0 Speaking Event: Kids With Food Allergies, Sephora, Brooklyn, October 18, 2014

I'm thrilled to be speaking this SATURDAY, October 18 at 2pm EST Sephora Brooklyn at 210 Joralemon Street for Kids With Food Allergies about their new ACCESS KFA program.

“ACCESS KFA is one of our most important initiatives,” said Heidi Bayer, an AAFA Board Member and long-time supporter of KFA. “ACCESS KFA aims to create new educational resources to reach vulnerable populations who are at risk for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. Through printed materials and local outreach, ACCESS KFA seeks educate families raising children with food allergies. The goal is to increase understanding of the serious nature of food allergies, how to avoid reactions, and the importance of treating anaphylaxis immediately treated with an injection of the life-saving medication, epinephrine.”

Other special guests and prizes and swag, all day long!

See some details below from Kids With Food AllergiesFoundation & Heidi Bayer, Brooklyn Allergy Mom:

Sephora Brooklyn

210 Joralemon Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Saturday, October 18

12pm - 6pm

Highlights: Meet Heidi Bayer, Brooklyn Allergy Mom and Sloane Miller, Allergic Girl and more!

Help us supply local food banks with allergy-friendly options by bringing shelf stable allergy-friendly foods. (I’m bringing some Enjoy Life Foods cookies.)

Sephora Brooklyn has special gifts for donors who give to the ACCESS KFA campaign.

Detail: Speaking Event: Kids With Food Allergies, Sephora, Brooklyn, October 18, 2014

0 Food Allergy Counseling: Kids with Food Allergies & Dr Dave Stukus: Food Allergy Testing - What You Need to Know (Video & Resources)

“I’ve been having headaches. I’m going to go to the allergist. They’ll tell me what I’m allergic to.”

“My doctor told me that my child’s tests for peanuts came out at 1.25.  What does that mean?”

“My doctor told me I’m allergic to 50 foods. But I eat them all the time without any reactions.”

“The allergist told me I’m allergic but didn’t give me an EpiPen or tell what to do if I have a reaction.”

In my food allergy counseling practice, I hear questions like these almost every week. Food allergy diagnosis can be confusing, scary, even frustrating. Two allergists can give you two different explanations of the same phenomena. Or no explanation at all. 

Recently, Kids With Food Allergies (KFA), a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America hosted a free educational webinarfeaturing David Stukus, MD (Here's my interview with Dr Stukus). David Stukus, MD broke down the ins and outs of food allergy testing, including the myths and misconceptions. 

This free educational webinar is a must watch!

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: Kids with Food Allergies & Dr Dave Stukus: Food Allergy Testing - What You Need to Know (Video & Resources)

0 Food Allergy Counseling: How Common Is Anaphylaxis: Study

Some of the most well-respected leaders in the food allergy medical field, including Robert A. Wood, MD; Philip Lieberman, MD; Hugh A. Sampson, MD; and F. Estelle R. Simons, MD
were involved in a new study about anaphylaxis.

The conclusion: "According to the peer-reviewed study, anaphylaxis very likely occurs in nearly 1-in-50 Americans (1.6%), and the rate is probably higher, close to 1-in-20 (5.1%)."

Here's a full text of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) study. 

Below is a partial of the press release from Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

***

NEW STUDY SHOWS NEARLY 1-IN-50 AMERICANS AT-RISK FOR SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTIONS

Anaphylaxis is More Common Than Many Thought, Most Patients are Not Prepared

A novel study by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), finds that severe life-threatening allergic reactions – anaphylaxis – are common in the U.S.  According to the peer-reviewed study, anaphylaxis very likely occurs in nearly 1-in-50 Americans (1.6%), and the rate is probably higher, close to 1-in-20 (5.1%).

The article, Anaphylaxis in America: The Prevalence and Characteristics of Anaphylaxis in the United States, based on AAFA’s study of the same name, provides one of the most reliable estimates to-date of the prevalence of severe, life-threatening allergies in the general population.  It is also helping experts understand how the public, patients and caregivers think, feel and behave regarding anaphylaxis.  For the full text of the article, visit www.aafa.org/AnaphylaxisInAmerica.

Dr. Robert Wood is the lead author of the article, chair of the AAFA research panel that conducted the study, and Director of Allergy & Immunology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.  “This study provides the first estimate of anaphylaxis prevalence in the United States using a large unbiased survey,” according to the article.  But the authors also pointed out that patients do not appear adequately equipped to deal with future episodes, indicating the need for public health initiatives to improve anaphylaxis recognition and treatment.

“One of the most alarming things we found is that, despite the common occurrence of anaphylaxis, most people are not prepared to do the right thing when emergency reactions occur,” says Mike Tringale, Senior Vice President at AAFA and one of the authors of the article.  “We need to re-double our efforts to make sure that people are informed and have access to the right medication.”


For the full text of the article, visit www.aafa.org/AnaphylaxisInAmerica.

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: How Common Is Anaphylaxis: Study

0 KFA: Disaster Relief Committee

After Hurricane Sandy here in New York in October of 2012, there was a clear need for disaster relief and emergency supplies for the food allergic community. For example, very often peanut butter is sent in by the Red Cross as it’s nutritious, shelf stable and inexpensive. However for the millions of families coping with a severely peanut-allergic child, when hit with a natural disaster, displaced from homes and safe foods, a PB&J is the exact opposite of what they need. (Sunbutter or Soynut butter might be better alternatives). So I along with many of food allergy leaders and advocates have banded together to create a disaster committee to help get food allergy safe supplies to disaster zones:

"Kids With Food Allergies (KFA), a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), has created a Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Readiness Committee that will address the needs of the twelve million people in the United States with food allergies, and the 20 million who suffer from asthma. With natural disasters on the rise, this committee will consult with national relief organizations to assist food banks and emergency response personnel with the special needs of adults and children with asthma and food allergies in the event of disaster, like the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma."

You can read more about the committee here.

And you can read about to donate directly for the Moore, OK residents here.

Detail: KFA: Disaster Relief Committee

0 AAFA, KFA, Merge 2013

Kids With Food Allergies Foundation & Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) Merger Announcement. From the KFA press release: The patient organization with the largest online community for families raising children with food allergies, and the largest organization for asthma & allergy patients intend to merge.  The Kids With Food Allergies Foundation (KFA) will become a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), and together they will be the most comprehensive nonprofit source of education, advocacy, research, social networking and support for millions of families living with these diseases.

This is exciting new for the asthma and food allergy communities and I look forward to seeing how this merger unfolds over the next few months.

Detail: AAFA, KFA, Merge 2013