The increased risk was found for babies exposed to pollen during the first 6 months of life and the association was strongest when pollen exposure occurred during the first 3 months of life. This may suggest that babies who experience their first pollen season prior to reaching 6 months of age are at a greater risk than babies who don’t. Since pollen levels are usually highest in the spring as the weather warms, babies born during winter and spring are exposed to more pollen during their first 6 months than babies born during summer and fall.  

Remember that an “increased risk” does not mean that high pollen exposure causes allergic conditions. Many babies born in winter and spring do not develop allergies and many babies born in summer and fall do. However, these findings suggest that being exposed to high pollen during the specific window of 0-6 months of age may contribute, along with various other environmental factors and genetics, to the development of allergies and allergic conditions.

Keep in mind that pollen levels vary from place to place. The amount of pollen in the air tends to be higher in warm, dry climates, and lower in cool, rainy climates. Therefore, babies living in warm, dry areas will be exposed to more pollen than babies in cool, dry areas, regardless of season.

So, does the season of birth affect the risk for developing allergies? The short answer is that it may, since babies born during the winter and spring tend to be exposed to high pollen counts during their first 6 months, which may be a contributing factor for the development of hay fever and asthma.

Pretty interesting, isn’t it?

-Mallory

Nutricia North America does not promote or sell the Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injector

[Image Source]

With vaginal deliveries, babies are exposed to their mother’s microflora (friendly bacteria) in the birth canal. This exposure affects the composition of the baby’s intestinal microflora, which plays a role in the developing immune system. Some theorize that birth by c-section affects a baby’s developing immune system, making them more susceptible to develop allergies and allergic diseases. Research into the connection has been inconsistent. Some studies find a definite link while others don’t. In today’s post, we’ll summarize some of the research available on the topic.  

Research:

o   A 2005 study from Oregon Health & Science University found an increased risk of being diagnosed with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) among children born by c-section. They also found an increased risk of asthma, specifically in girls born by c-section.

o   A Mayo Clinic study published the same year found no association between delivery by c-section and the subsequent risk for developing childhood asthma.

o   A 2008 study out of Children’s Hospital of Boston found a link between c-section and atopy and allergic rhinitis among children who have a family history of allergies and asthma.

o   A 2008 study out of Denmark found that c-sections are associated with a moderate risk increase for allergic rhinitis, asthma, hospitalization for asthma, and possibly food allergy, but not for inhalant atopy or atopic dermatitis.

o   A 2009 Norwegian study found no link between c-section and the development of food allergies in children during the first 2 years of life. 

o   A 2012 study of Greek children found that delivery by c-section is associated with asthma and atopic sensitization in childhood. Family history of allergic disease did not seem to influence the connection between c-section and asthma; however, the connection between c-section and atopy is stronger when there is a family history of allergies.

This year, researchers from Henry Ford Hospital presented their findings at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in San Antonio. They found that children born by c-section are 5 times more likely to develop allergies when they are exposed to high levels of common indoor allergens. They also found that in comparison to children born vaginally, children born by c-section are more likely to be sensitized to at least 1 food, when the mother has a history of allergies.   “We believe a baby’s exposure to bacteria in the birth canal is a major influencer on their immune system”, said Christine Cole Johnson, PhD, MPH, chair of the department of health sciences at Henry Ford Hospital.

It’s important to note that none of the above studies show that c-sections actually cause the development of allergies and allergic diseases, but some do suggest an association. This information may give clinicians some clues as to how allergies develop and provide insight for how they might be prevented or treated in the future. 

-Mallory

Photo source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/8515615966/

References:

1.       Pistiner M , et al. Birth by cesarean section, allergic rhinitis, and allergic sensitization among children with a parental history of atopy.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Aug;122(2):274-9.

2.       Kolokotroni O, et al. Asthma and atopy in children born by caesarean section: effect modification by family history of allergies – a population based cross-sectional study. BMC Pediatr. 2012; 12: 179.

3.       Renz-Polster H, et al. Caesarean section delivery and the risk of allergic disorders in childhood. Clin Exp Allergy. 2005 Nov;35(11):1466-72.

4.       Juhn YJ, et al. Mode of delivery at birth and development of asthma: a population-based cohort study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Sep;116(3):510-6.

5.       Kvenshagen B, et al. Is there an increased frequency of food allergy in children delivered by caesarean section compared to those delivered vaginally? Acta Paediatr. 2009 Feb;98(2):324-7.

6.       Younus M. Abstract #82. Presented at: 2013 Annual Meeting of the AAAAI; Feb. 22-26, 2013; San Antonio.

7.       Bager P, et al. Caesarean delivery and risk of atopy and allergic disease: meta-analyses. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008 Apr;38(4):634-42.

• Relieve allergies the natural way

Per WebMD's recommendations, it is good to couple medicine with natural solutions. Do you have seasonal allergies? What's been the best method for managing them?

For more information on seasonal allergies:

• Spring and seasonal allergies
• Allergies and genetics

For more resources on cow's milk allergy, please visit the following links:

• World Allergy Organization: CMA Guidelines
• Common Symptoms of a cow's milk allergy
• Outgrowing a cow's milk allergy

To learn more about lactose intolerance and cow's milk allergy please visit the following links:

• Lactose Intolerance or Milk Allergy?
• Switching to soy?
• Hidden food allergens series: Dairy

Today's video comes from Rachel who shares that her daughter, who has a CMA, sometimes consumes milk by accident.

To learn more about CMA, please visit the following links:

• 8 Signs of a Milk Allergy
• Common Symptoms of a Milk Allergy
• Cow's Milk Allergy Education: Diagnosed, now what?

While it may be no surprise that children with food allergies are subject to bullying, disturbingly, bullying takes the form of food threats says new research. A study done by Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, found that 45% of children from a food allergy clinic and 36% of parents indicate the child has been harassed for any reason. About a third of the children state the bullying was related to the food allergy.

A good amount of children (70%) stated they told their parents, 35% told a teacher, which is a great thing. A key finding is that the bullying was significantly associated with increased distress and decreased quality of life (QOL) in both parent s and children.

When parents were aware of the bullying, children were less anxious and had a better QOL.

The take home messages here are : 1) strongly encourage your children to report any bullying to you or their school professionals. 2) if you see bullying yourself, do something about it.

Knowledge and communication are important in minimizing the bullying of kids with food allergies.

Has your child been bullied due to food allergies? If so, what did you do to help stop it?

Easter is just a few days away! You and your families are probably planning for the big day by dyeing eggs, putting together baskets and taking pictures with the famous Easter Bunny. As you prepare we have an Easter-friendly and allergy-free recipe that you and your family are sure to enjoy. If you try it we would love to hear your comments!

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.

On behalf of everyone at Nutricia North America, we want to wish you a Happy Easter!

According to the AAP, babies should be weaned from the bottle at by about 12-15 months old. Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends weaning children from the bottle by around 12 to 14 months of age to prevent tooth decay, which can occur if a child remains on a bottle past this point.

Baby Steps:

Bottles are comforting for babies, so it can be a difficult attachment to break. But the longer you wait past the recommended weaning age, the stronger the attachment will become and the more difficult it will be to break. The good news is that you don’t have to do it all at once. You might start by just replacing the mid-day bottle with a training or sippy cup but continue to offer the morning and evening bottles. It may take time for your little one to figure out how to use the training cup, so be patient and don’t get discouraged.

After he gets the hang of the cup, start replacing the morning and evening bottles one by one. It’s ok to make this a gradual process, occurring over several weeks. Generally, the bedtime bottle is the most difficult to part with, so you might save this one for last.

For those who want to take things slow, you can even make the transition to a training cup gradual. There are different stages of training cups which go from more bottle-like, to more cup-like.  Check out the selection at your local baby store. You’ll notice some cups advertised as a “first cup”. These are usually shaped similar to a bottle, but with a soft spout rather than a nipple to get baby used to the new mouth feel. However, these still require sucking, not sipping, so although they can be useful for making the transition smoother, they should only be a temporary step since they don’t teach your baby the sipping skills necessary to drink from a regular cup. Some training cups have handles to make it easier for little hands to grip and most are spill-proof to avoid messes along the way. You’ll notice that many cups are labeled with certain age ranges (6 months and up, 18 months and up, etc), so you can try different stages until you make the full transition to a regular cup.  

Chin Up:

Try to remember to view this transition as a good thing and instead of focusing on giving up the bottle, focus on the gain of a new developmental milestone! Stay positive and praise your little one along the way for drinking like a big kid.

Do you have any advice for other parents struggling to make the transition? Please share!

-Mallory