Flu Shot Season

It's that time of year. The flu season looms ahead. The recommendation is a flu shot for anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu. However, the flu vaccine may contain egg protein so those with an egg allergy should see their allergist for skin testing to the vaccine. After testing, weighing the risks and benefits helps patients determine whether or not they should get the shot.There are other vaccines that can cause problems for those with allergies. Check with your doctor/allergist before any vaccine if you have concerns about food allery interaction. The commonly known are:Chicken Pox Vaccine- to be avoided by those with a severe allergy to gelatin or the antibiotic Neomycin. MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) to be avoided by those with a severe allergy to gelatin...

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Sabrina's Story

Sabrina Shannon is a name you won't soon forget after hearing her story. Check out this link for a video made by Sabrina, then age 10.Less than three years ago, as an eighth grader at Bishop Smith High School, Sabrina died due to complications of an allergic reaction. The reaction began in the school cafeteria after eating french fries- a food she had safely eaten in her cafeteria before. Check out this documentary of her story. This one's a tear-jerker and will have all parents hugging their child a little tighter tod...

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Halloween Fright

Only 11 days until Oct. 31. The ghouls and goblins will be knocking at the door, bags open wide for Halloween treats. Each year I question myself about what our family should hand out. Should I stick with non-food items or maybe only candy safe for my food allergic son? I worry about the candy bars and other treats he will get as he goes door to door but it doesn't seem fair to tell an 8 year old he can't go trick or treating. He knows he can't eat anything until it's been checked and he also knows that we'll need to take away nearly everything he brings home. We swap the treats for safe ones. My heart breaks a bit, but he knows nothing different and seems to be fine with our arrangement. If you know that a child with a food allergy will be trick or treating at your home, there are...

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Food allergy Alerts

I just retrieved a bunch of food allergy alerts from my e-mail in-box. This is when a food manufacturer voluntarily says "oops we messed up and put some ingredients in our product that isn't listed on the label". This is very scary info when you deal with life-threatening food allergies. Stay on top of these "oopses" by subscribing to:http://www.foodallergy.org/alerts.htmlYou don't need to be a FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) member to sign up. Remember, always call the manufacturer of a product if you have any questio...

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