| Waukee schools ban foods amid nut allergies
Even a hint of peanut - in a sandwich, on a countertop, in a whiff of breath - could spell serious and possibly fatal trouble for Waukee-area students with a rare allergy.
Airways can constrict. Blood pressure may drop. The nose might run, the eyes might itch and the stomach might cramp. Skin often breaks out in hives.
The symptoms associated with anaphylaxis - a multi-system, allergic reaction to peanuts and other items - remain as rare as they are frightening. Yet the number of students who react violently to such products has grown steadily with the Waukee school district's population, administrators said. The district, as a result, is clamping down on common food items in hopes of avoiding a potentially lethal allergic encounter.
"This is a life-safety issue for our children" requiring fast and decisive action, said Superintendent David Wilkerson.
Studies Showed Fluticasone Furoate Nasal Spray Was Well-Tolerated ...
Four out of every 10 children suffer from severe nasal allergy symptoms that may affect their overall well-being. Now, clinical research suggests that fluticasone furoate nasal spray (FFNS), a once-a-day allergy medicine under Food and Drug Administration review, effectively treats sneezing, runny nose, nasal itching, and nasal congestion in children 2 to 11 years of age with seasonal and year-round nasal allergies. Moreover, the investigational drug had no effect on children's short-term growth.
Data from these studies, including two Phase III trials (poster #1193, 1189) involving more than 1,100 children, were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). The Phase III studies were designed to evaluate how safe and effective FFNS was in children with either seasonal allergies, which are caused by pollen, or year-round allergies, which are caused by dust mites, mold, and animal dander.
'Making the lives of allergenic consumers a great deal easier'
A FOOD Allergy Strategy for Wales, designed to educate food businesses, will be launched at a public health conference organised by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) in Cardiff on Wednesday. Julie Barratt, below, CIEH director for Wales, said, "It is estimated that between 5 and 8% of children and 1 to 2% of adults in the UK suffer from food allergies. "Reactions can range from mild itching of the skin, tissue swelling and wheezing, to anaphylaxis, which may result in death. "Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction. The whole body is affected, often within minutes of exposure to a very small amount of allergen. Official figures estimate approximately 10 deaths per year are caused by anaphylactic reactions triggered by food. "People with food allergies, quite literally, take their life in their hands every time they eat pre-prepared food.
Have groceries, will travel: Cheri Hillier makes a living making dinners
MONTICELLO - Cheri Hillier has enjoyed cooking for as long as she can remember."My love of cooking came from my dad," Hillier said. "He was a cook in the Army. He could whip up something unique in a jiffy. He was never traditional. I would be at the stove with him at eight, nine years old."After years of working as a sales representative for a hotel chain and events director for a large charity, Hillier decided to put her career where her heart is.Hillier, a rural Monticello resident, is taking her cooking experience on the road, creating tasty dishes such as seafood lasagna and pesto-stuffed chicken breast for anyone who will invite her into their kitchen.She is also an avid vegetable gardener, who infuses her creations with fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions and squash during the growing season."I can cook anything, including your own recipes," Hillier said.
Federal contract decision deals blow to Emergent BioSolutions
A federal contract that Emergent BioSolutions was competing to win for development of a third-generation anthrax vaccine has been canceled, news that sent the company's share price tumbling by nearly 8 percent. After issuing a request for proposals in June for the vaccine and then amending it five times, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases halted the project because of "programmatic considerations," the Gaithersburg company says. .
Troubled waters over closure of Tharwa bridge
THARWA mum Nicole Jeffery says her two-year-old daughter Megan's life is threatened by the extra time it takes to drive her to Canberra Hospital since the Tharwa bridge closed last September. The 111-year-old bridge was closed because rotten timbers made it too dangerous for traffic and a new bridge will not be built until next year. Megan, who has life-threatening asthma and severe allergies, suffered an asthma attack last Monday and had to be driven to Canberra Hospital via Point Hutt. "She went into a massive asthma attack," she said. "We had to deal with that and threw her in the car and went to hospital which took over half an hour longer over the bridge it only takes 10 minutes. "We have dealt with this delay but continue to struggle with the extra time it takes to gain treatment we were taking her to hospital every couple of weeks last year." Because Megan's condition was so acute and she also had allergies to eggs and dairy products, Mrs Jeffery said it was touch-and-go sometimes to get her to hospital on time.
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