College & University with Food Allergies

Time flies and I cannot believe that it has been more than three years since my last post.  Our two boys have been in high school during this time.  We also packed up in 2018 and moved to a new state in 2019.  Although the boys were skeptical, they love their new friends and still have their old friends too! So we have been extremely busy, as all of you are, I am sure.  

The good news:  Our eldest son has entered univeristy this fall as a bio-chemistry major.  I keep suggesting to him that he find a cure for food allergies!  He is living on campus and eating successfully at the dining halls.  I learned this past summer that a lot has changed since I went to college.  Now they are extremely allergy aware and have separate eating stations with ingredients, allergen-free foods, and also designated dining tables for those who wish to sit there.  My son has the 'all you can eat' meal plan and has reported that the food is good and the variety is sufficient, most of the time, depending upon which dining hall he visits.  He has also taken full advantage of the all you can eat plan, laughing that he had 5 plates of food the other night.  So we are thrilled!

A word of caution:  Our yougest son was confirmed not to have any good allergies soon after kindergarten.  Now he is seventeen and he does have reactions to dairy and egg.  I think I know the reason...he never ate those foods growing up so is now sensitive.  So a word to the wise, hind sight being 20/20, we should have made sure he ate some dairy and egg on a regular basis.  

Our oldest son is now more inspired to desensitize himself by eating baked dairy and egg goods, 3rd ingredient or lower.  This was a battle for us when he was younger.  While I used to make him cupcakes per the doctor's directions, he would throw them into the woods.  What can a mother do?  

I hope you are all doing well and would love to hear your feedback and thoughts!

Skin Triggering Food Allergy

5/6/2018:  Research shows that touching infants with residue of peanut, egg, dairy or other allergens can trigger a food allergy as the allergen can pentrate the skin, especially if the skin is very clean or has a soap residue.  It is advised not to 'over clean' the infant as the natural oils on the baby's skin can help to protect the baby from triggering allergens via the skin.  It also is best to wash hands and lips after handling or eating allergy-common foods before touching or kissing the baby.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2018/april/food-allergy-is-linked-to-skin-exposure-and-genetics/

Outgrowing Peanut Allergy

2/13/2018:  My Son Outgrew the Peanut Allergy at Age 15

We started with a new allergist who reviewed my son's blood test and prepared a skin prick test for a variety of allergens.  Both the blood and skin prick came back negative for the peanut allergen so it was time for a challenge test--actually eating the peanuts in the doctor's office.  We were there for four hours and my son was able to eat about 5 crackers with about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter on each one, increasing in amounts.  He was nervous but it was a success.  So there is hope.

Dermatitis is Evidence of Food Allergy and Asthma

11/15/2017: Dermatitis is Evidence of Food Allergy and Asthma

A study in Ontario, Canada that was published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology explains evidence showing one-year old children who have ezcema or atopic dermatitis are 7-times more likely than other infants to develop asthma, and significantly more likely to have a food allergy  by age three. This study included 3,500 mothers and children from pregnancy to age five years and beyond [1].  Another study indicates that mothers should breastfeed and consume all sorts of foods, stating, "Food allergy research, education co-funds study supporting varied, allergen-rich diet for pregnant and nursing mothers" [2].

[1] https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-11/mu-sfa111317.php

[2] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171120093722.htm

Germany & U.S. Collaborate on Food Allergy Genes

10/24/17: Germany & U.S. Collaborate on Food Allergy Genes

The Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, is Europe's largest University clinic, affiliated with both Humboldt University and Freie Universität Berlin. Prof. Young-Ae Lee, a researcher at the MDC and head of the Charité's outpatient pediatric allergy clinic, stated, "Studies of twins suggest that about 80 percent of the risk for food allergies is heritable, but little is known so far about these genetic risk factors."  Based upon a collaborative study with Berlin, Frankfurt, Greifswald, Hanover, Wangen, and Chicago, researchers found evidence that a "gene cluster...was identified as a specific genetic risk locus for food allergies...four of the five identified risk loci are associated with all food allergies."  In short, this is useful because it helps researchers identify the cause (genes) which can help to create a cure, perhaps, someday.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-10-clarity-genetic-children-food-allergies.html