Adventures of an Allergist Mommy

Dear Food Allergy Families, Please consider participating in the following study intended to explore the psychosocial coping needs of families with food allergy. As anyone who is living with food allergies understands, the psychological impacts of living with a potentially life-threatening condition are incredibly important, but sadly, often given short shrift in the context of limited time available during healthcare maintenance visits. Participating in this study is an opportunity to contribute to our knowledge base about the strategies families utilize to cope with the diagnosis. Thank you! -AllergistMommy ____________________________________________________ We want to invite you to participate in an exciting study researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine are conducting to explore the thoughts, emotions, and coping strategies individuals and families have and use as they manage food allergies. Led by Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, the goal of this r...

Sharing a recent post from my practice Facebook page, in response to concerns raised by the recent publication of a meta analysis on anaphylaxis rates during food allergen oral immunotherapy:  https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30420-9/fulltext I hope my comments are helpful at proving some context for patients currently pursuing or consider food allergen desensitization therapy.  I am a non-alarmist by nature, and feel it is 100% possible to integrate new data without falling prey to the sensationalization of these publications by the media. It is frustrating to read in the news one day, "Researchers find CURE for peanut allergies!" (WRONG!!!) and the next day read "Experimental treatment for food allergy causes more life-threatening reactions than avoidance!" (Hmmm...a bit misleading). No nuance, no thoughtfulness, no concern for the impact of such a black & white approach to a decidedly grey issue. And why would there...

One of the things that helps me be a better allergist is that I know, first hand, what it feels like to experience anaphylaxis.  I am severely allergic to blueberries. Here's what happened when I experienced my first episode of anaphylaxis: Red, itchy palms. They felt hot and uncomfortable (as though they were being cooked from the inside out), and I found myself rubbing them against my thighs because they were so itchy. Painful abdominal cramping.  This pain made me feel like my innards were being wrung out like a wet dishrag, and was followed by a sneaking suspicion that if I elected to go the bathroom at that very moment, I might just evacuate the entire contents of my body in a single second. Incessant throat-clearing.  I felt like something was caught in my throat, but I just couldn't clear it. I was trying to be quiet, because I didn't want to bother anyone, but I couldn't stop. When I finally spoke up for help, my voice was hoarse. Involuntary cough...

Halloween is just around the corner! I went to the grocery store to pick up candy, and was pleased to find that there are plenty of allergy-friendly options available, both in terms of candy and non-edible treats. Here's what I picked up: 1. Smarties. Link to their Allergen info:  http://www.smarties.com/allergen/ 2. Sweet Tarts. (Wonka candies labels its products for inclusion or possible cross-contamination of the 8 major allergens- check your bag to make sure it's safe) 3. Nerds. (Wonka candies labels its products for inclusion or possible cross-contamination of the 8 major allergens- check your bag to make sure it's safe.) 4. Pencils. Yay for Target! 5. Stickers. Again, yay for Target! 6. Halloween-themed silly bands. Did I mention that I love Target? I keep the candy and the non-edibles in separate bins, and let the kids/parents choose. This year, my practice is having a Halloween candy "Buy-Back". So, I'll include the following note by the d...

For families in the Illinois Kane-Kendall counties with school-aged children with potentially life-threatening allergies, the following FREE seminar will be of interest. Many children with severe allergies may benefit from having a 504 Plan in place- led by an attorney specializing in special education law, this seminar will aid parents in advocating for their child's right to a safe and healthy learning environment. Please note- as seating is limited, advance registration is required. See the flyer below for details (it will enlarge upon clicking):

Dear Reader, With the recent media attention surrounding accommodations for food-allergic children in the school setting, and confusion about what reasonable and effective accommodations even are, it is important to gain a better understanding of parental attitudes about food allergies. I recently received this survey from the Kids With Food Allergies Foundation, and wanted to pass it on. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers- this survey is simply evaluating the opinions of parents of both food-allergic and non-allergic children. There is power in numbers, especially when it comes to compiling data. The more parents that complete this survey, the more compelling the results will be! Thanks in advance, the AllergistMommy The Kids With Food Allergies Foundation and some members of its medical advisory board are conducting a research study to examine parental opinions about food allergy management policies and accommodations in schools and child care centers. We are ...

December 6, 2010 — The first food allergy guidelines were issued today by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). These guidelines have been a long time coming... the emphasis is on: 1. Appropriate diagnosis based on correlation with the clinical history and not simply a positive blood or skin test- food allergy is often overcalled on the basis of testing without proper interpretation 2. Not summarily restricting vaccines such as MMR and influenza in egg-allergic patients 3. Not unnecessarily restricting the maternal diet in an attempt to prevent food allergies in the fetus and infant 4. Prompt use of intramuscular epinephrine in the event of anaphylaxis The full report (58 pages): http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0091-6749/PIIS0091674910015666.pdf The summary report (44 pages): http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/foodAllergy/clinical/Documents/FAGuidelinesExecSummary.pdf A synopsis of the ...

One of the most exciting recent developments in the treatment of food allergy is the development of Food Allergy Herbal Formula 2 (FAHF-2), a combination of nine herbs from traditional Chinese medicine.  The therapy is based on a traditional formula called Wu Mei Wan (used for gastrointestinal parasitosis), but has since been modified to remove some ingredients and add others, in an effort to improve the safety profile and increase effectiveness for food allergy. Wu Mei Wan is one of the classic herbal formulas taught to students of traditional Chinese medicine.  Over time, it has become apparent that the active ingredients may have utility beyond the original application. Previous animal studies have demonstrated that FAHF-2 not only protects severely peanut-allergic mice from reactions during peanut challenge, but also that the beneficial effects may last for up to 6 months after discontinuing treatment.  Phase 1 human trials in the United States have shown promise t...

Excellent Article from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology- reposted with permission. Summer Means Barbecues, Picnics – and Food Allergies Ants, bees and rain aren’t the only things that can put a damper on a picnic or barbecue. For more than 12 million Americans food allergies can ruin the fun too, by causing problems ranging from the mild (itchy bumps and stomach aches) to the severe and life-threatening (swelling of the throat and difficulty breathing). Be food allergy savvy at your next picnic, whether you are planning the event or have food allergies yourself. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology offers the following tips for keeping food allergies off the menu: Consider condiment packs – Instead of large containers of condiments, use individual-sized packets of ketchup, mustard, relish and mayonnaise. These condiment packs will prevent cross contamination that can occur when sharing large containers. Pack foods se...