of children with food allergies are reported to have been bullied, teased, or harassed because of their food allergies.
• In 86% of these cases, the bullying and harassment was repetitive.
• Over 40% of these cases involved having their allergen thrown at them or waved in their face.

As you might expect, most bulling came from classmates and peers but surprisingly, over 20% of the cases involved bullying from teachers or other school staff.

Bullying would be upsetting for any child but since kids with food allergies already deal with the daily challenge of their allergies, bullying can be especially stressful for these children. Not only does the bullying cause an emotional toll (over 65% reported feeling depressed or embarrassed), potential exposure to their allergens poses a serious, sometimes life-threatening, health risk.

So how can we stop the bullying? The most effective way is to increase awareness of food allergies and develop anti-bullying policies in schools. FAAN developed a peer education program on food allergies called Be a PAL: Protect A Life^™ From Food Allergies. This is a great way to create awareness and understanding of food allergies in the classroom. StopBullying.gov is a great website with helpful resources for parents, kids, teens and schools. As a parent, it’s important to know the signs that your child is being bullied at school kids may not tell you that it is occurring. If you find that your child is being bullied, help stop it.  If your child’s school does not have an anti-bullying initiative, work with the PTA and school system to implement one. Find more tips and resources on www.stopbullying.gov. They even have a series of cartoons to teach younger kids about bullying!

There is reason to be optimistic that we are on the right path! This week, the U.S. Department of Education is hosting the second annual Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit in Washington, D.C.!

Have any of your children been the target of bullies? How did you help?

-Mallory

[PHOTO: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48304881@N05/5240756741/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

In a recent study done in the UK, researchers surveyed restaurants about food allergies and found that most were misinformed.

To give some background, according to the study, deaths caused by food-induced anaphylactic reactions are increasing with most deaths being caused by food purchased outside of the home.

Allergen avoidance is always the most desirable form of prevention. and this is often easily accomplished in the comfort of your home. However, a late soccer practice, or meeting, or simply just wanting to enjoy the cuisine of a favorite local restaurant can make avoidance difficult.  This is because when choosing to eat out the responsibility of allergen avoidance is shared by the diner and the restaurant staff.

The researchers surveyed various restaurants and found that:

·        1 out of 3 kitchens, common food allergens like wheat, nuts, dairy, fish were not separated from other foods.

·        About 20% thought it was safe for an allergic customer to consume only a little of the allergen – and to pick the offending food out of the dish.

Probably the most concerning finding to come out of the research is that 81% of the restaurants reported they could provide a safe meal for allergic customers!

Keep in mind this study was conducted in the UK so similar findings in the US may not be as drastic. But in the world of food allergies, you can never be too careful! So when you eat out always remember it is your responsibility to be proactive and speak up about your allergies.

Also, If you’re looking for more information on dining out with food allergies, you can view our other posts on the topic here: Dining out with Food Allergies. These posts will help you and your family prepare for an allergy friendly dining experience.

- Christine

Study Reference:  Bailey et al. Restaurant staff's knowledge of anaphylaxis and dietary care of people with allergies. Clinical & Experimental Allergy.2010.41(5):713-717

During summer months, we get quite a few questions from parents about transporting their child’s Neocate. Some parents wonder about the best way to bring Neocate along on their vacation, whether it’s a road trip or flight. Many parents are concerned about the high temperatures during summer months and whether or not this will be a problem when transporting Neocate. We also get questions about obtaining Neocate in other countries. Today’s blog will (hopefully) answer your questions about traveling with Neocate! 

If your little one drinks Neocate, vacations will take a little bit of extra planning. Unlike standard infant formulas, you can’t just run by any local supermarket to pick up some extra Neocate, so you will need to plan ahead of time.

 First things first, calculate exactly how much your little one will need on the trip. You don’t want to underestimate and run out of formula on your vacation. Calling pharmacies in a frantic attempt to track down a can will defeat the purpose of your relaxing vacation (and if you are on an island or in the mountains, the chances of a local pharmacy having Neocate are small)!

First start by asking how many ounces of formula does your baby drink each day? Multiply this by the number of days you will be gone, including the travel days. For example, if you’ll be away for seven days total, including travel days, and your baby drinks 20 oz per day, you’ll need 140 oz over the course of the trip. Each can of Neocate yields 85 fluid ounces (at the standard dilution of 20 calories per ounce), so you divide 140 by 85 and round up. So you’ll need about two cans of formula for the trip. Now that you know the number of cans you will need, I recommend packing an extra can just in case travel plans change unexpectedly.

If you are flying, keep in mind that TSA has regulations about flying with liquids and powders. Having Neocate in your checked bags won’t be a problem but it’s a little more complicated to carry on. Brush up on the guidelines for traveling with formulas prior to your flight. Make sure to bring enough formula for the flight in your carry-on bags and maybe even some extra just in case your checked bags get lost. Neocate can be prepared ahead of time and kept in a refrigerator for up to 24 hours. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours. So if you have a long flight, consider bringing a little cooler for your bottles. Some parents prefer to not bring Neocate in their checked bags and instead ship it to wherever they are heading ahead of time. If you do this, make sure to confirm that the product has arrived before you leave for the trip so that you don’t arrive to find that the package did not get to your destination.  

Another question we often hear is whether or not Neocate is safe to consume after it has sat in a hot car. It is true that certain nutrients degrade when exposed to extreme heat so we definitely don’t recommend storing Neocate at high temperatures for long periods of time. So, for example, you don’t want to store your extra Neocate cans in the hot garage all summer. That said, we’ve done testing to ensure that short periods of time in the car or during transport won’t affect the nutritional quality or safety of the Neocate.  In other words, bring it inside with you when you get there but don’t worry if it gets a little hot on the way.

Lastly, I’ll touch on the question of whether Neocate can be purchased in other countries. The short answer is maybe. It is a sold around the world, however, it is not available everywhere and where it is available; there are different processes for obtaining it (through a doctor, pharmacy, mail, etc). You should not assume that it is easily obtainable and in most cases, it is easiest to just bring along enough formula for your trip.  If you are going to another country for an extended amount of time and don’t think you can bring a big enough supply with you, call Nutricia’s global office or the office of the country where you are heading to see if you can purchase Neocate locally. If you can arrange this, be sure to bring as much formula as possible with you just in case there is a delay in obtaining the formula locally once you arrive.

Hopefully this blog will help you to plan for your family’s next vacation and avoid any unnecessary stress.  If you find yourself in an emergency where you are out of Neocate away from home, be sure to call us. We may be able to help you track some down. Safe travels!

Do you have any advice to other parents traveling with their child’s Neocate? Any tips or experiences to share? 

This month we highlighted some of the great blogs out there covering food allergies and then some Facebook pages related to food allergies and now today we’ve decided to talk about some great twitter accounts that you can follow for even more helpful information.

• @FoodAllergy:the twitter account for The Food Allergy Anaphylactic Network (FANN) is a great source of information and resources related to food allergies and anaphylaxis;
• @kfatweets: the twitter account for Kids With Food Allergies provides information to help improve the lives of families raising children with food allergies and helps them to create a safe and healthy environment for their children.
• @AllergyEats: the twitter account for AllergyEats provides a user-friendly guide to allergy-friendly restaurants across the United States reviewed by people with food allergies, for people with food allergies.
• @Apfedorg: the twitter account for The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is dedicated to providing information to patients and their families coping with Eosinophilic Disorders.
• @Fooducate: the twitter account for Fooducate is a grocery advisor, helping people choose the best food for their families by analyzinginformation found in product's nutrition panel and ingredient list. 

Don't forget you can also follow us on twitter at @Neocate!  You can ask questions and find the latest news about Neocate and allergies.

Are there any other food allergy-related twitter accounts that we missed?  Be sure to share them in the comments!

- Sarah 

Rob wrote a great blog post last week about some of the great blogs out there covering food allergies.  This week, I thought I would highlight some Facebook pages related to food allergies that you can connect with for helpful information.

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology: Come here for updates about the latest research in allergy/immunology, access to educational tools and publications, and to share your thoughts about current issues in allergy and asthma.
• APFED - The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders: APFED's Facebook page has an active wall where parents of children with eosinophilic disorders often post for support.  You can also find updates about new research and relevant events.
• The CURED Foundation: This non-profit foundation is dedicated to those suffering from eosinophilic disorders.  Their Facebook page offers information on how to get involved and answers questions from parents about their children's conditions.
• Food Allergy Initiative: FAI is another good resource for up to date allergy news and ways to get involved with fundraising.
• Kids with Food Allergies Foundation: This page has an active wall where parents share their food allergy stories. KWFA provides the latest news on food allergy research and events.
• The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN): The official FAAN Facebook page provides allergy news, updates on their walks, conferences and summer camps, as well as helpful tips posted by members.

Don't forget you can also become a fan of the Neocate Facebook page - we have a great community of parents who share their food allergy stories and offer support for others!  You can ask questions and find the latest news about Neocate and allergies.

Are there any other food allergy-related Facebook pages that we missed?  Be sure to share them in the comments!

- Sarah

Food Allergy Awareness Week is Finally Here!

Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW) May 8-14, has finally arrived and we wanted to remind you about all the ways you can get involved and educate others about the serious nature of food allergies. 

Here are some easy ways that you can celebrate and help raise awareness:

At School

As we all know schools and food allergies are major hot topics and this week is the perfect time to volunteer to give a presentation about food allergies to your child's class or school.  The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) has some great presentations for elementary schools, teenagers and even corporate environments that you can download.

In Your Community

As we've mentioned before one idea to spread the word and raise money for allergies is to host an allergy-friendly bake sale!  Another idea is to create or print flyers about food allergies and hand them out at your local grocery store or mall food court.  Also, if you aren't already a part of a local advocacy organization, join one!  They are likely to be hosting their own events this week so it's a great opportunity to get involved.  But, if there isn't an organization in your town, now is the perfect time to start one!

Online

If you're on Facebook or Twitter be sure to post about FAAW.  Or, if there are any events in your area you plan to attend be sure to invite friends.  Also, don't forget to follow Neocate on Facebook and Twitter, where you will find more information about food allergies.

What are you doing to celebrate FAAW this year?  We'd love to hear about your plans!

- Sarah

In light of a recent New York Times article highlighting the link between artificial dyes and ADHD in children, we felt we should further explain how this debate originally started. A couple of days ago there was a spark in the news about the government reevaluating the safety of food dyes found in many everyday foods we all have in our pantries. The evaluation came when select studies were suggesting a link between food dyes and ADHD in children. In the end, the FDA did not find a link between food dyes and ADHD as the results of the studies were not substantial enough to make that claim.

Are elimination diets effective in helping with ADHD?

There is a recent article from February that confirmed an elimination diet that was made up of only rice, meat, vegetables, pears, and water was found to improve behavior in hyperactive children. As a caveat, 36% of the participants did not respond to the diet at all.

In the 1970’s, Dr. Benjamin Feingold, a pediatric allergist from California, had success treating the symptoms of hyperactivity in some children by prescribing an elimination diet. The doctor even came up with his own diet, The Feingold Diet or Program. The Feingold Program eliminates these additives from your diet:

• Artificial (synthetic) coloring
• Artificial (synthetic) flavoring
• Aspartame (NutraSweet, an artificial sweetener)
• Artificial (synthetic) preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ (these preservatives are found in most foods on the market)

So all-in-all, I would say strive to use foods that are low or contain no artificial color or dyes. It is already hard enough just restricting milk or soy from your child’s diet to have to worry about dyes as well! If you are concerned about the possibility that your child could have ADHD, speak to a Registered Dietitian about possibly starting an elimination diet. Remember, you must ensure your little one is still getting the nutrition he or she needs with these special diets. Another option you have is to use an allergen-free supplement, for example Neocate Junior Unflavored with Prebiotics (which is also free of food colorings and flavors) to help ensure that their individual nutrition needs are being met.

Have you looked into an elimination diet before? Do you know anyone who started one and has had success? We would like to hear about it. Please tell us your story in the comment section below.

-Christine

A few weeks ago I had posted some highlights from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) guidelines on food allergies that came out in December 2010.

Today I wanted to share the World Allergy Organization’s (WAO) guidelines on cow’s milk allergy (CMA). WAO is a leading source of allergy information worldwide for medical professionals and consumers. The WAO Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow’s Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines were released in April 2010. They are open to the public, which is great. Feel free to review them by following the link.

They may be best to share with your allergist, pediatric gastroenterologist, dietitian, or general pediatrician if your little one has been diagnosed with or is thought to have CMA.

Keep in mind it is a large document (~100 pages...whoa!).It really does a great job at providing recommendations on the proper diagnostic tools needed for an accurate CMA diagnosis (as 50 - 90% of food allergy diagnoses are not actually food allergies). The WAO also provides information on amino acid-based formulas (AABF), such as Neocate, and where the use of AAB products is best in the management plan of patients (e.g. Eosinophilic Esophagitis patients).

Hopefully this will help you and your child’s doctor in understanding the proper guidelines in accurately diagnosing and managing your child’s CMA. Let us know what you think of it. Is this useful information for you or your child’s doctor?

Christine