We have received notification from Alphapharm (the company that distributes EpiPens) this morning that some batches of EpiPen 300 mcg (not the EpiPen Junior) are potentially defective. Which EpiPens are affected?: Only some of the EpiPen 300 mcg (not the EpiPen Junior 150 mcg at this stage) with the following batch numbers (all expiry in April 2017):[…]
Parents of young infants often ask me when should I introduce solid foods. There is evidence that early introduction of solids may reduce the risk of development of immediate food allergies. Delayed introduction of foods does not protect against food allergy, and may even promote food allergies. Guidelines use to suggest delay nut introduction until the[…]
There is good evidence that early introduction and then regular consumption of peanut into an infant’s diet between 4-11 months of age decreases the risk of peanut allergy in those with severe eczema and/or egg allergy (two groups which appear to have a greater risk of peanut allergy). Another study which looked allergenic food introduction, including peanut, from[…]
The short answer is no. Whether a person develops anaphylaxis at any one time depends on: How much allergen has been ingested Whether the allergen has been modified (i.e. for cow milk/egg the reactions tend to be more severe if it is uncooked vs baked) The allergen itself (e.g. nuts and shellfish often cause more[…]
Recently we published our observations on FPIES at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Specifically we examined the time it takes infants with the condition to outgrow it (see http://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(16)30485-8/abstract). The summary of our findings are: Children with cow’s milk or rice FPIES achieve tolerance (i.e. outgrow their allergy) much faster than those with egg or fish FPIES.[…]
About 60-70% of children with an immediate cow milk allergy can tolerate baked milk products. It is thought that the high heat denatures the milk proteins rendering it less allergenic. It appears children who have asthma and multiple food allergies (> 2-3 separate food immediate food allergies) are more likely to react to baked milk.[…]
Immediate cow milk allergy (CMA) occurs as the immune system produces an allergy antibody called IgE to cow milk protein(s). This means if a child is re-exposed to cow milk protein then immediately (usually within 1 hour) an allergic reaction occurs. This is different to a cow milk intolerance (which can be to the protein of[…]
Welcome to the new website for Dr Sam Mehr, a Paediatric Allergist/Immunologist with private practices in both Melbourne and Sydney. Dr Sam Mehr has been in private practice since 2010, and specialises in food/drug/insect allergies, allergic rhinitis, immunodeficiency and non-IgE mediated food allergies, such as FPIES and eosinophilic esophagitis.