Food Allergies: Good Info For All, Even Ones That Don't Get It

[ilovetivo]

FYI -

FAAN now has the How to Read a Label sheet as afree download - names all the top 8 allergens and how they may be labeled - http://www.foodallergy.org/downloads/HTRLsheet.pdf

[ilovetivo]

The American Academy of Pediatrics has changed their guidelines on introducing other top food allergens. Our allergists may change their recommendations too.

Here's the new food introduction guidelines - please consult your allergist for how that impacts your specific situation.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...full/121/1/183

Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children: The Role of Maternal Dietary Restriction, Breastfeeding, Timing of Introduction of Complementary Foods, and Hydrolyzed Formulas

Frank R. Greer, MD, Scott H. Sicherer, MD, A. Wesley Burks, MD and the Committee on Nutrition and Section on Allergy and Immunology

[ilovetivo]

Illinois introduces bill to disallow kids carrying epinephrine at school!

This is horrible, ridiculous, and unsafe!! EpiPens and Twinject epinephrine auto-injectors save lives. Every second counts during anaphylaxis. Those who don't have quick access to epinephrine during a reaction, are at highest risk for a fatal reaction.

On 5/19/06 it was enacted into IL State Law to let kids carry epinephrine at school.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publ...?Name=094-0792

Here's the new proposed bill to disallow kids to carry epinephrine auto-injectors:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/SB/09500SB1155.htm
Senate Bill 1155 (105 ILCS 5/22-30) Sec. 22-30.
Self-administration of medication.
Introduced 2/8/2007, by Sen. Pamela J. Althoff http://www.senatoralthoff.com/

Why would she do this???? Please let everyone you know in Illinois to call their congressperson and Ms. Althoff (info below) and let them know this is a terrible and dangerous idea and to NOT support this!

An email I received about this states: "Illinois state bill, SB 1155 was introduced by Sen. Panela [sic] Althoff. It is an omnibus bill that removes various provisions from the school code. One of the provisions it seeks to remove is letting the kids carry epinephrine auto-injectors at school. Illinois would be the only state to give this right and then remove it. The bill was introduced last year and is in a rules committee, but it would behoove everyone to contact the sponsor and let her know there are 10 parent support groups in Illinois and this would affect many many children."

Senator Pamela Althoff [email protected]
M103C State Capitol
Springfield IL 62706
Phone 217.782.8000
Fax 217.782.9586

1 North Virginia Street
Crystal Lake, IL, 60014
Phone 815-455-6330
Fax 815-455-8284

Thanks!!!

[ilovetivo]

Martha is deciding on her next big idea. Please Vote (at the bottom of the page) for the allergy magazine!!!
http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/mart...epage_Homepage

Keep voting everyday! Yesterday, the pet lovers publication pulled slightly ahead of the food allergy one (38% to 37%), so if you are interested keep voting and get friends & family to vote too.

You can vote as many times as you'd like (once per day) over the next week. On Thursday, February 7, they'll close the poll, and Martha will later announce the big winner!

Idea: Alexis, Deputy Home Editor
Special publication catering to those with food allergies and sensitivities that would include recipes
Big Idea: To publish a special magazine that offers delicious allergy-friendly recipes, making life for people with food allergies and sensitivities easier and more delicious. Millions of people, including myself, can't eat nuts, dairy, wheat or gluten, and I’d like to empower people to make great recipes even if they can't use all the standard ingredients.

[ilovetivo]

Re: Martha - will be announced on Tuesday's show, 2/12

Re: the ridiculous bill - here's what I found out and then the Senator's response. Still doesn't make sense. Funding has nothing to do with epi's in the school. She has other bills she wants passed and needs support for. Contact other senators and tell them about this. Ask them to withhold support until she takes this bill out of rules and gets rid of it. You can find out who your IL senators and reps are and their contact info here: http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/


I called the State Senator Althoff's office. The woman I spoke with was very nice and will be emailing me a statement from the Senator. I'll post it here as soon as it comes in. I assume the statement will be public and released elsewhere. I told her I'd forward it to all those I notified.

According to the woman, the Senator is an advocate for education funding reform. She will not be "calling" the bill at any point. (Not sure what that means, but I think it means bringing it up again.)

She struck all of the mandated items from that bill because she doesn't think there should be a mandate on things that need funding to be enacted, when there's no info/provisions on where that funding should/will come from to support it.

How allowing kids to carry epi's needs funding, is beyond me.

They have received enough calls now that the woman felt they should put out a statement. I told her there will be tons more calls coming in nationally (I sent the info to FAAN and FAI, as I'm sure others did too). I informed her that the Senator may have wanted to consider the implications of her actions ahead of time, and written a statement back then. When you threaten a food allergic child's safety, their parents will act quickly and strongly.


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Begin forwarded message:
From: "Senator Althoff" <[email protected]>
Date: February 6, 2008 11: 15: 42 AM CST
To: <ilovetivo>
Subject: Your inquiry to Senator Pamela J. Althoff regarding SB1155

Dear Julie:
Thank you for your inquiry regarding SB1155. This legislation was filed during the 94th General Assembly, and was done in relation to discussions about education funding reform and the General Assembly’s continual passage of unfunded mandates with no regard for their ultimate cost to school district who, as I’m sure you are aware, are already dealing with major funding limitations. SB1155 includes every unfunded mandate the General Assembly has passed over the past three year which we felt would stimulate discussion about education funding. Rest assured I have no intention of changing the epinephrine auto injector requirement. We just included all mandates trying not to create a sidebar conversation about which mandates were “good” and which were “excess expenditures”. I give you and all members of the association my word I will not move this legislation forward without addressing your concerns, and if you talk to any member of the General Assembly, they will tell you my word is a solid promise. I apologize for causing you concern, however, I am delighted by the responses for it affords me the opportunity to once again address the need to reform education funding and reduce the states over reliance on property taxes to educate our children.
Please feel free to contact me again regarding this issue and it you’d like, we can send you periodic updates so you can verify the lack of movement on this legislation. Again I thank you for your input and time.
Best regards,
Senator Pamela J. Althoff

[ilovetivo]

Please help physicians at Children's Memorial Hospital (in Chicago) learn more about food allergy and its impacts! Click on the link below to take our 15 minute survey for parents of children with food allergy.

Food Allergy Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?s...UzfzPDmw_3d_3d <http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JZkxlFQRpE4MSKUzfzPDmw_3d_3d>

**If you are unable to click on the link, please copy & paste it into your web browser.

[o_mom]

Bumping