The Good Parent
I can't seem to turn around on the Interweb these days without reading a breathless essay about how there's a spate of "revolutionary books!" about parents being daring and confessing just how bad they are because they a.) let their kids watch a ton of television, b.) put headphones on their bellies so their kids can listen to the Ramones in the womb, c.) fail to sign their kids up for five million classes, d.) all of the above and more. It's all a little silly from my (decidedly unscientific) perspective because I don't know a perfect parent and I don't know a parent who isn't at least trying their best.
I was thinking about that phenomenon when I read Heather Legg's recent essay on Beyond Allergy about how her own precautions with her child had changed over the years. I thought it was both an interesting take on letting go as kids get older and the worries every single parent has over the decisions they make that affect their kids' futures. Go read it!
Food Allergies In the News
- Via the Washington Post, an explanation of food allergy immunotherapy featuring interviews with Robert Wood, Hugh Sampson, Wesley Burks, plus families who have undergone experimental immunotherapy treatments: Peanuts, Anyone?
- Via the Times Herald-Record, another for the "articles to send people who need to understand more about food allergies" file: a concise FAQ about everything from whether (and why) the prevalence of food allergies is rising to common warning signs of an allergic reaction: Pediatrician on Allergies: 'Parents Need to Watch Their Children Closely'.
Healthy Eating in a Down Economy
A recent USDA report announced that one in nine Americans are on food stamps, and of course countless more of us are finding ways to cut back, whether due to pay cuts, benefit cuts, or fears that a job that looked stable a couple years ago might not be so rock-solid. And cuts to food budgets can range from difficult to disastrous for families with food allergies. Many common allergens are inexpensive, otherwise healthful sources of protein or fiber -- the very foods budget eating websites often tell families to stock up on in times of crisis (think large jars of peanut butter, bags of powdered milk, or bulk quantities of pasta).
There are some tried-and-true ways to reduce your grocery bill without sacrificing fresh healthful choices -- we've found that a local CSA is far less expensive than buying the same amount of produce at the supermarket, and we've begun making foods (sausage, allergy-friendly bread, and the like) that we used to buy and spend a lot more on. Have you cut your food budget back? If so, how are you managing?
New Research: Obesity and Food Allergies
A new study in the May 2009 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology shows a possible correlation between childhood obesity and later development of atopic symptoms like hay fever, eczema, and food allergies. The study followed 4,000 children and found a clear relationship between BMI (body mass index) percentile and the amount of IgE -- the antibodies responsible for allergic reactions -- circulating in the bloodstream. In this study, the effect was strongest among girls.
What is far less clear, however, is why there should be a relationship between obesity and allergic status. Researchers considered the possibility that levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a protein associated with inflammation, might be related to atopy. In this study there did seem to be higher levels of CRP in children with higher levels of BMI and higher levels of IgE and food allergies, but it is unknown at this time what the cause-effect relationships between these factors is. While this study covered a large population, the researchers caution that different explanations for their findings -- including hormones, intestinal microbes, or some as-yet unknown factor -- may explain the differences among the children studied.
Visness, Cynthia M., et al. "Association of obesity with IgE levels and allergy symptoms in children and adolescents: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006." Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology May 2009. 123(5): 1163-69.
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