  Amarria Johnson became one of those stories this month that hits you right in the gut as a parent, as a human. A little girl on a Virginia playground handed a small goodie from a friend. Without thinking, as 7-year-olds can do, she pops it in her mouth.
The goodie turns out to be a peanut, Amarria is peanut-allergic, the emergency response at the school is too slow, and a little girl ends up a casualty of a completely preventable death and now a cause célèbre.
Scant weeks ago, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network began touting the proposed School Access to Epinephrine Act. Many didn’t instantly get the need for such legislation, but then Amarria came along. A girl who didn’t have her own epinephrine auto-injector available, who went into full-flight anaphylaxis in a school clinic – as other children’s auto-injectors sat untouched.
See Gwen Smith
on Who’s to Blame?
Food allergy and asthma advocates and Allergic Living have teamed up to form the Coalition for Megann’s Law in Quebec. Over 2,100 letters have now been sent in support of such a law and to mandate province-wide teacher training on anaphylaxis and asthma.
Learn more about the Megannn and the campaign here. |
 
 The cutoff to include the Allergic Living Spring 2012 edition in a new subscription is approaching quickly.
Don’t miss out: it’s so easy to subscribe or renew online.
American residents: here
Canadian residents: here
Order a back Issue of
Allergic Living: here |
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 • Take the Survey: Gluten in Your Pills
There have long been concerns about gluten hiding as an unlabeled “extra” in some medications. Now the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), in partnership with St. John’s University, has launched the first-ever survey on gluten in medications.
If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, it’s important to take the survey here to help find the answers. In the second phase, specific medications will be tested for gluten.
• Feeling Blue? With Celiac, You’re Not Alone
New research suggests that women with celiac disease are more prone to depression and disordered eating – even if they’ve already gone gluten-free. Here’s what the lead researcher has to say. Read |
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• Q. Is eczema directly linked to cow’s milk allergy?
Dr. Scott Sicherer, Chief of Allergy and Immunology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, explores a complex question. Read
• Q. Since my husband and I both have allergies, is there any “safer” way to introduce cow’s milk to my baby?
Dr. Susan Waserman, allergist and professor of medicine in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, has an intriguing suggestion. Read | |  |
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New peanut butter
Cheerios flavor
raises hackles of
allergy parents. |
Got allergies?
Then you may not
want to get a cat. |
Solution to Plavix
allergy could prove
a lifesaver for
heart patients. |
Celiac’s link
to other health conditions. |
Asthma tattoo
saves woman’s life. |
Pool chlorine tied
to mild asthma in
elite swimmers. |
Cold-induced hives
linked to gene
mutation. |
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Jan. 25, 8:30 p.m.
ET. Webinar: Food As
Medicine for Celiac
Disease. more |
Feb. 5-7, AllerGen
network’s allergy
research conf.,
Toronto. more |
Feb. 7, 8:30 p.m. ET.
Webinar: Gluten-Free
and Heart Health.
Learn to be heart
smart while on the
GF diet. more |
Mar. 2-6 AAAAI
annual allergists’
meeting, Orlando.
more |
Mar. 10 FAAN Walk
for Food Allergy,
Tuscon, AZ. more |
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