Food Allergy Assistant

Valentine's Day with Food Allergies

2012-01-27T05:34:00.000-05:00

Aaahhh...the day for love. February 14 is all about hearts, cards, flowers and chocolates. If you need some food allergy-friendly treats for a special someone, check out these sweet delights:

Chocolate Emporium offers Valentine themed chocolate lollipops and introduces sunbutter-filled chocolate hearts. Order by Monday, February 6.
Peanut Free Planet has gathered together safe treats and can also make Valentine's Day gift baskets.
Amanda's Own has heart shaped candies in a variety of decorated bags. Last day to order is Monday, February 6.
From cupcakes to candy to popcorn, Divvies has all your Valentine's Day treats covered.
For elegant gifts this Valentine's Day, try Premium Chocolatiers. Their chocolate long-stemmed roses and traditional candies in the heart shaped box are sure to make anyone feel special.

Did I miss any of your favorites?

Seven Things to Do for Food Allergy and Intolerance Awareness Week

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-05:00

January 23-29, 2012 is Food Allergy and Intolerance Week (not to be confused with FAAN's Food Allergy Awareness Week, scheduled May 13-19, 2012). Many people say they have a food allergy when they actually have a much more common condition- a food intolerance. Here is a list of seven things to do this week to learn more about the differences between food allergy and food intolerance:

Monday, January 23- Check out this quiz to see what you know about the differences between food allergy and food intolerances.
Tuesday, January 24- Watch this HealthWatch MD video. Send the video to someone you think may benefit from learning more.
Wednesday, January 25- Take a look at Living Without, the magazine for people with food allergies and intolerances.
Thursday, January 26- Catch the Food Allergy Blog Carnival at The Allergic Kid.
Friday, January 27- Learn more about lactose intolerance, which is something many people refer to as a food allergy.
Saturday, January 28- Read the Food Allergy and Intolerances Resource List for Consumers.
Sunday, January 29- Seek support if you need it. FAAN offers a support group look-up tool and the Food Intolerance Network has a list of free e-mail support groups.

Invest some time this week educating yourself and others on the topics of food allergy and intolerances.

Have a great week!

Food Allergy Training Program

2012-01-20T05:30:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen it, Allergic Living's editor Gwen Smith's piece, "Who's to Blame for another Allergy Tragedy". is a must read. She correctly points to those of us in the food allergy community as the group who must stay on top of our schools when it comes to keeping children safe. Whenever I talk to someone about the EpiPen, I always add that there is no lasting physical harm to using it. We must make sure that everyone knows if they think they should be using the EpiPen, they probably should be.

I just registered for the Allergy Ready CARE course. It's easy to sign-up and the course is free. It takes about 60 minutes to go through the learning module. While the information is geared toward educators, I encourage you to take the course (not to brag, but I got 100% on the quiz given at the beginning) and then pass the website link to your school administrators and nurses encouraging them to make it available to school personnel.

While I may have aced the quiz, I realized that when I administered antihistamine to my child on Monday for an allergic reaction, I should have instead used epinephrine. Antihistamines are not the first line defense for an allergic reaction. I know this, but honestly, in the moment, you still question it. Injecting is traumatic...then the ambulance needs to be called...then it's several hours in the ER. That said, we were lucky this time that the antihistamine worked.

So, sign up and take the Care course and then pass the course on to your kids' caregivers and schools.It's a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Hives, Swelling and Food Allergy Reactions

2012-01-18T05:03:00.000-05:00

"I think my lip is swelling up. Do I have a hive?"

Our peaceful MLK Day quickly turned into one of "those scary times." Sure enough, my food allergic 11-year-old had a very puffed out lower lip and a pretty giant hive. As I got the Benadryl, several smaller hives began popping out on the upper lip.

I watched. We waited. We both knew what to do if things didn't turn around quickly. Knowing what to do doesn't make it any easier to do it.

Fortunately the Benadryl did the trick. The upper lip hives disappeared and the swelling began to go down. No need for the EpiPen.

This time.

Outside of a food challenge at the allergist's office, there hasn't been an allergic reaction in quite a while. Unfortunately, we don't know what set this one off. Sometimes you can't trace the cause and you have to move on...to the next snack...and the next meal.

The experience did give us yet another opportunity to talk about what to do if an allergic reaction is set in motion- especially if it happens at school... or away from home (and mom or dad).

A good lesson for sure, but I got a few more gray hairs on Monday. This parenting thing is not for the faint of heart.

Tax Deductions for Food Allergy Families

2012-01-16T08:09:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year...the W2s are arriving and blank tax forms are arranged in neat piles at the library. Food allergy families often encounter extra expenses for special foods and medications. Did you know that you may be able to deduct these costs on your taxes? Check out this Medical Expenses Checklist to find out what may qualify.

For a complete Medical and Dental expense list, take a look at IRS publication 502. Of course, consulting a tax professional may be helpful if you have questions about this or any other type of deduction.

Why All the Fuss Over Peanut Butter Flavored Cheerios?

2012-01-13T08:44:00.001-05:00

Am I missing something? General Mills' introduction of a new flavor of Cheerios- Multi Grain Peanut Butter- has led to a barrage of news reports from coast to coast:

ABC News- "New Peanut Butter Cheerios Worry Parents of Allergic Kids"
Baby Center- "Parents Want Peanut Butter Cheerios Banned"
The Washington Post-" New Peanut Butter Cheerios Triggers Anger From Parents"
The San Francisco Chronicle- "Parents Concerned About New Peanut Butter Cheerios"

I'm confused.Why the outcry now? Honey Nut Cheerios have been around for years, requiring caution for families with tree nut allergies in the house. People with food allergies are often faced with foods that look alike- even though one is safe while the other could be dangerous. It's hard to tell if a glass of milk is cow's milk or soy milk. A soy-nut butter sandwich often looks just like a peanut butter sandwich. Daiya's dairy-free shredded mozzarella looks just like Sargento's shredded mozzarella.

My point is that you can't tell just by sight whether or not a food is safe. We need to make sure our food allergic kids and their caregivers know this.

In our pantry we have regular Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios. We use a Sharpie and write "NUT" on the bag containing Honey Nut Cheerios so we can tell them apart. From an early age we made sure my food allergic child knew never to eat a food unless the label was checked.

The rules are still the same. Parents need to make sure their food allergic kids:

Always read food labels (caregivers take on this responsibility for very young children)
Never eat anything if the label hasn't or can't be checked.
Always report symptoms.
Always have epinephrine nearby in the event of a life-threatening reaction.

So, should we ban Peanut Butter Cheerios? No. General Mills is very clear on their labels. The new peanut butter flavor states:

Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter contains peanuts. Cheerios has a commitment to allergen management. We can say with complete confidence that Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter will not cross-contaminate other Cheerios varieties.
As always, if you're concerned about allergies, we highly recommend that you always consult the allergen listing and the ingredient label on any product you may consume.

If you still want more information, contact General Mills and ask your questions or make your comments.
I've already been in touch with General Mills to suggest they consider stamping or labeling the plastic bag within the box for easy identification. A different colored plastic bag for each flavor would be even better.

So far there's been no movement on this so we'll continue to use our Sharpie.

Sign Online Petition to Get Epi-Pens in Schools

2012-01-11T08:01:00.000-05:00

I contacted our school district last week and asked if there were stock Epi-pens in each school. I found out that our district recently received and distributed Epi-pens for each of our school buildings. The medication can be used for anyone who may experience an anaphylactic reaction in, or around, the school building.

I know not every school is so lucky, which is why it is important for us all to support the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act. FAAN offers downloadable sample letters for you to send to your senators. Honestly, it takes five minutes to insert your senators' names into the letter and sign it. Don't know your senators? Go to senate.gov and look them up using the menu on the top right. You can e-mail or snail mail the letter.

Gretchen Flores, a Colorado based counselor, started an online petition on Change.org. Save Allergic Children's Lives in Schools is a quick way to show your support. The petition is looking for 10,000 signatures. I just signed it because I want to make sure that no one dies of an anaphylactic reaction simply because there was no medicine available.

Today is the day to take some action!

Higher Education Means Higher Risk of Food Allergy

2012-01-09T08:08:00.002-05:00

A recent study in the Journal of Allergy looking at education level and the incidence of food allergy caught my attention. Conducted in Canada, Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan, an allergist and immunologist at McGill University’s The Montreal Children's Hospital and his team set out to answer the question, "What in the environment is affecting the rise in food allergies?"

Wouldn't we all like to know?

The research group called 10,000 households across Canada. Of the 3600 households to answer the phone and answer the series of questions, there appears to be a higher incidence of food allergy among the college educated- and their kids. People with a high school degree or less had fewer reports of food allergy.

Now, while I can several flaws in this study (all self reported, type of person to answer a phone survey, etc.), the general premise does make sense. I know I was one of those people who read all I could about pregnancy and babyhood. I attended all of my doctor appointments and followed their advice. Ten years ago, moms were being told to avoid eating highly allergenic foods such as peanuts and tree nuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding and we were told to delay introducing these foods into our babies and toddlers diets. Now the advice is the exact opposite.

So okay, perhaps being more educated leads to being more well-read and having easier access to healthcare. I'll continue to appreciate any study that looks into the causes and possible treatments for food allergies.

Discovery News offers a great re-cap on this study. What do you think?

Have You Been in Touch With Your School Lately About Food Allergy Guidelines?

2012-01-06T07:08:00.000-05:00

My heart breaks when I think about first-grader Ammaria Johnson and her family.There will probably be more information in the coming days, but regardless, while it is hard to live with food allergy, no one should die from it. Thoughts and prayers to Ammaria's family and friends during this tragic time.

Upon hearing her story, I was prompted to send a note to the head of school nurses in our school district. I sent a link of the news story and offered help in reviewing food allergy guidelines in our district. While I've been very pleased overall with the way our schools have worked with us in managing my child's food allergies, the guidelines and mandates frequently change and I wanted to make sure our district had the most recent information. I did find out that we now have stock epinephrine in all of our school buildings that can be used for any student experiencing anaphylaxis. Our district nurses are meeting with a doctor this spring to review current food allergy practices and to compare them to current practices in managing food allergy in schools.

Of course I've offered my assistance in this review process as well.

So, take this opportunity to contact your school and find out if food allergy guidelines have recently been reviewed, or are schedule for review. The best approach is to be non-judgemental and to offer your help based on your experiences. Everyone has the same goal- to keep kids safe at school.

I've been pleased with my school's response. How about you?

Enjoy Life Not Nuts

2012-01-04T05:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, let them eat trail mix! It's hard to find an allergy friendly mix for people with food allergies. Fortunately Enjoy Life has two great options. Beach Bash is made up of pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dried pineapple, cranberries and apricots. Very tropical tasting! Mountain Mambo contains pumpkin and sunflower seeds, as well as raisins, cranberries, dried apples and chocolate chips.

They are both great alone, but I enjoyed sprinkling Not Nuts on my cereal or oatmeal at breakfast. They are also a nice addition to a salad later in the day. They give a little extra protein and fiber with some sweetness and crunch!

Since Enjoy Life products are made in a nut and gluten-free bakery and are free of the top eight allergens, they are a great option for school lunchboxes, quick snacks and classroom parties where everyone will enjoy them.

Enjoy Life is also another great resource for dealing with food allergies. Check out their Tips and Hints section to learn more about managing food allergies at school, 504 plans to protect students with food allergies, and sources and substitutions for common allergens.

Get Enjoy Life coupons and look for their Not Nuts and other products at your local grocery store.

I just filled out a product request card at my supermarket for the Enjoy Life Mega Chunks. Sometimes you just need a mega-dose of dairy-free chocolate!

Food Trends in 2012

2011-12-15T05:45:00.000-05:00

Each year I scan the list from the Restaurant Association of the anticipated food trends for the following year. This year, I am pleased to see that nutritional food for kids is expected to be a high priority in restaurants. Not only that, but gluten-free and food allergy conscious food ranked in the top 20 trends.

Making it easier to eat in restaurants with food allergies! Now that's on my Christmas list. Here are a few other resources for eating out with food allergies:

AllergyEats
Allerdine
Fast Food Ingredients
Chef Card Templates

Food Allergies and Universal Studios Florida

2011-12-08T05:49:00.001-05:00

We've known that Walt Disney World is great when it comes to dealing with food allergies. I wasn't sure about the other Orlando area parks.

Recently our family went to Universal Studios Orlando with dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut and shellfish allergies. I contacted Universal by e-mail before we went and I got both a voice mail and e-mail response. Each messages assured me that the chefs and managers at the Universal parks, City Walk and Universal hotels were well-equipped to handle food allergy concerns. I was told that eating at a full-service restaurant where we can talk to the chef directly might be our best choice.

So, how did we make out, you ask? Very successfully, I'm happy to report.

We had lunch at Bubba Gump Shrinp Co. on Universal's City Walk We spoke to our server and then the manager about food allergies. They brought out packages for us to read labels and talked to us about preparation. They communicated with the chef throughout. My son had a burger, jell-o and orange wedges. He had to pass on the fries as they are fried with shellfish items.
We had dinner at the Buger King Whopper Bar on CityWalk at Universal Studios. We knew Whoppers were safe, so I just confirmed their cooking practices and ingredients and informed the staff of the food allergies.
We had a wonderful lunch poolside at our Universal hotel, Loew's Royal Pacific. The chef and manager talked to us, along with our server. The chef said he could make anything from scratch for our food allergic son and would use a separate kitchen to ensure there was no cross-contamination. He chose chicken tenders and french fries. Both were freshly made and served in a huge quantity. We all picked off my son's plate. It was fun for his menu choice to be the favorite.

Universal made this an easy vacation for us. I only brought snacks for our two days there and our family was really able to practice talking to the right people and making sure that everyone understood what we needed. This was a good lesson for my food allergic tween who will need to manage his allergies at restaurants on his own in the coming years.

Great job Universal Studios Orlando!

Enjoy Life Cookies for the Holidays

2011-12-06T05:34:00.003-05:00

Believe me, I know it's tough to bake your traditional holiday cookies while needing safe choices for family members with food allergies. Fortunately, Enjoy Life just made holiday baking easier. We recently sampled their new crunchy cookies, which are free of the top 8 allergens. The great news? No one else would ever guess that these cookies do not contain wheat, eggs, dairy, soy, or nuts.

The best part? They are really yummy! My family was partial to the chocolate chip, although I really liked the double chocolate. The sugar cookies and honey grahams would be great for the holidays- a little frosting and some sprinkles on top.

Years ago when our family had to avoid wheat, baking was the biggest challenge. I made some pretty awful wheat-free cookies, cakes and brownies. I was able to find substitutes for dairy, eggs and soy, and I could just avoid peanuts and tree nuts. Substituting wheat flour was a whole new area of baking. While items and options have vastly improved during recent years, there is still a science to baking without wheat. We also have many more options when it comes to allergy-friendly packaged foods. Enjoy Life has filled this niche very successfully.

If you're looking for a delicious cookie to serve at home or to take to a holiday party, these cookies will just blend in with other holiday treats. They are also a great option for classroom parties where there may be multiple allergies among a group of children.

Trust me, no one will realize that these cookies are special- unless you tell them. You can find all four flavors of Enjoy Life's new crunchy cookies at many grocery and natural food stores. Go to their site for some money-saving coupons.

Food Allergy Desensitization May be coming to an Office Near You

2011-11-30T09:42:00.000-05:00

If you haven't spoken to your allergist in the past 6 months, you may want to check in. Food allergy desensitization programs like this one are becoming more prevalent. I found out over the summer that our allergist office will begin peanut desensitization in December. They chose peanut to start because they have a peanut allergic allergist who is willing to be the first desensitization patient in the practice. My 12-year-old may enter the peanut program this summer, although were are just as anxious for a milk desensitization program.

I'm really excited about this works. I recognize the risks, but I hope with a slow progression, an active watch for symptoms of an allergic reaction and keeping epinephrine close at hand, there will be success. This living in fear of accidental ingestion due to cross contamination or incomplete food labels is no good. Finally, some help may be on the way!

Cyber Monday Food Allergy Deals

2011-11-28T05:30:00.000-05:00

Imagine the satisfaction of giving your milk allergic friend a box of safe chocolates for the holidays. How great it would be to bring an allergy-friendly hostess gift to the home of a family with food allergies. Take advantage of Cyber Monday and score some great deals on food allergy products:

Divvies has free shipping today on orders of $40 or more.
Stuck on You has 30% off their entire site today with promo code "cybersale2011"
Kyle Dine is offering 50% off his music CD's through December 6.

Happy shopping!

Can You be Allergic to Chocolate?

2011-11-23T05:48:00.000-05:00

Over the years I've heard many people say that they, or their children, are allergic to chocolate. Can you really be allergic to chocolate? Finally, I uncovered an answer to my question. In this 7 minute audio clip, Allergist Bradley Chipps (I love that Dr. Chipps is talking about chocolate chips!) says that it is a possibility, but that he's never seen a diagnosed case of chocolate allergy and that after polling numerous colleagues he's yet to find an allergist who has made this diagnosis.

So, according to the doctor, it is possible to be allergic to chocolate, but very rare. Dr. Chipps believes that most people who eat chocolate and experience allergic symptoms are reacting instead to dairy or nut.

Interesting...

Dispose Those Expired EpiPens Safely

2011-11-21T05:15:00.009-05:00

I have a little bag filled with expired Epipens. While I love the trick of practicing by using a real (expired) injector in a piece of fruit, like an orange, I'm never sure what to do with them after that. The local pharmacies don't seem to want them and while our allergist will dispose of them, I seem to have trouble remembering to bring them when we have an appointment.

Well, the FDA has stepped in and now offers do's and don't's, along with instructions on how and where to dispose of them. Of course the needles should not be put in recycling, trash, or flushed down the toilet, but many communities now offer disposal programs.

Check out your state's laws on needle disposal or call the Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal at 1-800-643-1643 for further assistance.

Enjoy Life Has Dairy Free Mega Chocolate Chips!

2011-11-18T05:29:00.015-05:00

Enjoy Life has two new products and as they are both chocolate, I was more than happy to take the opportunity to try them out.

Their first new product is dairy-free mega chocolate chips. I am so excited that Enjoy Life is introducing this to their product line. I regularly bake with Enjoy Life dairy-free mini-chocolate chips. They are perfect for melting when I want to use my candy molds and I like to use the mini-chips when I make the miniature size of my banana chocolate chip muffins. I had been having a trouble finding a bigger chip because the Allergy Grocer, my source for Barry Callebaut chips, went out of business. Then I discovered that Wegman's brand is dairy-free and I started baking with them.

Now, there's another choice, a BIG choice. Enjoy Life's mega-chips are free of gluten and the top eight allergens, including dairy, soy, peanuts and tree nuts. The best part is that they are FULL of delicious chocolate taste.

They are really good- right out of the bag!

I also made a batch of chocolate, mega-chocolate chip brownies (what can I say...I enjoy my chocolate!). The big chips melted beautifully and created an ooey-gooey treat.

I am very pleased with these chips and you can get a coupon for 55 cents off an Enjoy Life product on their website.

The other new Enjoy Life product is Double Chocolate Crunch granola. I know that finding a peanut, nut and dairy-free granola is tough. Look no further. This granola is yummy right out of the bag and equally delicious in a bowl with milk (cow, soy, rice or otherwise).

This granola hits the spot when you need a quick chocolate fix!

Enjoy Life products are available at dozens of online retailers and at many grocery stores.

I'm off to have another one of those brownies!

Help for Parents of Food Allergic Kids

2011-11-16T05:39:00.000-05:00

Allergy and Asthma Network is a great resource for parents. They have two new videos available that may be helpful. The first one features Chef Ryan Hutmacher, owner of Centered Chef. He finds a family in the grocery store who is struggling with a long list of unsafe foods. Chef Ryan helps them develop a plan for making safe home cooked meals.

The second video is a panel discussion that tackles real situations related to food allergy that come up in our schools. They discuss things like peanut-free tables and self-carrying of epinephrine.

Both videos are about 30 minutes long and packed with great information.

Find both videos at Life Links for Parents.

Planning Ahead for Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-14T06:35:00.000-05:00

Food holidays are always challenging when you need to plan around food allergies. By keeping things simple and planning ahead a delicious holiday meal is easy to achieve. Here are some tried and true Thanksgiving tips and recipes:

I always brine our Thanksgiving turkey. Honestly, this will be the moistest, most flavorful turkey you've ever had. Check out my article, "How to Brine a Turkey".
Our side dishes are simple. For mashed potatoes, I reserve some of the potato water to beat back into the boiled, softened potatoes. Dairy-free margarine, a little seasoned salt and some pepper and we're good to go. We enjoy my sweet potato recipe and I serve a variety of vegetables like green beans, corn and raw veggies including red pepper, carrots and grape tomatoes.
I usually make bread in the bread machine or serve biscuits. Homemade stuffing isn't too tough to tackle. Follow this Cook's.com recipe using safe bread and margarine.
It's always fun to make a few dessert selections. I have some of our favorites under the recipe tab of foodallergyassistant.com if you're looking for new dairy, egg, peanut and nut-free ideas.

Start gathering recipes and planning now for a low(er)-stress holiday meal. I'd love to hear how you've adapted some of your family favorites to accommodate food allergies!

Fall Holiday Chocolates That are Also Allergy Friendly

2011-11-08T05:35:00.000-05:00

I enjoy making my own simple dairy and nut-free chocolates using a candy mold. If however, you are searching for something special this holiday season for a food allergic loved one, check out Premium Chocolatier's products. How elegant is a box of pumpkin truffles for maybe a hostess gift. Kids will love the stand-alone chocolate turkeys for a fun thanksgiving treat and their mini-chocolate cheesecakes (yup, they are dairy and nut free too!) would be a welcome gift to anyone who has never been able to indulge in a traditional box of chocolates.

I have always been satisfied with my Premium Chocolatier orders and they are perfect for those times when I want something distinctive that I can't make at home. They also offer gluten-free chocolates, dairy free chocolate covered pretzels and their Milkless candy bar tastes just like a traditional Hershey® bar- honest!

Chocolate does make life a little sweeter.

Another Year of Trick or Treat

2011-11-04T05:03:00.001-04:00

Another trick or treat night and all was fine. A few of the neighbors had special, safe treats set aside. I sent thank you e-mails the following day to them because it warms my heart that they get that this is a tough holiday for kids with food allergies.

My son separated his candy into safe and unsafe piles. The safe pile was considerably smaller. I swapped the unsafe pile with some chocolates I made in a Halloween Jell-O mold. I added crushed almonds to the chocolate because my nut allergic child can have almonds. They are a great protein source so I try to add them to baked goods when I can.

We head into the succession of food holidays- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day. Along the way we'll deal with cooking in the school Family and consumer Science class, a family trip and an overnight school activity. Each event requires planning and a dose of anxiety, but as a family, we've got the hang of this food allergy thing pretty well now. I am excited to read your comments about successful milk desensitization programs for your kids and I'm thrilled that our allergist office will soon start a peanut desensitization program. Strict avoidance may be an out-dated recommendation in the coming years.

Now that would be a treat!

Preparing to Be a Birthday Party Guest

2011-10-24T07:37:00.000-04:00

Most parents drop their kids off at a birthday party with a "have a great time" and "BEHAVE". Parents of children with food allergies have a whole different procedure. My child is getting too old for me to hang out at the party. He wants some independence, and I agree. As he has entered his tween years, he wants to be "like everyone else". Can't say I blame him there either. I started preparing for the bowling alley birthday party a day in advance:

Call bowling alley to find out what food is served at late afternoon parties. Ask for ingredients of hot dogs and rolls. (I will also read the labels myself upon arrival at the party.)
Make cupcake and frosting (to eat when birthday cake is served).
Make sure food allergic child is aware of safe food choices.
Upon arrival, talk to birthday child's parents- explain allergies (symptoms and sign of a reaction), demonstrate use of EpiPen using trainer, give cell phone number in case of emergency, make parents aware of safe foods.
Tell child to have a great time.
Leave.
Check cell phone a dozen times to make sure I haven't missed a call.
Pick up happy and safe kid.

Whew! Another milestone.

Exciting Breakthrough in Food Allergy Treatment

2011-10-17T08:12:00.001-04:00

Using a specially designed molecule (HBL), researchers at Notre Dame believe they have found a way to block allergic reactions. The molecule can be introduced into the blood stream at which point it attaches to mast cells, so the offender (food protein, medication, insect venom) is unable to attach and set off the chain reaction that can lead to an allergic reaction.

"We believe HBL has a very high potential to be developed as a preventative medication," said Tanyel Kiziltepe, a research professor at Notre Dame.

At the present time, researchers believe the molecule will be most helpful in emergency situations such as when emergency room doctors don't know if a person is allergic to a medication. They could administer the medication and the molecule at the same time to perhaps prevent a reaction.

The full article is in the September issue of Chemistry and Biology and is available for purchase.

Update on Food Allergy and Flu Vaccine

2011-10-13T05:36:00.001-04:00

My egg allergic son successfully received the flu vaccine for the first time. No reactions at all! The better news is that our allergist told us this would be the last time we needed to worry about egg protein in the flu shot. There was only a small amount of protein this year, and next year there will not be any, according to her conversations with various manufacturers of the vaccine.

This is great news for everyone with an egg allergy!

In other news, our allergist shared that the office will begin peanut desensitization sublingually this December. She said that milk and egg desensitization should be ready in the office in a year or so. The process involves placing a liquid or tablet under the tongue every day to get the body accustomed to the protein. The therapy can be administered at home, with occasional trips to the office when protein amount is increased.

I'm feeling so hopeful about all of this! There have been many successes with SLIT (Sublingual Immunotherapy) in research studies, and some offices around the country have begun successful programs as well.

Truly, it has been my dream for there to be no need for my food allergy blog and website. I'm getting closer to being put out of business and I couldn't be happier for my food allergic child and the millions of others with food allergy.

In the meantime, I'll keep writing and we should all stay vigilant to keep those with food allergies safe.