Here We Go Again!

It’s back to school time again which means purchasing new school supplies, backpacks, clothing, shoes, etc… But for those of us with food allergic children it also means renewing all emergency medication to be kept at school such as EpiPens, rescue inhaler, and Benadryl and just as importantly, it means meeting with our children’s new teachers and making sure they fully understand the seriousness of food allergies, including how to handle an allergic reaction should it happen while your child is at school and hopefully how to prevent an allergic reaction from happening in the first place!

Linda Coss, author of several food allergy cookbooks, has written an excellent article about why it is important for schools to implement food allergy policies to keep our children safe. It also is written in a way so that parents of “all the other kids” can hopefully understand why these safety measures are needed rather then simply telling the food allergic children “just don’t eat what you’re allergic to”. I personally plan on forwarding this article to the principal at my son’s school in hopes that she will send copies home with all of the children in his class to pass on to their parents.

Click here to read "Attack of the Killer Peanut Butter Sandwiches":
http://www.foodallergybooks.com/Media_Files/attack_pb_sandwich.htm

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Pictures from the Food Allergy Walk

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the 2009 Food Allergy Awareness Walk on Saturday! We all got a little wet (okay, a lot wet) but it was well worth it!

Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Coupons

Betty Crocker now offers four gluten-free products which include a brownie mix, cookie mix, devil's food cake mix, and a yellow cake mix. To request a coupon for one free gluten-free mix, simply call 1-800-446-1898.

Researchers Find New Way of Reducing the Symptoms of Anaphylactic Shock

A team of researchers from the University of Glasgow have pinpointed a molecule (IL-33) which plays a key role in the development of anaphylaxis.

"Our study showed that IL-33 plays a pivotal role in hugely increasing the inflammation experienced during a period of anaphylactic shock and led us to understand how to intervene to reduce its impact.

An anaphylactic shock prompts a massive inflammatory reaction which often is so severe that it constricts breathing. In our study we found that the severity of the shock is linked to the IL-33 molecule, which acts as an amplifier to the inflammatory reaction. This can lead to a fatal constriction of the airway and, ultimately, death.

Our study suggests that patients with the most severe anaphylactic reactions have very high levels of IL33 in their system.

In basic terms, without the IL33 molecule, the allergic reaction experienced would be far less severe, greatly reducing the risk of death."

Read full article here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158771.php

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Website for Food Allergic Teens

As a parent of a son with multiple food allergies who is fast approaching his "tween" years, I often wonder how he will handle the full responsibility of his allergies when he is a teenager and young adult. I recently found this new website called www.whyriskit.ca , sponsored by Anaphylaxis Canada, which covers everything from high school, to dating, to partying, and plenty more with teens sharing their own personal experiences. I think this website will be a great resource for young people as they continue through their food allergy journey!

2009 Food Allergy Awareness Walk

I hope to see you all at the upcoming Food Allergy Awareness Walk. This is our yearly fundraiser so that FAAW can continue to help families with food allergies. If you are unable to attend but would still like to donate to the event you can go to www.firstgiving.com/foodallergywis and donate.

Walk for Children, Teens, and Adults with Food Allergies

Saturday, August 8, 2009

9:00 A.M. Registration

Warner Park

2930 N Sherman Ave

Madison, WI

Join Us & Walk For A Child, Teen or Adult With Allergies!

Build Your Team or Register!

Six Easy Steps:

1. Go to www.firstgiving.com/foodallergywis

2. Click on "Register for an Event"

3. Select "Food Allergy Walk"

4. Select your registration type.

5. Log in or create an account.

6. Find a team to join or create a new team.

Or Contact:

Food Allergy Association of WI

2722 Union Street

Madison, WI 53704

Phone: 608-575-9535

E-mail: sheree@foodallergywis.org

Fax your registration and credit card information to:608-249-5215

Let your creativity run wild!

Great ideas: Create a t-shirt with your child's picture, dress up as your food allergy. Show your allergies with signs, posters, and team shirts.

Create a Fundraising Page!

Build your own online fundraising web page at www.firstgiving.com/foodallergywis

Send your friends, family members, and co-workers messages asking them to support your own fundraising efforts. Ask your company if they have a program to match your donation.

Email me for a link to download the brochure in PDF format.

Needle-Free Epinephrine Autoinjector

LONDON, 1st July 2009-- "The Medical House PLC (“TMH”), (AIM:MLH) the specialist drug delivery company, announces that it has now supplied Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, with an advanced needle-free jet injector system specifically designed and manufactured to their specification. The system, known as “cool.click?” incorporates a number of features not previously associated with needle-free devices, such as an innovative dose display. In addition, an enhanced security system allows for safe injection while the level of noise associated with the injection has been minimised..."

"In October 2008 TMH announced a non-exclusive development, licence and supply agreement with Catalent Pharma Solutions and Stallergenes to develop and distribute a variation of the company’s core disposable autoinjector technology for use with epinephrine. Under the terms of this agreement, TMH will customise its proprietary, patented ASITM disposable autoinjector device technology, according to an agreed specification and will be combined with epinephrine supplied by Catalent to create epinephrine autoinjectors for both adult and paediatric use.

These epinephrine autoinjectors are intended for the emergency treatment of anaphylactic shock, mostly due to hymenoptera venom or food allergies and for the use by patients themselves or by a person close to the patient in the event of an emergency. The newly-created product will be distributed exclusively by Stallergenes who are a European biopharmaceutical company, with annual sales in 2007 of ?? million, dedicated to desensitisation therapies for the prevention and treatment of allergy-related conditions. The Agreement covers 13 European countries, including the United Kingdom and incorporates provision for extension to additional territories."

Read entire article here... http://www.pharmalive.com/News/index.cfm?articleid=637156&categoryid=54