Hidden Dangers In The Classroom:
Exposures To Hidden Food Allergens Extend Beyond The Cafeteria
- Back-to-school often means last minute doctor's appointments,
haircuts, and new clothes. But it's also an anxious time for families who
have children with food allergies.
MI Food
Allergy Sufferers Live in Fear of Restaurants, Expert Says -
Families that include people with severe food allergies often live in
fear of going out to a restaurant only to wind up in the emergency
room, something those without allergies take for granted, the Michigan
House Regulatory Reform Committee was told Tuesday morning.
Allergy Glossary - Detailed glossary of medical and scientific
terms associated with allergies.
Michigan
Resources, Support Groups, Listservs & Websites
FACES--Food Allergic Children
Education & Support of Michigan--founded in 2004 by a group of
moms with food allergic children, is a volunteer support group for
families of children with severe food allergies, serving the
northeast suburbs of Detroit, based in Macomb County. We are a free,
volunteer support group with no dues or membership fees. We hope
families will: 1. gain a feeling of support through a connection
with other families affected by food allergies; 2. share ideas and
tips with one another on facing the daily challenges of living with
food allergies; 3. continue to be educated on allergy issues; and 4.
educate the community around us. FACES meets quarterly in the Macomb
County area. The group features open discussions and guest speakers.
All Adults Welcome! Invite Family, Friends, Caregivers, Educators &
Others! For more information, contact Liz Gellatly, Coordinator,
FACES of Michigan, at
FACESofMI@comcast.net.Learn more at:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/facesofmi/or find us on Facebook (FACES of Michigan).
Circle of Food
Allergic Families (COFAF)
We are a team of parents of children with food allergies. We offer
support in facing the daily challenges of living with food allergies
and eosinophilic disorders. • We educate each other, exchange
research and information, and share recipes. • Within our
communities, we strive to raise awareness and educate.
Monthly meetings at Our Shepard Lutheran Church, Birmingham
Email:
cofafmichigan@yahoo.com
Website:
http://www.cofafdetroit.weebly.com
Feingold
Program- Numerous studies show that
certain synthetic food additives can have serious learning, behavior,
and/or health effects for sensitive people.
The Feingold Program itself is a test to determine if certain foods or
food additives are triggering particular symptoms. It is basically the
way people used to eat before "hyperactivity" became a household word,
and before asthma and chronic ear infections became so very common.
Used originally as a diet for allergies, improvement in behavior and
attention was first noticed as a "side effect." It is a reasonable
first step to take before (or with) drugs for any of the symptoms
listed on the home page.
Bridges4Kids Extra
Review: Gak's Snacks Allergy-free Treats Jackie D. Igafo-Te'o, Bridges4Kids, January 24, 2006
"Our mission is to
make it easier for children and families with food allergies to enjoy
baked goods like everyone else." These amazing treats are sure to
delight everyone in your household. The entire facility, along with
all products, are absolutely 100% free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs,
wheat and dairy. When I first heard this, I honestly thought to myself
"how good can they really be without containing several of the
key baking ingredients that we all know and use so freely?" So, to
find out, I did the ultimate taste test in my home. I gave two kinds
of Gak's Snacks cookies to my husband and kids. The cookies were a
huge hit. They wanted more! At that point, I had to try them. The
cookies were absolutely bursting with flavor and freshness. Then came
the true test...the apple coffee cake. I took this item to a family
gathering during the holidays. My nephew Jared, who is severely
allergic to eggs and dairy, was among those around the table at
dessert time. He soon asked "Are there eggs or dairy in this cake,
Aunt Jackie?" I had gotten so used to answering "Yes, Jared.
Sorry but you can't have this." Not this time! I was
thrilled to say "Nope! I checked the label and you can eat some,
if you want to." He dug in...he raved...other family members soon
followed. Thanks to Gak's Snacks, we were all able to eat the same
dessert together. There was no separate dessert for Jared. You can
learn more about Gak's Snacks or purchase some for your family at
http://www.gakssnacks.com/default.aspx.
Uniform Allergy Plans Sought for U.S. Schools
- When Danielle Davis attended school in Rapid City,
S.D., her mother didn't worry much about her being exposed to
peanuts, a food that could kill the severely allergic teenager.Danielle's high school had a food allergy policy, and she
had no problems during her nine months there.But when the two moved to Charleston in 2006, everything
changed.
Peanut Butter and Deadly Taunts - A Combination of Bullying and Peanut Allergies May Put Some
Kids in the ER. Late last spring,
14-year-old Sarah VanEssendelft of Mastic, N.Y., experienced
bullying worthy of a teen movie. "There was a group of five
girls ... and they decided they didn't want me sitting at their
lunch table anymore," said VanEssendelft. To get her to leave,
they all brought in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Peanut Allergy Can be Lethal, but Treatments Show Promise
- It began with a shortness of breath. Twenty minutes
later, my ears were so inflamed I could barely hear. Angry red
hives covered my neck and chest, which didn't go too well with
my black dinner dress.
Get your Candy, Minus the Nuts and
Sugar - Candy Creations Co.
produces confections for a select market: folks who are allergic
to nuts and those who want their sweets sugar-free. The
company’s chocolate product line is free of nuts. Almost all the
candies are also available in a sugar-free variety. Candy
Creations sells through its web site. Products can be shipped
anywhere in the U.S. Get more information at: 513-459-7946 or
www.nonutscandy.com.
Gluten-Free Market
Goes Mainstream - For about 2 million
Americans, the bread basket used to be filled with a tasteless,
brick-like loaf that crumbled when sliced. That was the bleak world of
food Bernie Mansbach found 25 years ago when he was diagnosed with
celiac disease, or an intolerance to a wheat protein called gluten.
Free Downloadable Children's
Book: Under My Skin (PDF; Size=3.4MB) -
Addresses the social and emotional impact often faced by those suffering
from atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema. Under My Skin offers easy
to understand explanations of how thedisease
occurs and tips on coping with its symptoms.
An Open Letter
to Disney/ABC About Food Allergies -
"I am writing of a matter of
great concern to me. You have broadcast a show providing
dangerously inaccurate information and shockingly irresponsible
role modeling, which could easily result in the deaths of school
age children...what I saw last night
on the Disney Channel struck me with fear for the safety of my
child and for others like him with life-threatening food
allergies."
Cupcakes for
Everyone: Kids with food allergies don't have to miss out on
dessert. One of these delicious cupcake recipes -- including
gluten-free and dairy-free varieties -- is just right for your child.
MI
Metro Schools Ask Kids to Leave Peanuts at Home
- First it was drugs. Then guns. Now some schools in
southeast Michigan are trying to prevent another possibly lethal
scourge from reaching their classrooms: the peanut butter and jelly
sandwich.
After the Bottle:
Preventing Food Allergies - Preventing food allergies may be possible,
especially if your child is at high risk of having a food allergy, including
already having an allergy to another food or formula, having other family
members with food allergies, or having other 'allergic' type conditions or
family members with these conditions, such as eczema, allergic rhinitis (hayfever)
and/or asthma.
McDonald's: Fries Have Potential Allergens -
Not long after disclosing that its french fries contain more trans fat than
thought, McDonald's Corp. said Monday that wheat and dairy ingredients are used
to flavor the popular menu item - an acknowledgment it had not previously made.
The presence of those substances can cause allergic or other medical reactions
in food-sensitive consumers.
Food Labels
To List Allergens - Bryan Bunning was 6 months old when
his mom stopped nursing and gave him his first bottle of
formula. "He had one sip, and he literally blew up in front of
my face," Denise Bunning, 37, of Lake Forest, said of her son's
swollen body. Bunning didn't know at the time that her son was
having a life-threatening allergic reaction to the milk-based
formula.
Subcommittee on
Health Unanimously Passes Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer
Protection Act (FALCPA) to Simplify and Mandate Food Allergen
Labeling by 2006 - The Food Allergy Initiative celebrates
a major milestone in its public policy program and applauds the
House Subcommittee on Health for unanimously passing the Food
Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, the bill
originally authored by U.S. Representatives Nita Lowey and James
Greenwood and U.S. Senators Edward Kennedy and Judd Gregg. The
bill requires food manufacturers to clearly state if a product
contains the eight major food allergens that are responsible for
over 90% of all allergic reactions which are: milk, eggs,
peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy.
Intolerance
Testing - This test is for intolerance
from the Great Plains Laboratory, which is different than
allergy. Most insurances does not currently
cover this test. This test is said to prove the
connection between food intolerance and certain behavioral problems or
issues.A score of under 20
is considered normal.
