Keeps Me Safe Bracelets

I was contacted today by Kat in Spain, who wanted to let me know of the Keeps Me safe bracelet. They are an alternative to the Medic-Alert bracelets and the thing about them is thier looks.

Hi Kat’s own words:

“…the Medic Alert bracelets arent particularly attractive and many people after purchasing one don´t have the desire to wear them on a daily basis as they should, especially women and children. The Keeps Me Safe bracelets certainly are beautiful and trendy, they are made from natural stones /Swarovksi crystals / leather, making them something beautiful rather than something to be ashamed of, and they are not expensive, meaning that people could buy one tag and various bracelets to swap on a daily basis depending on how they feel.”

Check out Keeps Me Safe at www.keepsmesafe.com and is available in both English and Spanish.

Sample tag:

Check out some of these bracelet designs.

New Epipen Design – Order new cases now.

The new Epipen has been released in the US and Canada. The new design makes it easier to hold as well as more obvious which end is the business end. One drawback is all our Epipen fitted pouches will not fit the new pen! Oh No!

Get all the details at http://epipen.ca/CONSUMERS/English/About_EpiPen/New_EpiPen.cfm

New EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr (0.3 and 0.15 mg

epinephrine) Auto-injectors (“EpiPen”) now available!

Easy-to-read instructions.

Easy-grip bodyBuilt-in needle protection.

Labelled orange needle cover contrasts with blue safety release for easy orientation*

via Welcome to EpiPen.ca.

What is this Facebook thing?

For some reason I totally missed putting Eat Nut-Free on Facebook!

Well, it’s kind of empty now, but you can now become a fan at our new Facebook Fan Page!

Remember to follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our News feed too!

Now you can get our news and keep in touch from anywhere!

Canadian Policy Options for Precautionary Labelling of Priority Allergens on Pre-Packaged Foods

Health Canada has issued this news release regarding labelling laws. Sorry for the late posting of this. it’s very important for us to get involved in this.

Health Canada Consulting on Policy Options for Precautionary Labelling of Priority Allergens on Pre-Packaged Foods

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Oct. 29, 2009) – In 2007, Health Canada initiated a policy review on the use of precautionary labelling of priority allergens on pre-packaged foods. The department has now completed its review and is preparing to consult with stakeholders and the Canadian public on the various policy options.
The public consultations will be carried out in two phases: a web consultation which, once online, will be open to the public for a period of 90 days; and regional workshops with key stakeholders that will be held in November and December 2009. For more information on the consultations, please visit Health Canada’s website (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/_allergen2009/index-eng.php).
Health Canada’s main policy proposals to improve the use of precautionary labelling of priority allergens on pre-packaged foods are as follows:
- Limit the use of precautionary statements on food labels to a small number of acceptable statements;
- Support the development of consensus guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practices on allergen handling;
- Support the development of guidelines for a standardized approach to risk assessments of potential cross-contamination of allergens;
- Support the development of guidelines for documentation and on-site storage of findings of allergen risk assessments; and
- Implement voluntary education program for consumers.
The department is committed to consulting with food allergy consumer groups, the food industry, and the Canadian public with the aim of publishing a revised policy and guideline for the use of food allergen precautionary statements on pre-packaged foods.
The current policy on precautionary labelling of prepackaged foods was set in 1994 and allows for precautionary statements to be made by food manufacturers and importers on a voluntary basis. There is no required wording for these voluntary precautionary statements, only that they be truthful, clear and non-ambiguous, and that they not be a substitute for Good Manufacturing Practices.
It is estimated that as many as 2 million Canadians, or six per cent of the population, are affected by food allergies and sensitivities. This includes those with food allergies, those with intolerance to gluten known as Celiac disease, and those with sulphite sensitivities.
Health Canada will continue to update Canadians on the progress of this issue once the consultation period has concluded. Please visit the Health Canada Web site for information on the Use Of Food Allergen Precautionary Statements On Prepackaged Foods (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/allergen/precaution_label-etiquette-eng.php).

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Health-Canada-1067949.html

Lobster!

Last week, our son had his allergies retested. He is on a two-year schedule, so this was the third time he had a skin-prick test. His allergist informed us he is no longer allergic to shellfish and, despite never having eaten shellfish, he was very excited.

When we asked him what shellfish he would like to try, he definitively answered, “Lobster!” “Couldn’t he have chosen a less expensive shellfish?” I grumbled to my husband. I opted for a three-dollar tin of lobster pâté.

I spread it thinly on some Wheat Thins. I sampled some of the pâté, and found the flavour really strong. It contained not just meat, but tomalley and roe as well. I was expecting that my son wouldn’t like it.

But, he said that he did, and he asked for four more “crackers with lobster.”

I tried to act pretty blasé about his eating food he was previously considered allergic to. I didn’t want him to be fearful. All went well: there was no reaction; and both my son and I were glad he had experienced a new food. It was an especially big event for me, despite my calm exterior. I had never had a nightmare about my son’s allergies, but the night after the lobster experiment, I dreamt he was covered in hives and his eyes were swollen shut. I woke up to the sound of him softly crying, thankfully not from an allergic reaction, but from sleeping on his ear the wrong way.

Next time I’ll buy him a whole lobster.

Legal Update: Comcare Prosecutes For Food Allergy Death – Deacons – 07/07/2009, Health & Safety

Further to the article about the Australian Army cadets who died due to a peanut allergy while in the care of the Army, the Federal Court laid down a fine to the maximum allowed.

Australia: Legal Update: Comcare Prosecutes For Food Allergy Death

On 30 June 2009, the Federal Court of Australia handed down a fine of $210,100 in a Comcare prosecution of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting through the Chief of the Army for a contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 Cth the OHS Act by the Australian Army Cadets AAC in the course of conducting a three day training course known as Bivouac 2007 at the Wombat State Forest in Central Victoria in March 2007.1

The fine handed down is close to the maximum civil penalty available under the OHS Act, which is $242,000.

The Federal Court proceedings had two separate parts, one part which related to the supply of food to cadets containing peanuts despite being informed of allergies to peanuts and the second part which related to losing a number of cadets for a period of eighteen 18 hours.

Read on for the full article via Australia, Labour and Employment, Legal Update: Comcare Prosecutes For Food Allergy Death – Deacons – 07/07/2009, Health & Safety.

Army fined over teen’s peanut allergy death | Scotch College cadets camp

This is a sad story. Even some government depsartments are failing to understand the severity of this allergy.

The Australian Army has been fined more than $200,000 over the death of a teenager from a peanut allergy at a cadets’ school camp in May 2007.

Nathan Francis, 13, was a year nine student at Scotch College in Victoria.

Regardless of his mother writing to the camp organisers that Nathan suffered from a severe peanut allergy he was given a lunch of beef satay on the first day of the camp and died shortly after.

In the Federal Court this morning, Justice Tony North ordered that the Commonwealth should pay $210,100 to the public purse.

The case came about when Comcare, a government workplace safety agency, sued the Commonwealth for a breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Commonwealth, through the Chief of Army, was responsible for running the camp.

Justice North urged that the Victorian Coroner hold an inquest into Nathan’s death to examine the role of Scotch College and its staff who manned the camp.

The school has promised to take steps to prevent the recurrence of another incident on the same camp in which six boys were lost in the forest for hours without radio contact.

Justice North adjourned that undertaking for one year.

The court heard WorkSafe Victoria had decided not to prosecute the school.

Justice North described the case as “every parent’s worst nightmare” and commended Nathan’s parents, Brian and Jessica, for their bravery during the proceedings.

via Army fined over teen’s peanut allergy death | Scotch College cadets camp.

Tips to plan a safe birthday party when inviting children with food alleriges.

We all go through this at one point or another in our life. This is from the other side form what we usually do, which is sending our kids out to parties.

Worried about inviting a friend with food allergies to your child’s birthday party? Which foods are safe? Which are not? What if the child has a reaction? Food allergies are on the rise among children. This can present a challenge when planning your child’s birthday party. A few helpful tips in the party preparation can ensure a safe fun memorable birthday celebration for all.

Read the rest of this entry »

Living with Food Allergies: A First-Hand Account

Recently, Marc told me that there was a new co-op student at his workplace who has life-threatening food allergies. I began to wonder alot about this young man and started asking Marc a lot of questions about him: Does he carry epinephrine? Does he eat at restaurants? How has he managed to stay safe all these years? Marc suggested that I ask him these questions myself. So I did.

His name is Gabe Hoogers. He’s nearly 19 years of age and is studying Contemporary Philosophy and Politics at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At about 2 years of age, it was discovered that he has an anaphylactic allergy to peanuts as well as minor allergies to other foods such as soy, shellfish, and other nuts. I was very pleased when he agreed to be interviewed, and I was most impressed by his insightful and articulate answers to my questions:

Me: Is there anyone else in your family with food allergies?
Gabe: No one else in my family has food allergies, although my Dad is severely allergic to penicillin.

Me: Did you have an allergic reaction to food that prompted the testing?
Gabe: Yes — I ate a muffin with peanuts in it and had an anaphylactic reaction to it. My mom tells me that I became very quiet, so she suspected something was up. She came into my room and found me covered in hives — off to the hospital we went.

Me: Do you remember the reaction?
Gabe: Fortunately, no.

Me: Do you think your food allergies were well accommodated at school?
Gabe: When I started school, severe food allergies were still quite uncommon, so my Mom did a lot of work ensuring that both my teachers and classmates were well aware of my situation. As I moved through elementary school, though, the school board became more conscious about food allergies, and so my Mom’s publicity job became easier. Eventually, my elementary school was actually declared a peanut-free zone.

Me: Did your food allergies prevent you from doing anything that you would have wanted to do?
Gabe: Besides being unable to satisfy the occasional temptation to eat a snack that may or may not have contained peanuts, my allergy hasn’t impeded upon my life to a great extent.

Me: Have you always carried an auto-injector with you?
Gabe: I have. In grade school, I used to carry it around in a fanny pack; but as I grew older, and more socially conscious (i.e. thought the fanny pack hampered my coolness), I started putting in in my pocket or my backpack (assuming I was carrying my backpack with me at all times).

Me: Have you ever needed to use it?
Gabe: Thankfully, I have never needed to use it.

Me: What is your approach to eating in restaurants?
Gabe: Firstly, I avoid restaurants that I know cook with peanuts, such as many South-East Asian restaurants. When at a restaurant I’ve never been to before, I’ll kindly ask a server if the kitchen uses peanuts in their food and to verify with a chef. I find it’s also good habit to verify every time I order a dish that I haven’t had before, unless the restaurant is completely trustworthy and always peanut-free.

Me: Do you find restaurant staff to be relatively well informed about food allergies, or do you feel that eating out is a risky endeavour?
Gabe: The tone of the server’s voice is always important to me when eating out. There have been times that a server has told me that they don’t use peanuts in their restaurant, but appears unconfident or hesitant, in which case I won’t eat there. If a server is well informed and I can hear that in their voice, I always feel more self-assured. More and more, though, I find that restaurant staff are generally well informed about allergies.

Me: Are you excited about the potential for a treatment for food allergies, which experts anticipate should be available within five to 10 years, or are you skeptical?
Gabe: I think it’s great that work to find a treatment for severe allergies is progressing. Although we don’t know if the possibility for a cure of allergies can become an actuality, I think that this provides hope that lives of future and present allergy sufferers can be protected and made easier.

Me: Would you want your food allergies to be treated, or do you feel that you’re fine with them and would rather not be treated?
Gabe: I would be treated. Even though I will probably always stay away from peanut products, it would be nice to not have to worry every time I eat. Plus, I’d like to travel rigorously as I get older, including to places that are less safe for peanut allergy sufferers, such as South-East Asia.

Me: Do you have any advice to pass along to young people with food allergies that might help them as they grow to be adults (advice related to their allergies)?
Gabe: Don’t be embarrassed about your allergy, embrace it. Some of the toughest times to deal with your allergy are when you’re with friends, out at restaurants and at their houses. Don’t be afraid to make sure that the food you’re eating with them is safe, even though it requires you to put yourself out there and can be a little embarrassing — it would be much more embarrassing to be carried off to the hospital in front of them, covered in hives. Also, obviously try to make sure you have your Epipen with you always; it’s not that hard to do. Finally, and this advice is only for the pros: restaurants can sometimes be a little bit too conscious of allergies and will not “guarantee” their food is safe; but a lot of the time they’re just trying to cover themselves to save any lawsuit (it’s really quite selfish). If you quiz them, often you may find that they don’t, in fact, cook with the food that you’re allergic to whatsoever, in which case the restaurant is probably safe to eat at. However, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so if you ever have doubts about eating a particular food, don’t.

Thank you Gabe!

Allergy doesn’t mean you can’t go for gold

I love the stories of people who don’t let thier allergies interfere with life. They make adjustments to the way they live and move on to obtain the goals they strive for. It’s always nice to hear of people achieving what they set out for dispite the issues in front of them.

Steve Omischl of Canada performs during his second jump in the men’s aerial final of the 2009 FIS Freestyle World Championships in Inawashiro on March 4, 2009.

World Cup freestyle ski ace Steve Omischl wants people to know that having a severe allergy doesn’t mean you can’t dream big dreams

Omischl dreams big. He also lives big and jumps big, even though he has had a potentially life-threatening allergy to peanuts since he was a child and carries an epinephrine auto-injector with him wherever he goes.

Read the rest of this entry »

ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN LOTTE AND CROWN BRANDS OF BISCUITS FROM KOREA

UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN LOTTE AND CROWN BRANDS OF BISCUITS FROM KOREA

OTTAWA, June 12, 2009 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning people with allergies to milk, eggs or hazelnuts not to consume various Lotte and Crown brands of Biscuits described below. These products contain allergens which are not declared on the labels.

All codes of the following Lotte and Crown brands of Biscuits, products of Korea, are affected by this alert. Product information below can be found on the package and the sticker applied for the Canadian market.

via ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN LOTTE AND CROWN BRANDS OF BISCUITS FROM KOREA.

The Gluten Free Insider: We’ve Finally Gotten Rid Of All The Nuts!

Kinnikinnick foods, the gluten free company, is now going nut free too!

We’ve Finally Gotten Rid Of All The Nuts!

For a while our staff was quite worried when we said all the nuts would have to go…

We are pleased to announce that as of June 15, 2009, we are going entirely nut free in both of our facilities. This is one of the biggest product policy changes since we made most of our products dairy free. We’ve been peanut free for several years now but this move will eliminate all tree nuts from our product line as well. On the down side, this will force the discontinuation of our lemon cranberry almond and double chocolate almond cookies but will open up our complete product line to thousands (millions?) of people with nut allergies. We will also be announcing a couple of new cookie varieties to replace the 2 we are discontinuing. More on that in a future post.

For those of you with severe nut allergies please keep in mind that there will still be products in the market that were produced prior to us going nut free. Look for products with the following Best Before dates or later:

* Soft Baked Goods (breads, buns, bagels, donuts, etc) – 12/15/2009

* Cookies, Mixes and Ingredients – 06/15/2010

via The Gluten Free Insider: We’ve Finally Gotten Rid Of All The Nuts!.

An Afternoon with the Paramedics

On Sunday, June 14, we were able to visit the Ottawa Paramedic Service Headquarters. The visit was arranged by the Ottawa Anaphylaxis Support Group, and it was an excellent opportunity for the group, which was made up mainly of anaphylactic children and their parents, to learn about what paramedics do, how the paramedic centre is run, and how paramedics respond to an anaphylactic reaction. The educational presentations and question-and-answer session were fascinating and informative, and the children were thrilled to be able to explore several different ambulances and areas of this state-of-the-art facility.

The Ottawa Paramedic Service Headquarters is one of the best paramedic systems in North America; and, in Canada, it is second only to the paramedic headquarters in Toronto. It has 360 paramedics on staff and takes 103,000 9-1-1 calls per year. Presenter Darryl Wilton, President of the Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa, shared some 9-1-1 tips to keep in mind in case you need to call for an ambulance for treatment of an anaphylactic reaction (note that most of these points are universal, but some may not apply in other cities):

1. Always administer epinephrine first – before calling 9-1-1. Darryl said that he has seen first-hand how administering epinephrine at the earliest possible opportunity results in the most favorable outcomes. He also pointed out that epinephrine is a relatively safe medication and, therefore, there should be no hesitation in giving it if you have any reason to think that an allergic reaction may be occurring.
2. Identify the emergency as anaphylaxis. After you’ve called 9-1-1 and have been transferred to a paramedic, state that the emergency is an anaphylactic reaction. This will give your call the highest priority – Code 4, which is for a life-threatening emergency.
3. The next-most important information you can give is your address, although GPS coordinates will work as well.
4. Don’t second-guess the paramedics. Once the ambulance has arrived, don’t challenge the treatment the paramedics are administering. They work from complex and effective algorithms that have been proven to save lives.
5. Give the patient’s family doctor and allergist’s names to the emergency department physician. This will ensure that copies of your emergency department records are included in your medical files.

Finally, Darryl cautioned that it is better to call paramedics than to try to get yourself to the hospital. Paramedics are able to deliver faster emergency care than the emergency department. He also noted that emergency department physicians are much less likely to administer epinephrine for an allergic reaction than are paramedics.

I must admit that I was worried this visit would be frightening and dreary, and we had second thoughts about cutting our weekend time at the cottage short in order to attend. It was our son, whose heart was set on seeing all of the ambulances, who encouraged us to go. And we’re glad he did!

The Nut-Free Mom Blog: The Nut-Free Lowdown on Hersheys Chocolates

We all love Hersheys Chocolates but throwing nut allergies into the mix makes it hard to love. Jenny at Nut Free Mom found someone that has provided a good list of safe candies for us to enjoy!

I get a lot of questions about the safety of various candies so I thought I would share this updated Hershey candy info with you. One of the members from my local food allergy support group spent a long time on the phone with a Hersheys rep and e-mailed everyone a list of safe candies.

via The Nut-Free Mom Blog: The Nut-Free Lowdown on Hersheys Chocolates.

Peanuts, Anyone? Researchers Expose Kids to Risky Foods in Order to Cure Them – washingtonpost.com

Oral immunotherapy is still in the research stage, but any news is good news. Knowing that this possible treatment is on the way with funding to keep it alive makes us all very happy.

Ever since she was an infant, Reagan Roberts could not tolerate being anywhere near cow’s milk. A mere sip would leave her vomiting and gasping for breath. If she were even touched by someone with milk on their hands, she would break out in hives and a bright red rash.

via Peanuts, Anyone? Researchers Expose Kids to Risky Foods in Order to Cure Them – washingtonpost.com.