Back to School Allergy Twitter Party

Although summer seems to have only started, back-to-school is really only just around the corner. To help you plan for success this fall, Ruth of http://www.bestallergysites.com/ and Jennifer B of http://www.foodallergybuzz.com/ are hosting a Back to School Twitter Party! If you participated in their Food Allergy Awareness Week Twitter Party in May you know this is a great way to connect with others in the food allergy awareness community.

The party will take place on Thursday, July 23rd from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at summize.com or tweetgrid.com. The hashtag for the party is #foodallergy.

The party promises to be as fun and informative as the last, with more door prizes, fun trivia, and sharing of tips and expertise. The discussion will be focused on what it’s like managing food allergies in school and during the school year. For more information, and to RSVP, be sure to check out the event invitation here. Also, for those who aren’t seasoned twitter partiers, be sure to stay tuned to Food Allergy Buzz for a Twitter Party tutorial coming a couple of weeks before the event.

Hope to see you all there!

-Nita


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Picnics, Cookouts and Trips to the Beach...

Now that summer has officially begun and the 4th of July is quickly approaching, you’re probably beginning to worry about upcoming picnics, cookouts, and days at the beach. Can your child with a severe allergy safely join in on the fun? Of course! With some careful planning and the right attitude, you and your child can enjoy the summer. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Develop a list of your little one’s medications – including those taken only in an emergency

When preparing for an outing, it’s often easy to forget some of the smaller items that you keep stocked at home. To ensure you have everything you need, make a list in advance of the medications your little one uses – on a daily basis and in case of an emergency.

Prepare allergy safe food for your child in advance

If you’re picnicking with friends or family, make sure to bring some meals and snacks that your little one can enjoy. Not everyone shares your caution in handling certain ingredients, so go ahead and prepare the food yourself before leaving. And remember, to label all food carefully – it’s easy for someone to grab the wrong item, possibly leaving your child with allergies without a meal.

Make sure whoever is hosting the summer activity knows about your child’s allergies

Many times people are so busy preparing to host a group of people, that your child’s specific allergies might slip their mind. Play it safe -- even if the host knows you and your child well, it never hurts to provide a friendly reminder about what your child can and cannot eat.

Keep it clean

Avoid eating directly on park picnic tables – you don’t know who was there prior to your visit and what food residue might be leftover. Instead bring a table cloth and some plates that everyone can eat on. Disinfectant wipes are also great for quickly wiping down areas.

Have an emergency plan

No matter how much you plan, it’s still possible that your child will accidentally come into contact with a food that causes an allergic reaction. If and when this happens, it’s easy to panic and forget what you need to do to help your child. Prior to your outing, write down what needs to be done in case of emergency – this will not only help you but can also serve as a guideline for any other adults onsite who can offer a hand.

HAVE FUN!
While it’s important to plan for your outing to ensure your child’s safety, summer is about having fun! Remember to bring activities such as coloring books and games so that food is not the primary focus of the outing.

What summer plans do you and your little ones have?

- Mallory

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To Sterilize or Not to Sterilize?

Over the last year I’ve received several phone calls from parents asking whether or not they need to sterilize the water for their child’s infant formula. And the confusion is completely understandable…depending on who you are talking to, you’ll most likely get a different answer.

I always recommend that parents take the extra precaution and boil the water for all preparations of the formula – In my mind, better to play it safe when it comes to your child’s health. (And as a side note, purified water, bottled water and nursery water, are not sterile, so make sure you boil them as well).

However, I’ve seen other manufacturers of infant formula state on their cans to “Ask your baby’s doctor if you need to boil (sterilize) water for formula and bottle preparations.”

Since this seems to be a topic of confusion, I thought I’d share some recommendations from the World Health Organization that I typically provide parents:

Sterilizing

Cleaned equipment can be sterilized using a commercial sterilizer (follow manufacturer's instructions), or a pan and boiling water:

Step 1: Fill a large pan with water

Step 2: Place the cleaned feeding and preparation equipment into the water. Make sure that the equipment is completely covered with water and that no air bubbles are trapped.

Step 3: Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a rolling boil, making sure the pan does not boil dry.
Step 4: Keep the pan covered until the feeding equipment is needed.

If you are interested in checking out the World Health Organization’s pamphlet with these steps and other guidelines for preparing formula for bottle feeding at home, click here.

If you have any questions about proper sterilization techniques for your child’s infant formula let us know. I encourage you to post a comment so others can see your question as well.

- Christine
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