Infant Colic and Food Allergies

3/23/2015:  FARE Funds Research

The Food Allergy Research and Education organization awarded $75K to $150 per year for more than one year to fund the salary of doctors to study vaccines for egg and peanut allergy; microbial and dietary exposures early in life; blood vessel flue leak leading to food allergy; pregnancy and breastfeeding impact on allergies; peanut allergies protective responses. [1]

3/19/2015:  Infant Colic and Food Allergies 

According to Switzerland’s Nutrients it appears that there may be a link between food allergies and colic in infants.  Eliminating cow’s milk from an infant’s diet or the mother’s diet, if breastfed, may show a reduction in colic.  There is no proof, only speculation at this point. [2]

3/12/2015:  ARC Finances Food Allergy Treatment

Allergen Research Corporation ('ARC'), announced the completion of an $80 million financing for a treatment for peanut, egg and milk allergies.  ARC develops treatments for food allergies using oral desensitization by combining standardized, pharmaceutical-grade food allergens with controlled up-dosing protocols to desensitize patients and increase the thresholds at which they could experience allergic reactions. [3]

1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-03/far-far032315.php

2 http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/3/2015

3 http://www.allergenresearch.com/228-2/

Antibiotics Causing Allergic Reactions

2/24/2015:  Viaskin(r) Data Presented at AAAAI Meeting Show Safety and Efficacy in the Treatment of Food Allergies

Some research is being done and presented by DBV Technologies on a product called Viaskin for treating food allergies through Epicutaneous Immunotherapy (EPIT®).  It appears that rather than eating tiny amounts of peanut like with sublingual immunotherapy treatment (SLIT) this method puts the food onto the skin and treats the allergic person in that way which is apparently a safer from a reaction perspective. [1]

2/23/2015:  New Study Shows Introducing Peanut Early in Life Prevents Development of Peanut Allergy

“Investigators tested the hypothesis that regularly eating foods containing peanut – if started during within the first year of life – could elicit a protective immune response rather than an allergic reaction….By the age of 5, just 3 percent of the children who ate the snack developed peanut allergy, while 17 percent in the avoidance group developed peanut allergy.” [2]

2/23/2015:  Antibiotics On Food Causing Children To Have Allergic Reactions To Fruits, Vegetables

Farmers are treating fruits and vegetables with an antibiotic called streptomycin that keeps bacteria, fungi and algae from growing on the foods.  Children are reacting to the fruits and vegetables, sometimes with anaphylaxis, even though they are not allergic to those foods.  The amount of antibiotic may vary. [3]

[1] http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/02/24/709012/10121591/en/Viaskin-r-Data-Presented-at-AAAAI-Meeting-Show-Safety-and-Efficacy-in-the-Treatment-of-Food-Allergies.html?parent=702298

[2]  http://www.foodallergy.org/2015/022315 

[3] http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/02/23/antibiotics-causing-children-to-have-allergic-reactions-to-fruits-vegetables/ 

Baby with Food Allergies

It can be shocking to learn your infant or baby has a food allergy or a bunch of food allergies--especially if it is your first child and if you don't have a lot of experience in dealing with food allergies.  I remember feeling like I could not really believe what the allergist was telling me.  No chicken, no dairy, no eggs, no... What??

At the very least, there has been some progress over the past ten years in dealing with the large numbers of food allergies in children that now exist.  The safest course of action is avoidance:  Simplify the foods that you give to your child and then wait a few weeks.  For example, rice is easily digested, normally, plus perhaps a few fruits or veggies that your child likes.  If you are nursing, then you have to eliminate offending foods from your diet as well.  Slowly add back foods one at a time and watch for signs of rashes or other digestive issues or changes in behavior.  When the baby is older, you can perhaps start another course of action under the guidance of doctors. 

But more importantly, don't despair.  Chances are your child is healthy and handsome or pretty.  Be happy for the new life in you life.  Worrying takes a lot of the fun out of parenthood--which is hard enough.  So try to be safe and enjoy your new baby.

'Food Allergy Roundtable' Refreshes Food Allergy Families

Papoose Publishing LLC releases award winning author A. Anderson's new book, 'Food Allergy Roundtable.' This innovative electronic guide helps parents and support group leaders win the day-to-day war supporting food allergic children.

Southbury, CT (PRWEB) November 05, 2014

Food Allergy Research

Perhaps there is hope!  The National Institutes of Health granted $2.2 million to research food allergy triggers and possibly a way to eliminate allergies!  This was announced in October 2014. 

"Benaroya Research Institute receives $2.2 million to discover biomarker that triggers allergies."  Erik Wambre, PhD states, "If we can identify the biomarkers at the beginning of the allergic chain reaction we can get ahead of the symptoms and try to find a therapy that will eliminate the allergy at the first step."1

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

1 "Benaroya Research Institute receives $2.2 million to discover biomarker that triggers allergies"