Food Allergy Living Blog Tagged Results

Easter and Passover celebrations are happening this week, and there will surely be an influx of goodies and feasts that come along with them. But if you have a little one with food allergies, this can be a tough and challenging time. We wanted to inform you about some great ideas (and where to find them) for an enjoyable and allergen-free Easter or Passover.

One place that I found lots of information was www.kidswithfoodallergies.org. There was plenty of information on Kids with Food Allergies’ (KFA) website for an allergen free Easter or Passover. They have lots of recipes for allergen-free dishes celebrating the holidays. The amount of activities and resources to choose from ensures that the whole family can get the most out of the holiday, even when food allergies are a concern. Check out the Peach Potato Puffs recipe for Passover. I thought it sounded different and delicious!

Peach Potato Puffs (from Kids With Food Allergies)

By Danielle (deestricky1)

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt dash ginger

2 tsp dairy-free, soy free, corn free margarine

6 canned peach halves

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the ingredients except the peaches. Whip with whisk or mixer until nice and fluffy.

Take whipped potato mixture and pile some into each peach half. Arrange the filled peach halves in a greased or sprayed 6x10" baking pan and dot with additional margarine. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.

When celebrating Easter, if your child has an egg allergy it can be a very tricky time. But with some helpful tips and ideas, they can still take part in all of the traditions. If you are decorating eggs, instead of real eggs paint wooden versions, or use stickers to decorate plastic ones. Instead of candy, fill Easter baskets with toys and other goodies like sidewalk chalk, books and jewelry. Or you can check out allergen-free candies from companies like Divvies, Premium Chocolatier and Sweet Earth. You can also make your own candies – Go Dairy Free has some great recipes.

I found these fun tips on KFA's website. Here are links to view the booklets I found so helpful.

• Passover Booklet

• Easter Booklet

I have received a number of calls from parents asking if Neocate Infant DHA ARA contains certain grains which are not allowed during Passover. Neocate Infant DHA ARA formula does not have any grains (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, rye) in the formula. If your little one is on an elemental diet composed of mostly formula, then this can be a unique situation. Feel free to read the Passover booklet to get more information about adhering to a restricted diet during the holidays.

I hope these ideas help make your celebrations fun for everyone! Do you have any other creative ideas for an allergy-friendly Passover or Easter? Enjoy the holidays!

-Christine

About a year ago here at Nutricia we introduced DHA and ARA to our Neocate Infant product. Since a lot of parents often ask us questions about DHA and ARA, I wanted to share some basic information with you.

OK, here’s the DHA/ARA rundown:

DHA and ARA are two important nutrients naturally found in breast milk. They are important for healthy infant growth and development. Studies have shown that a direct consumption of these key ingredients will promote both your baby’s visual and brain development.

Just like its predecessor, Neocate Infant with DHA & ARA is:

• Hypoallergenic;
• Comprised of 100% non-allergenic free amino acids;
• Nutritionally complete; and Manufactured in a 100% milk-free environment.

Overall, the addition of DHA and ARA doesn’t change much about the other properties of the formula (i.e. taste, texture, if it’s hypoallergenic) but it does provide an extra boost to benefit your little one.

Feel free to send any questions my way.

- Sarah

From time to time, parents of children with allergies, who use our products, ask me if I’ve ever tried the Neocate formulas. We here at Nutricia have certainly tasted them all, but tasting and consuming are two different things. After lots of questions from parents about what their little one is feeling and whether or not it’s normal, and given my indiscriminate palate, I decided it was time to really give Neocate a try.

My plan? To go on a nothing-but-Neocate diet for two days. What, exactly, would be allowed? Neocate: specifically any of the Neocate products, the flavor packets, and the flavors straws. What wasn’t allowed? Anything else. Well, almost anything else. I decided I would still be allowed tea (lack of caffeine could be a real problem!). I also decided that, given my usually high fiber intake, I would also be allowed to supplement my Neocate diet with fiber. I found an inulin fiber supplement: the same type of fiber that’s included in Neocate Junior with Prebiotics. Some folks might say this is cheating, but I took the advice that I (as a Registered Dietitian) would give anyone: to avoid a sudden and drastic change in fiber intake, up or down. 

With these rules in mind, I used my approximate calorie needs to design a “meal plan” and dove right in.

Day 1 Menu: 

• Morning Snack: Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA
• Breakfast: Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA
• Lunch: Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA + Lemon-Lime Flavor Packet
• Dessert: Neocate Nutra + Neocate Junior Chocolate (“Chocolate Pudding”)
• Afternoon Snack: E028 Splash Orange-Pineapple
• Appetizer: Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Grapefruit Flavor Packet
• Dinner: E028 Splash Grape + Neocate Junior Chocolate (“Chocolate Covered Raisin”)
• Dessert: Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Cookies ‘n Cream Flavor Straw

Day 1 Experience:

The day started with Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA. Does this taste like standard infant formula or milk? Nope. Because the Neocate products have amino acids instead of whole protein, Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA has a different taste and a thinner texture. To me it has a grassy undertone, which isn’t so bad, and is something most infants either don’t notice or get used to after a few days. Smaller amounts were fine, but a full 350 calories of plain Neocate Infant was a bit much, even for me: by my last “meal” of Neocate Infant at lunch I decided I could use the help of our Lemon-Lime Flavor Packet. So far, so good. I was surprised that I wasn’t ravenous as the day progressed – I had my doubts that an all-liquid diet would keep me satisfied, but it really did. I managed to go to bed without having any real cravings that day. No stomachaches and nothing out of the ordinary.

Day 2 Menu:

• Morning Snack: E028 Splash Tropical Fruit
• Breakfast: E028 Splash Orange-Pineapple + Neocate Junior + Strawberry & Banana Flavor Straws (“Fruit Salad”)
• Lunch: Neocate Junior Tropical
• Dessert: Neocate Nutra + Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Cherry Vanilla Flavor Packet (“Chocolate-covered Cherry Pudding”)
• Snack: E028 Splash Tropical Fruit
• Appetizer: Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Strawberry & Banana Flavor Straws
• Dinner: E028 Splash Orange-Pineapple + Strawberry Flavor Straw + Junior with Prebiotics
• Dessert: Neocate Nutra + Neocate Junior Chocolate + Strawberry Flavor Straw (“Chocolate-covered Strawberry Pudding”)

Day 2 Experience:

This day started with some definite hunger, but the morning snack took care of that. When I arrived at work I found a donut on my desk – so began the cravings for solid food. It was definitely difficult to avoid the snacks around the office that day, but I made it through. The toughest part was probably dinner time. I usually handle food preparation in our house, so having to cook dinner and not partake in enjoying it was difficult.

By the end of the day all of the different flavors began to taste pretty similar to me, probably because I tried to do too many flavor mash-ups. I will say that I definitely found the EO28 Splash an easy option. It seems silly, but it was so much nicer to grab a Splash instead of having to prepare a meal.

All things considered, the Neocate diet wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought, and actually made life easier. I really appreciated having all of the different flavor options and the simplicity of Splash in a ready-to-go format. That said, a third day might have gotten a little routine, so I have a great deal of respect for the patients who have to stay on an elemental diet for an extended period of time, especially those children who have had “real” food, know what it tastes like, and have to give it up.

And the question many parents would like to ask: How did I feel after two days of Neocate? Pretty normal, actually. My stomach felt a bit more “active” at times, but I never felt queasy, had diarrhea or constipation, or really felt any different than I usually do. I didn’t experience any big swings in hunger or fullness, and it was nice not worrying about whether or not I was getting a balanced meal: Neocate took care of that for me. For parents of children who are going from a more typical diet to Neocate (such as those with EE who are starting an elimination diet) you may want to check with your child’s healthcare team about using Neocate Junior with Prebiotics, which has fiber to help maintain gut health. 

How about you: have you ever tried a full serving of Neocate? If so, what did you think? Feel free to share any questions you have about my experience!

- Rob

As a newborn baby girl, Abbigail endured sleepless nights as she fussed and squirmed in search of relief.   At 10 weeks old she only weighed 8 pounds and  struggled to gain weight.

No matter what position her father put her in, she was uncomfortable and in pain.  Her constant vomiting, gassiness and weight loss was fueled by her food allergies and gastroesophageal reflux; a condition in which food leaks backwards from the stomach into the esophagus, causing severe pain and damage.

“Hearing my child cry was really hard to handle because I knew she was in pain and there was little I could do to help her,” says Robert, Abbigail’s father.  “The only temporary solution we ever found was arching her back to achieve some kind of relief."

 Abbigail’s parents attempted to bring her relief by using numerous formulas and anti-reflux medications, but nothing helped.  

  With worsening symptoms, Abbigail’s parents sought medical help for her at the Oklahoma City Children’s Hospital.  Upon being admitted to the children’s hospital Abbigail underwent 10 days of testing  and ultrasounds.  Finally, on day seven, doctors turned to Neocate Infant DHA and ARAin hopes to relieve Abbigail  of her intolerable pain.  Within 24 hours she showed signs of  improvement.

“Abbigail was a totally new baby after Neocate,” says Robert.  “She started gaining weight, she was healthy and most importantly she was happy.  It was a total transformation.” 

 Neocate has allowed Abbigail to lead a healthy life free of pain and full of joy.  With her new lifestyle, she is able to play with her infant toys and is learning new tricks.

“Abbigail is no longer in pain searching for relief and she is able to sleep in her crib at last,” says Robert.  “What Neocate did for our baby is incredible and has improved her quality of life and ours!” 

Based on feedback and ideas that we hear from you, we try to find ways to provide options for those little ones using our Neocate products.  We've developed a collection of delicious and delightful recipes using our Neocate products that are now available to view online!  We hope your little ones find these recipes enjoyable and allows for a little variety in their diets.  Here is a favorite included in the book:

Apple Delight

Ingredients

• 1/2 apple, peeled, diced and cooked until soft
• 2 pitted-prunes diced and cooked (boiled in water) until soft
• 2 fl oz water
• 4 scoops Neocate Infant DHA/ARA powder
• A pinch of cinnamon

Directions

• Add water to apple and prunes and blend to desired consistency
• Add the Neocate Infant DHA/ARA powder and stir
• Sprinkle with cinnamon (optional)
• Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 24 hours

Makes 1 serving

Calories          Protein          Fat          Carbohydrate

156                   3 g                 4 g           30 g

Do you have any of your own recipes using Neocate - we'd love to hear about them!

-Sarah

Consult your healthcare professional to determine if these recipes, ingredients and consistencies are appropriate for your child.  Nutritional values are approximate and will vary based on brands, quantities and substitutions.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve provided you with tips for recycling or reusing your metal Neocate cans. But what about the accessories: the lids and the scoops?

In our recent recycling blog, we mentioned that the lids from Neocate (and Duocal!) cans can be recycled. This might vary, though, based on where you live. To be sure you can recycle the lids, check with your local municipality or curbside recycling pickup company. The key thing to look for is whether they accept number 4 plastics – the lids we use on our cans are number 4. As more localities continue to accept a bigger variety of plastics, we hope many of our customers can recycle their Neocate lids! You may also be able to find a nearby drop-off location by using the search feature on Earth911 with the term “#4 Rigid Plastic” and your city or zip code.

But what about the scoops that come with our products? Great news: if your municipality or recycling pickup company takes number 5 plastics, you can recycle the scoops as well! Number 5 plastics are also used in yogurt cups, other food tubs, plastic flower pots, and disposable razors. Even better news: for those customers who live in an area where number 5 products are not collected from the community, you have another option with Preserve®’s Gimme 5 program. You may be able to locate a local drop-off site where number 5 plastics are collected for Preserve. If that doesn’t work, Preserve will even accept number 5 plastics by mail and turn them into consumer products. Now THAT’S recycling!

Do you have any crafty ideas for reusing or repurposing the lids or scoops from your Nutricia products?

- Rob

The most common questions we get have to do with product details so, we decided to start a product series that will hopefully answer a lot of your questions.

Today we are going to start with our Neocate Infant product.  Neocate Infant is a special formula designed for the specific nutrient needs of infants with milk protein allergy, multiple food protein intolerance (e.g. allergies to soy protein, hydrolyzed protein in other infant formulas) and food allergy associated conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, atopic dermatitis (a type of skin rash), eosinophilic esophagitis, short bowel syndrome and other GI disorders.

Neocate is described on the label as:

• Hypoallergenic: The formula is less likely to cause an allergic response.
• Nutritionally Complete: All of the essential nutrients needed to grow and develop are supplied by the formula when consumed in adequate amounts.
• Elemental: Ingredients are broken down to their simplest and purest form so they are easier for the body to process and digest.
• Amino Acid-based: Amino acids are the non-allergenic building blocks for all protein.

With over 50 published studies (an going), we are proud to say that Neocate is the most studied amino acid-based formula available.  In clinical studies an elimination diet using Neocate has been shown to improve gastrointestinal symptoms of cow milk allergy such as diarrhea, blood in the stools and vomiting associated with milk protein allergies in just 3 days and improving gastroesophageal reflux and skin irritations, such as eczema and atopic dermatitis in just 14 days.

To see how Neocate Infant has helped other families cope with the challenges of food allergies and GI issues we recommend reading RJ, Olivia and Luke's testimonials.

Below you will find the Neocate Infant mixing instructions, nutrient profile and ingredients.  Additional information and frequently asked questions can be found in our Neocate Parent Guide.

Easy Preparation

(click here to watch our Neocate Infant mixing video):

Neocate Infant may be mixed with warm or cool sterile water.*  Do not boil formula or use a microwave to prepare or warm formula.  For standard dilution, use enclosed scoop (4.75 g) to mix one level scoop per fluid ounce of prepared formula.

How to make a 5 fluid ounce bottle:

1. Add 5 scoops of Neocate Infant to a clean, sterile container.
2. Fill up to the 5 fluid ounce line with warm or cool sterile water.
3. Shake for 15-20 seconds or until the powder dissolves.  Add additional water if necessary to make final volume and shake again.

*Boiling is the preferred method for sterilizing water, bottles, nipples and mixing utensils.

Freshly mixed formula is best.  Refrigerate pre-mixed formula immediately and use within 24 hours of mixing.  Shake immediately before use.  Throw away formula left in the bottle one hour after feeding.  Tube feeding hang time should not exceed 4 hours.

Nutrient Profile:

Ingredients:

Corn Syrup Solids (57%), Refined Vegetable Oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides (Palm Kernel and/or Coconut Oil) (7%), High Oleic Sunflower (7%), Soy (6%)), Calcium Phosphate Dibasic (2.5%), and less than 2% of each of the following: L-Arginine L-Aspartate, Tripotassium Citrate, L-Leucine, L-Lysine Acetate, L-Glutamine, L-Proline, L-Valine, Glycine, L-Isoleucine, CAEM (an Emulsifier), L-Threonine, L-Penylalanine, L-Tyrosine, L-Serine, L-Histidine, L-Alanine, Sodium Chloride, L-Cystine, L-Tryptophan, L-Methionine, Magnesium Acetate, Magnesium L-Aspartate, Potassium Chloride, M. Alpina Oil*, Choline Bitartrate, M-Inositol, C. Cohnii Oil**, L-Ascorbic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Sunflower Oil, Niacinamide, DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Potassium Iodide, Chromium Sulfate,Mixed Tocopherols, DL-Alpha Tocopherol, Phylloquinone, Sodium Molybdate, Folic Acid, Sodium Hydrogen Selenite, D-Biotin, Vitamin D3,Cyanocobalamin.

*A Source of Arachidonic Acid (ARA)

**A Source of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

As you know, in 2008 we introduced Neocate Infant DHA & ARA.  DHA and ARA are two fatty acids naturally found in breast milk that have been shown to help promote brain and eye development.  The addition of DHA and ARA does not change the other properties of the formula (i.e. taste, texture, hypoallergenicity), but it does provide an extra boost to benefit your little one!  As a consequence, in October 2011, Nutricia North America announced and began the discontinuation of Neocate Infant original and over the past few months we’ve been proactively transitioning original formulation families toNeocate Infant DHA & ARA. 

We wanted to remind you of this and let you know that we have run through all of our stock of the Neocate Infant original.  We are no longer selling the Neocate Infant without DHA and ARA.

We encourage you to discuss alternative options such as, Neocate Infant DHA & ARAwith your child’s doctor or dietitian.  Or, if your child is over the age of 1 year, we have Neocate Junior Unflavored or Neocate Junior Unflavored with Prebiotic fiber.

If you have further questions or need assistance with transitioning, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-NEOCATE (Monday through Friday 8:30 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. EST)and ask to speak with our nutrition specialists.

-Sarah

As you know, in 2008 we introduced Neocate Infant DHA & ARA.  DHA and ARA are two fatty acids naturally found in breast milk that have been shown to help promote brain and eye development.  The addition of DHA and ARA does not change the other properties of the formula (i.e. taste, texture, hypoallergenicity), but it does provide an extra boost to benefit your little one!  As a consequence, in October 2011, Nutricia North America announced and began the discontinuation of Neocate Infant original and over the past few months we’ve been proactively transitioning original formulation families toNeocate Infant DHA & ARA. 

We wanted to remind you of this and let you know that we have run through all of our stock of the Neocate Infant original.  We are no longer selling the Neocate Infant without DHA and ARA.

We encourage you to discuss alternative options such as, Neocate Infant DHA & ARAwith your child’s doctor or dietitian.  Or, if your child is over the age of 1 year, we have Neocate Junior Unflavored or Neocate Junior Unflavored with Prebiotic fiber.

If you have further questions or need assistance with transitioning, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-NEOCATE (Monday through Friday 8:30 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. EST)and ask to speak with our nutrition specialists.

-Sarah