Articles From HiPP

Planning and communication are the keys to a successful childcare partnership, especially if your little one has a food allergy. The first day of nursery or daycare can be an anxious time for parents; after all, there's a lot to consider and arrange to make sure everything goes smoothly. Add a food allergy to the mix, and it’s easy to see how it can all seem quite daunting!
 
The good news is that with a bit of careful planning, it doesn’t have to be so hard. Here are some useful tips to help make this new start easier for everyone.
 
Before the first day
 
It's a good idea to meet with your new caretaker/s to tell them about your child’s allergy. This allows both you and them to ask any questions you might have.
 
You may want to ask the following:
 

• Are the staff/caretakers trained in dealing with allergies (and/or using adrenaline if needed)?
• Who is in charge of what your child will be eating, and can changes be made to this if needed?
• Can you provide your child with food from home? Do other children bring in foods from home (which might contain allergens)?
• Do the children handle food as part of play or learning? If so, how can this be kept safe for your child?
• if your child needs to go to hospital, do they have a procedure to follow, and what is it?

You also may want to provide the nursery or caretaker with some information about your child and their allergy so that they can prepare. This might include:

• A photo of your child so that it can be put with their medical records; if your child is attending a large nursery, this will help make sure staff can put a face to the name and avoid mix-ups.
• Details of what symptoms your child might show if he or she is exposed to an allergen, and instructions on how to deal with these symptoms, including what medication should be given if needed.
• Up-to-date contact information in case of an emergency.

 The first day – and thereafter
 
Try not to be too nervous; nearly all nurseries and caretakers will have had previous experience caring for children with food allergies, and they will know what to do.
 
It may help to take along a list of foods/drinks your child can and can’t eat, and hand this to the caretakers or kitchen staff so that you can be sure they know what to avoid. If the nursery has a weekly meal plan, you may be able to look through it and see if the recipes can be easily adapted. If not, it may be easier for you to bring in food from home, if this is allowed.
 
If you are allowed to bring in food from home, try to keep this as varied and interesting as possible, so that your child doesn’t feel tempted to share someone else's snack!
 
Staying in touch
 
It's worth keeping in touch regularly with your child's main caretaker, so that they can let you know about any contact with an allergen, and you can let them know about any medication or changes in your child's symptoms. With good planning, there's no reason for a food allergy to keep your child from enjoying all the new and exciting experiences child care has to offer!
 
Free From Allergens
 
HiPP Organic milk formula supplements are formulated to be Free from harmful chemicals and common allergens. Free from synthetic pesticide residues, antibiotic residue, GMOs, growth-promoting hormones, added artificial sugars. Free from common allergens. No gluten, eggs, peanuts, soy, shell fruits, nuts and fish. 

Wondering if your child has an allergy or intolerance can be stressful. During this time, you may be struggling to avoid certain foods in order to keep your child’s symptoms from getting worse. Here are some ways to find out if your child has a food allergy or intolerance —plus a few practical tips!
You might have heard that there are places which can test for allergies in one day. But are they worth using, and should you trust the results?
 
Many of these high street tests are based on complementary & alternative medicine and aren't supported by any scientific evidence. Unlike this, the tests your doctor will prescribe is proven  safer and effective. In the long term, avoiding lots of foods without any proof of an allergy could mean your little one isn't getting the right nutrition to grow up healthy.
 
Here are the tests which your doctor may request:
 

• Skin prick test (SPT) – During this test, an allergist will place drops of solutions containing different potential allergens on the skin, then use a tiny lancet to prick through the solution and into the top layers of the skin. A few minutes later, the allergist will check to see whether the skin has reacted by swelling or turning red; this shows a specific type of allergy called an ‘IgE allergy’.
• Blood tests (RAST or ‘specific IgE’ test) – This involves taking a blood sample and counting the number of ‘IgE’ antibodies it produces in response to the suspect food.
• Food challenge – In this test, the allergist will place very small amounts of the suspect food in your child’s mouth and observe any symptoms (under medical supervision).
• Food exclusion and reintroduction – This 'test' involves removing the suspect food from your child’s diet to see what effect this has on symptoms. If the symptoms improve, then your doctor may suggest re-introducing the food briefly to see if the symptoms return.

 
What are high street tests?
 

• ‘IgG’ blood test is meant to measure the amount of ‘IgG’ the blood produces when exposed to a suspect food. ‘IgG’ is an antibody which sounds similar to the ‘IgE’ antibody involved in true allergies, but which is completely different. While it sounds a lot like the RAST/IgE tests mentioned above, this test is completely different. Levels of ‘IgG’ do not reflect an allergy, and they could even mask one.
• Kinesiology (muscle testing) – This is based on a theory that certain foods can disrupt energy fields and cause muscle weakness. There is no scientific evidence to support this theory, and this test could result in many different foods showing ‘positive’ for an allergy.
• Hair analysis – Testing a lock of hair in a laboratory to show heavy metal levels or nutrient deficiencies. Whilst these tests may well check these levels, they have no relation to whether someone has an allergy or not.
• Leucocytotoxic test – This may sound scientific, however the process goes as follows: a blood sample is taken and the white blood cells are mixed with the allergen. If the white blood cells swell, practitioners say this indicates an allergy. However, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that this test is at all accurate.
• VEGA/Electrodermal test – This is based on a theory that electromagnetic currents in the body change when presented with a food that the patient is allergic to. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this test.
• Others – Other analysis which might be offered include blood analysis ‘while you wait’, stool sample analysis and tests on urine and saliva.
• Essentially, the decision you make about allergy testing is entirely up to you; however, consulting your doctor ensures you that you will only be treated by trained medical professionals, using techniques which have been thoroughly studied and have good quality evidence to show that they work.

 Free From Allergens HiPP Organic milk formula supplements are formulated to be Free from harmful chemicals and common allergens. Free from synthetic pesticide residues, antibiotic residue, GMOs, growth-promoting hormones, added artificial sugars. Free from common allergens. No gluten, eggs, peanuts, soy, shell fruits, nuts and fish.