Faster Food-Safety Alerts
| Is the H1N1 Vaccine Safe For Your Allergic Child? The long awaited H1N1 vaccine is being rolled out this week in Indiana and Tennessee. One of the first priorities for vaccination is young children, and many schools are planning to implement vaccination programs in the coming weeks. However, as with any vaccine or medicine, parents of food allergic children need to be cautious. Since the serum for the vaccine is incubated in eggs, Dr. Calman Prussin, an asthma specialist at the National Institutes of Health who’s also an expert in vaccine side effects.recommends that children with egg allergies not get the flu vaccine in either the nasal mist or injection form. If your child has a less severe egg allergy, you may be able to consult with an allergist to determine if the vaccine dose can be divided into safe increments. If you have a child that is not able to be vaccinated, it is important to take basic preventative measures such as hand washing, covering your mouth and staying home when sick to keep them healthy. Are you planning on having your children vaccinated for H1N1? -Nita  |
| Safe and Spooky Halloween Tips With Halloween just a few weeks away, your little ones are probably getting excited about their costumes, class parties and trick-or-treating. And while these can be fun experiences for children, they can be potentially dangerous for those with food allergies. Fortunately, with a little advance planning, you and your little ones can have a safe and spooky Halloween without the risk of an allergic reaction. Here are some tips and safe treats to help you prepare: Halloween Parties For Halloween parties (especially at school), it always helps to be involved in the planning process and to attend. You can also volunteer to bring your childs favorite sweet treat for everyone to try. Some safe options include this recipe for Dairy Free Caramel Apples or these delicious dairy and gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Trick-or-Treating Most important when trick-or-treating is to examine your childrens candy before they eat any of it. Depending on the severity of their allergy, you may want to have them avoid putting their hands into candy bowls (since candy wrappers could be contaminated with allergens like nuts or dairy). Have neighbors drop the candies into their bags directly, or incorporate gloves into their costume design. Consider creating a EUR |