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Tag: food allergy

  • Parenting 101: #MyTealPumpkin : Making Halloween safe for Quebec’s 100,000 children with food allergies

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    Halloween can be difficult for children with allergies, who are often left out due to the distribution of risky treats. Once again this year, for the 9th edition of #MyTealPumpkin, parents, neighbors, friends, and businesses are invited to participate in large numbers so that every child can feel fully included in the celebration. Launched in the United States in 2014, the initiative now shines in about fifteen countries.

    On October 31st, painting a pumpkin turquoise or displaying the visual on your door (available here) signals to families that non-food treats are available for children with allergies, ensuring a safe and inclusive Halloween.

    “Food allergies represent a major and growing health issue in Quebec. When we know that up to 8% of young children in Quebec live with food allergies, and that this segment of the population has increased by 18%, I believe the #MyTealPumpkin initiative takes on its full meaning at Halloween. This activity provides us with a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness among young and old alike,” said Dominique Seigneur, Communications Director at Allergy Quebec, in a press release.

    Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction that can be fatal in just minutes. It is estimated that up to 75% of people allergic to peanuts will be accidentally exposed during their lifetime. In Canada, ten so-called “priority” allergens have been identified (peanuts, wheat, milk, mustard, tree nuts, eggs, fish and shellfish, sesame, soy, and sulfites) as they cause the majority of severe reactions. In total, more than 160 allergenic foods are listed in the country.

    – JC

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  • Dogs, Cats Could Lower Children’s Allergy Risk

    Dogs, Cats Could Lower Children’s Allergy Risk

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    March 29, 2023 – If your little one has been begging for a furry friend, there may be another reason to give in. 

    New research shows that exposure to indoor cats and dogs in utero or early infancy leads to fewer cases of food allergies as the child grows. Over 65,000 children were tested. and 22% who were exposed to pets had fewer food allergies than those who were not tested, according to the findings published Tuesday in the journal PLOS One. The study was done in Japan.

    Children exposed to indoor cats were less likely to have soybean, wheat, and egg allergies. When exposed to dogs, children were less likely to have nut, egg, and milk allergies. Surprisingly, children who were exposed to hamsters were 0.9% more likely to have nut allergies.

    “Studies asking these kinds of questions are really important because they have a lot of relevance to real life, and this one included many kids,” said Joyce Yu, MD, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Yu was not involved in the new study. 

    We know Americans love our pets. Around 25% of American households (about 32 million) have a cat, and dogs are found in a whopping 48 million Americans households, according to U.S. pet ownership statistics.

    We asked allergists and immunologists the science behind why having pets leads to fewer food allergies.

    The ‘Hygiene Hypothesis’

    The findings can be attributed to “the hygiene hypothesis,” spearheaded in 1989 by British epidemiologist David Strachan, the experts say. This hypothesis says that being around indoor pets in utero or early infancy can lead to fewer cases of allergies as a child grows, said Sebastian Lighvani, MD, an allergist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

    “The exposure to pets in utero or during early infancy alters the microbiome of the infants and the mother in a positive way, which then promotes immune tolerance to allergens rather than development of sensitization of food allergies,” Lighvani said. 

    Past studies found that children who grew up on a farm had fewer instances of allergies than those in urban areas. Therefore, children who grow up in a “hygienic” environment with less exposure to pets can be at a higher risk of having allergies during adulthood, said Juris A. Grasis, PhD, an assistant professor at the School of Natural Sciences at the University of California, Merced. 

    Pets and Allergens in the U.S.

    Some allergists say that it is highly likely that the results can be mirrored in the U.S. The number of allergy cases in the U.S. has skyrocketed over the years. About 20 million Americans have food allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. 

    Lighvani credits the increase to changes to a process called epigenetics. This is when the genetic makeup you inherit from your parents is turned on by environmental exposure. The genes get methylated – which is when a gene is adjusted, mostly during early childhood – leading to allergic genes. 

    As an example, Lighvani used the rise in peanut allergies in children’s classrooms. “If you ask who has peanut allergies, over half the kids might raise their hands because there is such a high prevalence of it in such a short period of time – 20, 30, 40 epigenetic years,” he said. 

    Some experts are skeptical that the U.S. would have similar results as the PLOS One study. The U.S. varies greatly in population size and region, which can make things tricky. “The East Coast is different from the Midwest in terms of how our pets live with us,” said Yu

    Say Yes to Pets 

    For pet lovers – or those who are “pet curious” – the Japan study is extremely encouraging, said Grasis. The best part: You don’t need to live on a farm or in a rural area to get these health benefits. Having your pet share indoor space with your infant will do just fine. 

    “Simply sharing the indoor habitat with a cat or dog as a child gives benefits that can reduce food allergies as an adult,” he said. 

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  • Call to Action Message From Supernanny- Jo Frost for Elijah’s Law Nationally

    Call to Action Message From Supernanny- Jo Frost for Elijah’s Law Nationally

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jul 10, 2021


    NEW YORK, July 10, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    In Supernanny, she’s better known as Nanny Jo. Jo Frost used problem-solving strategies, including discipline and follow-through, to assist parents in regaining control in their households. However, many didn’t know that Jo frost suffers from food allergies, non-food allergies, and asthma. The following is an open letter from Jo Frost-Supernanny in support of the Elijah-Alavi Foundation and Elijah’s Law, which is a law that tells childcare programs they must follow state food allergy guidelines and protocols to prevent, recognize and respond quickly to life-threatening anaphylactic reactions.

    Jo Frost shares a heartfelt message and Call To Action support video for a little boy named Elijah-Alavi Silvera and a foundation named in his honor called, Elijah-Alavi Foundation. Little Elijah lost his life due to a tragic incident while attending his childcare center. At three years of age, Elijah had suffered an anaphylaxis reaction due to a portion of food that contained allergen given to him by an educator, causing him to pass away soon after. Now, Jo Frost wants you to know and understand the importance of severe food allergies and the law named after Elijah, called Elijah’s law, S218B. The law passed in the New York States on September 12th, 2019, requiring child care centers to follow guidelines for preventing and responding to food allergy anaphylaxis, and just recently a bill passed in Illinois, bill number HB0102, soon to be signed by the governor. Jo Frost wants others to take notice and adopt Elijah’s Law in their hometown. She mentions that “We need change, and by working better together, we can make a difference.”

    “Everyone knows that no parent can ever be the same after losing a child. Since that day… that day, Almost everyone in their lives, old and new, understood Dina’s and Thomas’s process. They’ve crumbled, they have risen, they stood tall, and carried their broken hearts, always trying their best to move forward. Thomas and Dina and their son Sebastin have been through it, and I’m sure they will continue to go through it. Some people have asked them how are they doing this even in their sufferings fighting for awareness and education around food allergies. Candidly, I don’t know but, I believe that it’s the strength of their son, Elijah-Alavi, keeping them going. Thomas mentions that with almost every step they take, he can feel his knees ready to buckle from the weight of this heartbreak. Every. Single. Step. Then he remembers his other son Sebastin and kept going. Or, he’ll look to his wife, Dina, and from that moment she’d entered his life; has been the foundation from which he stands and then takes one more step, with creating an internationally accredited food allergy training with their partners, PSAs, steering policies, passing Elijah’s Law in New York State and now soon to be in others nationally, working on initiatives, working with groups, individuals and advocates, businesses and organizations to come together to do their part in helping to ensure that Elijah’s life will continue and with it increasing the likelihood that people everywhere hear about how important it is to know the signs and treat the symptoms of severe food allergies and anaphylaxis.

    I implore you to understand why it’s important to have Elijah’s Law in your hometown. Elijah’s Law will ensure the proper food allergy protection and guidance are to be put in place so when you drop your kids off at their childcare centers, you will have peace of mind knowing that the staff has been properly trained to understand the signs and symptoms and how to treat anaphylaxis in the event of an emergency. Well, we are here. We are alive. We get to choose to do something. For Dina and Thomas, it’s ensuring Elijah’s life continues to have an impact on the world. It’s ensuring his presence continues to echo. You are here. You are alive. You get to choose to do something, today, every day. What will it be? “We Need Change!” And by working BETTER TOGETHER, we can make a difference.”

    To help support the very important issue to get Elijah’s law in your home town, please contact

    Thomas Silvera- Co-Founder CEO/President

    Elijah-Alavi Foundation

    Office: 1(484) 460-2457

    Email: tsilvera@elijahalavifoundation.org

    www.elijahalavifoundation.org

    Source: Elijah-Alavi Foundation

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