MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'food allergies'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:08:41 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169549&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fschool-nurse-gives-some-insight-into-her-job%2F2011.08.27 Well, what better time to post my interview with Erin at Tales of a School Zoned Nurse than now, when everyone’s headed back to the classroom? Erin is a school nurse in the “cash strapped state of California.”  Her position covers two elementary schools and a middle school – almost 2000 students!!  She has been blogging since last year and her blog has definitely become one of my favorites. She says she was never too set on working in a hospital.  After nursing school, she worked at a couple of summer camps, which gave her the idea to look into being a school nurse. She was hired right away and “leapt in without a second thought.”  She is starting her second year in this position. Erin’s daily schedule is quite varied: (more…) *This blog post was originall... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169549 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:00:17 +0100 5169549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139739&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpreparation-for-surgical-patients-with-a-latex-allergy%2F2011.08.17 A couple of nice articles recently on latex allergy have crossed my path – one in a journal I subscribe to (Aesthetic Surgery Journal) and the other via twitter and @Allergy (Ves Dimov, M.D., blogs at Allergy Notes).  I’ve put both full references below. Latex allergy became widely recognized in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  The increase in latex allergies cases is felt to be associated with the increase use of latex gloves and implementation of universal precautions (now known as standard precautions) in the 1980s. Management of possible or confirmed latex allergic patients begin with history and suspicion: All patients who present for surgical procedures or exams which require latex gloves (pelvic exam, dental exams, etc) should be questioned about possible latex allergy. Patien... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139739 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0100 5139739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992694&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39261&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvactruth.com%2F2011%2F07%2F01%2Fwhat-happens-when%2F With Child Protective Services (CPS) virtually in every city, county, and state in the USA, what happens when a parent harms a child? Child Protective Services removes the child from the parents’ care and custody and then places the child under the agency’s foster care program with parents facing legal charges. So, what would happen if someone were to feed formaldehyde-laced milk or formula to an infant or toddler? Wouldn’t CPS become involved? Why then, is formaldehyde injected into infants and toddlers in vaccines/vaccinations? Where’s Child Protective Services? What would happen if a parent injected formaldehyde into a child? What would happen to a person who would have mercury residue in a child’s play area? Wouldn’t CPS and the local Department of Environmental Services be... vactruth.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992694 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:29:50 +0100 4992694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968490&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffood-allergies-treating-severe-allergic-reactions%2F2011.06.25 An allergic reaction in an outdoor setting can rapidly become a life-threatening emergency. While most of us think of food allergies as annoyances, they can be quite serious or even life threatening. Itchy skin rashes can progress to breathing difficulty, swollen soft tissues (e.g., lips, tongue, throat) that compromise the airway, and low blood pressure or even shock. Therefore, it’s important to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of severe allergy and to be prepared to respond rapidly in the event of an emergency. An EpiPen (an epinephrine auto-injector) The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has released Food Allergy Guidelines for healthcare professionals to help guide the care of patients with life-threatening food allergies. The full guidelines can be found ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968490 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4968490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4436751&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-new-twist-on-food-allergies-in-kids%2F2011.02.04 The current New Yorker unfolds an engaging story on childhood food allergies. As related by Dr. Jerome Groopman, there’s a shift in how some doctors think about how these conditions  are best managed and, even better — might be prevented. The article feeds into recent discussion that medical science, and even dogma, too-often turns out to be incorrect. Groopman interviews Dr. Hugh Sampson, director of the Jae Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York: …“This increase in the incidence of food allergy is real,” Sampson said when we spoke recently. He cannot say what is causing the increase, but he now thinks the conventional approach to preventing food allergies is misconceived. For most of his career, he believed, like most allergists, that children are... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4436751 Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:00:01 +0100 4436751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237893&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-food-allergy-guidelines%2F2010.12.07 The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) issued comprehensive food allergy guidelines to help primary care physicians and subspecialists diagnose and manage patients. The guidelines were published online at the NIAID food allergy guidelines portal, which also has a frequently asked questions section. The agency will release a patient synopsis early next year. The guidelines establish consistent terminology and definitions, diagnostic criteria and patient management practices. Additional topics covered by the guidelines include the prevalence of food allergy and management of acute allergic reactions to food, including anaphylaxis. The report also identifies gaps about what is known about food allergy. NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, MACP, said, “Because thes... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237893 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4237893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125081&cid=t_102807_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FLHzQam6AuGA%2F photo: Thinkstock The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America just posted their list of the best and worst cities to live in if you suffer from allergies. The foundation based their rankings off of three factors: Airborne pollen counts; the number of allergy specialists in each city, per capita; and the number of allergy medications used per patient. We know just how varied the severity of our seasonal allergies can be in new cities — the Midwest is very different from New York City, which is very different from upstate New York. Where do you find that you have the worst allergies: In the country with tons of vegetation, or in a city with lots of pollution? The 5 Worst American Cities for Allergies: 1. Dayton, OH 2. Wichita, KS 3. Louisville, KY 4. Knoxville, TN 5. Jackson, MS The 5 Bes... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125081 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:41:40 +0100 4125081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899349&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fnauseous-but-not-pregnant-10-reasons-youre-queasy-that-dont-involve-a-baby%2F The last few days, I’ve been having stomach trouble – constant nausea and queasiness, and it’s not fun. Everyone’s reaction when I tell them about my problem? “Are you pregnant?!” I’m not. I’ll spare you the evidence, but I’m sure that my nausea isn’t baby-related. But I do find it annoying that if you’re a woman and you feel like ralphing, you MUST be preggers. (Like we don’t know how to take birth control?) So here are ten reasons that you might feel like you’re about to hurl – whether you’re a man or a woman: 1. Emotional Stress – If you’ve ever felt queasy before a performance, interview, or race, you’ve experienced this. General and acute stress can both make you feel ill, so managing stres... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899349 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:56:38 +0100 3899349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3633446&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffood-allergy-or-not-new-test-in-the-works%2F2010.06.06 Current methods of testing people for food allergies aren’t particularly precise, leaving many people to falsely think that they have a condition that they really don’t. MIT chemical engineer Christopher Love is working on a new test based on cytokines that may prove to be substantially faster and more reliable. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3633446 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:00:02 +0100 3633446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3566591&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F178314%2F Allergy Expense Report: Food allergies are a pain, but they’re also pricey. The New York Times reports on the cost of food allergies for families and finances. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3566591 Fri, 14 May 2010 18:13:15 +0100 3566591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934905&cid=t_102807_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fwayback-wednesday-seven-things-worse-than-the-diabetes.html On an overnight trip to Dallas two weeks ago, I broke out in some rather ugly hives — again! My lips poofed up like I’d been slammed with a hockey puck, and my right eye went all ape-like. This lasted for several days.  It was that damn gluten allergy again, I must assume, although for [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934905 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:52 +0100 2934905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2290586&cid=t_102807_117_f&fid=38158&url=http%3A%2F%2Famericanacupuncture.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fmood-changes-from-food-allergies.html As a medical physician for over 50 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects and let you the reader come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary with astounding results.Visit http;//www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more controversial medical  information.FOOD ALLERGY Early exposure to food allergens can compromise an immature immune system.  Over 25% of Americans have symptoms of food allergies, but only 3% actually have food allergies.  The food allergies are water-soluble glycoproteins of plants and animals.  They stay stable with heat, acid, and proteases. Milk and egg allergies ar... Dr. Needles Medical Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2290586 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:15:00 +0100 2290586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2256019&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fpoll-results-food-allergies-and-the-breastfed-baby%2F The results of the poll on allergies and breastfeeding were quite telling and the comments were helpful and insightful, especially for all those dealing with allergies in the breastfed baby. Frankly I was surprised at the number of nurslings with known or suspected allergies and the number of mothers coping with an elimination diet. An even 1/3 of respondents said that yes, their nurslings have food allergies. These pyramids (in honor of the USDA food pyramid LOL) illustrate the distribution of the 148 votes. Let’s be clear though — breastfeeding is wonderful for babies with food allergies. Do not interpret these results to mean that breastfed babies are more likely to have food allergies, because in fact the opposite is true! To learn more about the protective effects of brea... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2256019 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:30:54 +0100 2256019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2168087&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FekXkAhyMygc%2F n Does your breastfed child have any food allergies of which you are aware? Yes No View Results Please leave a comment to explain your answer. Whether or not your child has known food allergies, do you restrict your diet in any way? How easy or difficult is it to eliminate particular foods from your diet? Is there a history of food allergies in your family? If your nursling has food allergies, to which foods? Did your nursling or other children outgrow any food allergies? Tags: allergies, breastfed baby, food allergies, food allergy, nurslingShare This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2168087 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:40:57 +0100 2168087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2153129&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FekXkAhyMygc%2F n Does your breastfed child have any food allergies of which you are aware? Yes No View Results Please leave a comment to explain your answer. Whether or not your child has known food allergies, do you restrict your diet in any way? How easy or difficult is it to eliminate particular foods from your diet? Is there a history of food allergies in your family? If your nursling has food allergies, to which foods? Did your nursling or other children outgrow any food allergies? Tags: allergies, breastfed baby, food allergies, food allergy, nurslingShare This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2153129 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:40:57 +0100 2153129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1232127&cid=t_102807_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fchronic-pain%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fembracing-an-anti-inflammatory-diet-part-one%2F When one is struck with an autoimmune condition such as one of the numerous forms of arthritis, the question of diet is part of the battle plan. At first, you try to embrace the many changes you are faced with such as daily chronic pain, changes in lifestyle, fatigue, secondary effects on your family, to name only a few of the challenges. It’s sort of like finding yourself at war. You’re not sure how you got there. You’re certain you don’t like it. You want to get over it so you can get the heck out of there before you lose anything else and you hope you come out of it a “winner.” The chances are that eventually, you will read something about dietary influence on inflammation; a doctor will say something about it, or someone will give you advice. One has to be careful about tak... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1232127 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:07:58 +0100 1232127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=721318&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fasthma-allergies-paediatrics-links-and.html Use children as medicine guinea pigs No, this is not yet another bizarre version of recent MMR-vaccine-autism reporting but a rather sensationalist take on a perfectly sensible call by Prof. John Warner for the inclusion of children in medical trials. Children are not small adults. This is one of the reasons that Clark Bartram initiated Paediatric Grand Rounds. This stark fact is a headache for pharmaceutical companies who are frequently criticised for their lack of drugs that are specifically formulated for children and tested on them. Understandably, however, it is difficult to obtain ethical approval for drug trials (or any therapeutic trials) that involve children. There has been a lot of adverse publicity about the effect of anti-depressants on children. There is increasing controvers... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=721318 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:19:00 +0100 721318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=718033&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fasthma-allergies-links-and-stories.html Gene Variation, Childhood Asthma Risks and Dubious Press Coverage British researchers made an announcement about some exciting advances in childhood asthma:We are confident that we have discovered something new and exciting about childhood asthma.... These novel findings do not explain completely how asthma is caused, but they do provide a further part of the gene-environment jigsaw that makes up the disease. We and our colleagues are currently preparing even bigger studies to find other genes of smaller effect, and to relate these to environmental factors that protect against asthma.Wired gives an excellent overview of the press coverage, some of which was notable for its unwarranted hyperbole. The Daily Telegraph is commended as one of the few papers that gave sensible coverage: Gene May... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=718033 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:39:00 +0100 718033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=569579&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fwhat-does-allergy-uks-consumer-award.html When Muriel Simmons joined Allergy UK she reorganised its finances and introduced a successful endorsement scheme.The charity realised that an endorsement scheme would benefit three different groups. Firstly, it would provide a vital service to the public; secondly, it would revitalise their own turnover; and thirdly, with one in three members of the population suffering an allergy, an endorsement would supply an obvious marketing tool for manufacturers."I felt it would be a service to the public with allergies to say that we had tested the product and found that the criteria laid down by the experts (which were incredibly high) had been met." - Muriel SimmonsThe idea evolved from the fact that sufferers were frequently contacting Allergy UK for advice on consumer decisions. They wanted to... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=569579 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:09:00 +0100 569579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=566343&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fwhen-is-bullying-of-children-with.html Slideshow of peanuts and allergy medication.When I was little my brother used to rub soap over my pillow so that I would wake up the next morning with a severely swollen face, deep-red colouring and blisters. He would occasionally do the same to my clothing and bedding. I would probably have retaliated if it had been any easier to find blackcurrants and disguise them in other foods. You expect this sort of behaviour from young children. I have been very disappointed to learn that similar behaviours persist in some adults. It seems that direct bullying is not sufficient of a burden for some school-children with allergies, they now have to cope with indirect bullying from the parents of children who don't have allergies. It is particularly nauseating that some of these parents seek to cloak ... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=566343 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:52:00 +0100 566343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=563576&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fwhy-results-from-allergy-or-intolerance_21.html You might expect a clinical test to have results that would be the same in any laboratory where a sample was tested and to be reproducible, e.g., the same result when tested on a different day. Beyond this, according to Dr. Adrian Morris:An Allergy Test should reliably identify one or more agents to which the patient reacts on each exposure. These allergens must be the cause of the patient’s immune-mediated allergic symptoms. This reaction need not necessarily be IgE mediated, but may involve a T-cell Delayed hypersensitivity reaction or direct Histamine release from Mast Cells and Basophils. The test should be reproducible and identify the implicated allergen on each occasion the test is done. The allergy should be specific to that allergen with minimal false positive test results (when... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=563576 Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:48:00 +0100 563576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=545217&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fwhy-results-from-allergy-or-intolerance.html There are significant problems involved with direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing for allergies and intolerances. Dr. Scadding characterised some of these self-tests as a waste of money and in response to a question about whether she considered that these tests were sufficiently regulated, she answered, "They should be banned". She went on to outline some of the harm that is experienced by children when they are misdiagnosed or if they pursue unnecessary allergen avoidance.Dr. Scadding discussed a recent example that illustrates some of the potential problems for consumers who have access to direct-to-consumer tests.Dr. Scadding: For example, I saw a child this morning before coming here and she had...We did skin tests that are well recognised and she had skin tests to house dust mite and also... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=545217 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 15:34:00 +0100 545217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=539101&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fself-testing-for-allergy-and.html Last month, I wrote up part of an House of Lords evidence session for allergy and allergic disease in which IgG food intolerance tests were described as a waste of money. The first part of that session was less entertaining but does give an insight into the regulatory mess that surrounds self-testing kits in the UK. Patrick Holford (amongst others) describes the availability of these self-tests as empowering and suggests that: some health professionals just haven’t kept up to date. Perhaps it’s because a ‘home test’ takes the power away from the professional and puts it in your hands.Not withstanding Holford's comments there are serious questions about the harm to children that arises from misdiagnosis or the inappropriate use of allergy and intolerance tests.The transcript for the... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=539101 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:11:00 +0100 539101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=481903&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fwhy-both-misdiagnosis-or-inappropriate.html I have been writing a lot about allergy and intolerance tests recently; a number of factors have contributed to this. The House of Lords is currently scrutinising allergy and intolerance in the UK. When I look through the medical histories of the children with whom I work, in 60-80% of them, the parents have usually indicated that there are several allergies and intolerances. I would estimate that there is clinical confirmation of these allergies etc. in fewer than 2% of the children.It is breathtakingly difficult to obtain a referral to a clinical allergist in the UK. In the whole of the UK, we have the equivalent of 26.5 consultant posts: approximately 5 of those are specialists in paediatric allergy. It is frequently argued that the lack of NHS allergy diagnosis and management pushes pe... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=481903 Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:19:00 +0100 481903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478799&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Ffood-allergy-and-intolerance-tests.html And please let Shinga hear some decent testimony before she explodes.Dr. Glenis Scadding is a consultant allergist with an fine reputation. She has clearly and elegantly stated that IgG tests for the diagnosis of food intolerance are "a waste of money". She has criticised the availability of direct-to-consumer IgE tests because they lead to "mis-diagnosis and mis-allergen avoidance".However, at the same hearing where Dr. Scadding spoke, and earlier in the session, Dr. Hart, a representative of YorkTest, gave evidence at a meeting of the House of Lords, Science and Technology SubCommittee hearings that are investigating allergy and allergic disease in the UK.In summary, Dr. Hart acknowledged that IgG levels are not necessarily related to either food intolerance or chronic conditions. She al... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478799 Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:47:00 +0100 478799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478800&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Figg-tests-are-waste-of-money-house-of.html I think that IgG tests may accurately measure IgG levels but I do not believe that there is scientific support to confirm the relevance of IgG levels in the diagnosis of food intolerance. I have stated this in several posts over the last few weeks (see list at foot of post).Today, the House of Lords SubCommittee that is looking into allergy and allergic diseases in the UK heard Dr. Glenis Scadding, Consultant Allergist of the Royal Nose, Throat and Ear Hospital, state this in a far more succinct and elegant fashion. My draft transcript of the full exchange from today's meeting (audio recording: available for 28 days and thereafter in transcript form) follows but the highlights from the redoubtable Dr. Glenis Scadding are:What I do dispute is that it is worth making any attempt to identify ... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478800 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:55:00 +0100 478800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478807&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fradio-4s-check-up-on-food-intolerance.html More and more families in the UK are learning what it is like to live with food allergies and intolerance. Radio 4's Check Up bills itself as "your chance to talk to doctors about the health issues that most concern you and your family". Check Up has just explored food allergies and intolerance with Dr. Pamela Ewan, Consultant Allergist as Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. The topics included anaphylaxis, allergies, food intolerance and oral allergy syndrome.The programme broadcast on 8 March 2007 was about food intolerance and allergies: the programme runs for less than 30 minutes and will be available to listen to for some time and then available as a transcript.Dr. Ewan strongly makes the case for better food labelling because, in her experience, just advising people to e.g., "avoid n... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478807 Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:34:00 +0100 478807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478812&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Ffood-intolerance-testing-and-migraine.html I have seen some extravagant claims about the value of food intolerance testing in reducing migraines, e.g., An appetite for migraine?. Barbara Lantin sums up the findings of a (then) recently released study by Rees, Watson, Lipscombe, Speight, Cousins, Hardman and Dowson:In the first study of its kind, 61 people with moderate to severe migraines were given a food intolerance test. Only one patient had no intolerances at all and the average participant had 5.3. Of those who eliminated the named foods from their diets, 80 per cent reported some improvement in their migraines and more than a third reported significant relief. More than 60 per cent of patients who reintroduced the suspect foods into their diets reported the return of their migraine symptoms.That is one interpretation of the p... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478812 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 10:52:00 +0100 478812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478815&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fviews-on-allergy-uks-stolen-lives.html Allergy UK launched their Stolen Lives report during Food Allergy and Intolerance Week in the UK. I have concerns about the value of that report and the uncritical way that its claims were reproduced in the UK media.So, it has been comforting to learn that there have been some rather more robust appraisals. Steve Carper says that:[t]he kerfluffle started by Allergy UK's moronic poll alleging to prove that one-third of the total British population has food intolerances and allergies continues to roil nicely.He highlights Dr. Miriam Stoppard's article in The Mirror:WE'RE asked to believe that nearly half of us are intolerant of one food or another. I've never heard such rubbish. And this particular rubbish is masquerading as "science" in a survey published a couple of days ago by Allergy UK,... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478815 Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:08:00 +0100 478815 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478818&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Ftruthiness-and-referenciness-make-case.html And please let Shinga read some decent research papers before she explodes*.Prof. Ernst has frequently and elegantly rebutted the claim that CAM treatments and therapies are not amenable to standard forms of scientific investigation. However, hand in hand with the claims that CAM is not suited to scrutiny, it seems that there is a certain truthiness and referenciness that predominates in the claims of scientific support for some of these treatments.Dr Ben Goldacre, used this word to suggest a supposed scholarly reference that wasn't a real one: "The scholarliness of her work is a thing to behold: she produces lengthy documents that have an air of 'referenciness' ... but when you follow the numbers, and check the references, it's shocking how often they aren't what she claimed them to be." ... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478818 Sat, 03 Mar 2007 12:22:00 +0100 478818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478820&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fmore-allergy-and-intolerance-testing_01.html Allergy Magazine has recently published a feature on DIY Diagnosis. There is a reasonable introductory summary about the difficulties of gaining access to allergy diagnosis and management on the NHS. There is the usual sloppiness about referring to allergies and intolerance as if they are synonymous. The author uncritically reproduces a number of claims that are frequently repeated but I have yet to see substantiated:[h]aving an allergy is now one of the most common health complaints in the UK, affecting an estimated 23 million people and four out of ten school children. Up to 40 per cent of the population are sensitive to the three most common allergens: dust mites, pollen and pets. Millions more are intolerant to certain foods, most commonly wheat and dairy.There is the usual pop quiz wh... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478820 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:13:00 +0100 478820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478819&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fis-yorktest-petitioning-for-food.html There is an extraordinary synergy at work about IgG, food allergy and intolerance testing that is sending shivers down my spine. Yorktest has made some extravagant claims for the significance of an Allergy UK-sponsored audit of its foodSCAN test and its efficacy for chronic conditions.In an excited news item*, YorkTest promotes an obscure petition to provide free food intolerance tests on the NHS. Their pious hope for the petition is that:[t]he people behind the idea of having free food tests must hope they too get an email from the Prime Minister. It re-enforces the view that the NHS should put peoples health at the forefront of its health service strategy. If the petition takes off, then it could make the health minister sit up and take action in saving the health service thousands of po... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478819 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 15:07:00 +0100 478819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478821&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fmore-allergy-and-intolerance-testing.html Recently, I commented on Hardman and Hart's recently published audit of YorkTest's IgG-guided food elimination diets and chronic medical conditions. Although the survey was sponsored by Allergy UK it is a poor study that does not provide enough detail to be able to evaluate either its conclusions or its publicity. I had hoped that the study was so self-evidently incapable of supporting swashbuckling or grandiose claims that people who profess an interest in decent science or a reputable evidence base would not over-state its significance.YorkTest has published a summary of some of the paper's findings that make substantial claims about its significance and criticises the NHS: 10 Years of NHS treatment and still we're ill says study. I must reiterate at this point that the survey does not i... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478821 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:42:00 +0100 478821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478813&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fquote-mining-and-misrepresentation-poor.html This study is very poor; the claims being made for it are over-blown and disproportionate. Readers can not possibly assess these claims of NHS mis-treatment or mis-guided treatment if we have no way of discovering which treatment modalities were attempted.YorkTest also has the chutzpah to promote an obscure petition to provide free food intolerance tests on the NHS. Their pious hope is that the petition:re-enforces the view that the NHS should put peoples health at the forefront of its health service strategy. If the petition takes off, then it could make the health minister sit up and take action in saving the health service thousands of pounds whilst freeing up doctors valuable time. At best this petition might make the stakeholders of the health service to look at what is best for the p... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478813 Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:15:00 +0100 478813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478814&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fwhat-is-significance-of-igg-antibodies.html I recently highlighted my misgivings about the claims of sound science or clinical validation for IgG testing for food intolerance. Dr. de Asis gives a very helpful and clear overview of food allergy, intolerance and testing. Similarly, Dr. Minocha offers an fine overview of food allergy and tolerance.I thought that it might be helpful to quote the position of some professional organisations on the topic of IgG significance and testing.The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology commented on the significance of IgG anti-allergen antibodies in September 2006. They observed that a number of commercial labs claim to be able to measure IgG antibodies against common substances: they questioned the clinical significance of the findings. Although this piece probably refers to labs in t... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478814 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:41:00 +0100 478814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478823&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fwhy-igg-testing-for-food-intolerance-is.html What I know about the scientific validity of IgG testing to diagnose food intolerance could be written on a postcard leaving plenty of room for the address and stamp. I'm just mentioning this because it may be time for authors' competing interest declarations to be supplemented with a statement of scope of knowledge/ignorance/belief. I've been prompted to consider the need for this statement by Patrick Holford's theatrical outrage about BBC Watchdog's Dirty Allergy Trick* (NB, the original article has been removed, I shall do my best to keep up with other links to it). A healthy volunteer participated in three food allergy/intolerance tests – two VEGA tests (conducted at different times and with different operators), a hair test, and two YorkTest IgG Food Intolerance tests (he submitted ... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478823 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:18:00 +0100 478823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478816&cid=t_102807_87_f&fid=34882&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbreathspakids.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F01%2Ffood-allergy-and-intolerance-week-in.html It's Food Allergy and Intolerance Week in the UK. Allergy UK has been very successful in promoting the news story about this because it seems as if the british public enjoys few scientific stories more than something that involves more dire warnings about the hidden disease and death that lurks in everyday foodstuffs.2% of the population suffer from life threatening allergy but when coupled with the larger number of people (estimated to be in the region of 45%) who suffer from food intolerance, which whilst not life threatening impacts severely on all aspects of their life, means that almost half of the population are adversely affected by the food they are eating.Allergy is wretched and it can kill. Intolerance can be miserable but I'd like a little more evidence behind the "impacts sever... Breath Spa for Kids blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478816 Mon, 22 Jan 2007 14:53:00 +0100 478816