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Study Shows That Nearly Half of Children with Food Allergies Experience Bullying

Parents and pediatricians should routinely ask children with food allergy about bullying

NEW YORK – Nearly half of children diagnosed with food allergies who participated in a recent study are bullied, according to researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. One third of those bullied specifically due to their food allergy. Almost eight percent of children in the U.S. are allergic to foods such as peanuts, tree-nuts, milk, eggs, and shellfish.

Nearly half of parents surveyed (47.9 percent) were not aware of the bullying—although both the bullied children and their parents reported experiencing higher stress levels and lower quality of life.

The study, titled, “Child and Parental Reports of Bullying in a Consecutive Sample of Children with Food Allergy,” appears in the online issue of Pediatrics on December 24. The study was led by Eyal Shemesh, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.  Dr. Shemesh and his team surveyed 251 pairs of parents and children. The patient and parent pairs were consecutively recruited during allergy clinic visits to independently answer questionnaires. Bullying due to food allergy or for any cause, quality of life, and distress in both the child and parent were evaluated using validated questionnaires.

“Parents and pediatricians should routinely ask children with food allergy about bullying,” said Dr. Shemesh. “Finding out about the child’s experience might allow targeted interventions, and would be expected to reduce additional stress and improve quality of life for these children trying to manage their food allergies.” Dr. Shemesh is Director of EMPOWER (Enhancing, Managing, and Promoting Well-being and Resiliency), a program within Mount Sinai’s Jaffe Food Allergy Institute. Dr. Shemesh is also Chief of the Division of Behavioral and Developmental Health in the Department of Pediatrics at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.

“When parents are aware of the bullying, the child’s quality of life is better,” said the senior author, Scott H. Sicherer, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Chief, Division of Pediatric Allergy, Co-Director, EMPOWER program. “Our results should raise awareness for parents, school personnel, and physicians to proactively identify and address bullying in this population.”

Author: Mount Sinai, Researchers Survey Shows That Nearly Half of Children with Food Allergies Experience Bullying, December 24, 2012

The study, titled, “Child and Parental Reports of Bullying in a Consecutive Sample of Children with Food Allergy,” appears in the online issue of Pediatrics.

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Household Cleaning Products – one of the leading sources of pediatric poisoning

New National Study Finds Decrease in Pediatric Injuries Associated with Household Cleaners Children younger than 6 years still at high risk of poisoning

Every year in the United States, there are more than 1.2 million poison exposures among children younger than 6 years. In recent decades, household cleaning products have consistently been one of the leading sources of pediatric poisoning. A new study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that from 1990-2006, an estimated 267,269 children younger than 6 years were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for injuries attributable to household cleaning products. During the 17-year study period, researchers noted a 46 percent decrease in the number of injuries.

Data from the study, being released online August 2 and appearing in the September issue of Pediatrics, show that most of the household cleaner-related injuries were poisonings, with children ages 1-3 years accounting for the majority (72 percent) of the injuries. Bleach was the cleaning product most commonly associated with injury (37.1 percent). While approximately one-third of the injuries occurred through contact with the cleaning product, the more frequent means was ingestion (62.7 percent), and spray bottles were the most common storage container (40.1 percent).

“Interestingly, spray bottles were the only major storage source that increased over the study period,” said study lead author Lara McKenzie, PhD, principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Although rates of household cleaner-related injuries from regular bottles and original containers decreased during the study period, spray bottle injury rates remained constant. This area is worthy of further research.”

The good news is that the number of injuries decreased almost by half during the study period, but the bad news is that there were still nearly 12,000 children younger than 6 years who suffered injuries from household cleaning products in 2006.

“Young children are curious about their surroundings and tend to explore their environment by putting things in their mouths,” said Dr. McKenzie, also a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “This general sense of inquisitiveness, combined with increased mobility, the ubiquitous nature of household cleaning products and the ease of accessibility, place young children at high risk of injury.”

Parents and caregivers must do their part to prevent childhood poisonings. According to Heath Jolliff, DO, associate medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, parents should store poisonous substances in locked cabinets, out of sight and reach of children.

“It’s important to only purchase cleaners with child-resistant packaging, keep all products in their original containers and properly dispose of leftover or unused products,” Dr. Jolliff, also a faculty member at OSU College of Medicine, said.

Parents should also know what to do if they suspect their child has come in contact with a poison. Dr. Jolliff advises to immediately contact the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 (this national number will direct callers to their local Poison Center), unless the child is unconscious, not breathing, or having seizures, in which case parents should call 9-1-1.

This is the first published study using nationally representative data to examine poisonings from household cleaning products among children younger than 6 years for an extended time period. Data for this study were collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The NEISS dataset provides information on consumer product-related and sports and recreation-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments across the country.

Reference:

Nationwide Children’s Hospital, New National Study Finds Decrease in Pediatric Injuries Associated with Household Cleaners Children younger than 6 years still at high risk of poisoning, Columbus, OH – 8/2/2010.

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Further Articles about Children’s Health:

EFSA publishes European overview of dioxin levels in food and feed

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an analysis of the levels of dioxins and related substances in food and animal feed. The report, which was prepared by EFSA’s Data Collection and Exposure unit, is based on over 7,000 samples collected by 21 European countries between 1999 and 2008. EFSA was asked by the European Commission to evaluate dioxin contamination levels in relation to maximum levels which have been set for different categories of food and feed in the EU in order to protect consumers.

Dioxins and similar compounds, such as dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), include a range of toxic substances which are formed by burning – e.g. through waste incineration or forest fires – and some industrial processes. Their presence in the environment has declined since the 1970s, following concerted efforts at the EU level.

Dioxins are found at low levels in many foods. They do not cause immediate health problems, but long-term exposure to high levels of dioxins has been shown to cause a range of effects, including cancer. Their persistence and the fact that they accumulate in the food chain, notably in animal fat, therefore continues to cause some safety concerns.

The highest average levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in relation to fat content were observed for liver and liver products from animals. The highest average levels in relation to total product weight were for fish liver and products derived from fish liver. In animal feed, the highest average levels were found in fish oil.

Overall, 8% of the samples exceeded the different maximum levels set out in EU legislation. However, some of these samples clearly originated from targeted sampling during specific contamination episodes. There were also large variations between different groups of food and feed in terms of the proportion of samples which exceed maximum levels.

The report concludes that no clear trend can be established regarding changes in background levels of dioxins and related substances in food and feed over time, as there were increases in some categories but decreases in others. Furthermore, occasional contamination episodes and a lack of information on which samples resulted from targeted or random sampling make it difficult to assess such trends.

The current EU method for measuring overall dioxin levels is based on toxicity values for different types of dioxins recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1998. EFSA was also asked to assess the impact on total dioxin levels of using toxicity values set out in WHO recommendations from 2005, which downgraded the relative toxicity of certain types of dioxins. The report finds that using the new values would reduce overall dioxin levels by 14%, although the extent of this reduction was very different across food and feed categories.

Finally, the report recommends continuous random testing of a sufficient number of samples in each food and feed group to ensure accurate assessments of the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs.

Author; EFSA, EFSA publishes European overview of dioxin levels in food and feed, March 31, 2010

German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine mentioned MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity at Thesaurus “Safety and Health at Work”

The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine has published an alphabetical and systematic Thesaurus “Safety and Health at Work”. The Thesaurus has been created in a long-standing cooperation between documentalists, librarians and scientists from the Federal Institute of Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine.    

The disease MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (ICD-10 T78.4) is mentioned at the Thesaurus “Safety and Health at Work”, alphabetical Part, Status May 2009, as: 

MCS - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity at Thesaurus

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (B02.19.00)     

At the systematic Part MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is found at the category B02:  

“Work related Disease and Occupational Disease/Disease”  

integrated in Part:  

  • B02.19 Other Disease 
  • B02.19.00 Multiple Chemical Sensitivity  

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is integrated analogue.  

 

MCS is not classified as a mental disease

To clear up occurring doubts, it is to point out that MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is not integrated into chapter B02.15: Mental diseases, Depression, Neurosis, Post traumatic Stress Disorder or psychosomatic diseases. 

Thesaurus “Safety and Health at Work”

The Thesaurus offers a quick overview on the broad group of themes “Safety and Health at Work”. It contains about 3 500 main keywords and is the joining of the keywords from the two previous Thesauri “Safety at Work” and “Occupational Medicine”. The Thesaurus is based on the practical work of the Library group, documentation at the content development and their research of technical literature. It is a tool for documentation.   

The Thesaurus is intended for all who search for literature about “Safety and Health at Work”. It is supportive for prearrangement of research inquiries at the data pool LITDOK and can be helpful for searching in topic related databases.  

Author: Silvia K. Müller, CSN – Chemical Sensitivity Network, July 23, 2009  

Reference:  Thesaurus „Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit“ Alphabetischer Teil, Systemischer Teil, Dortmund/Berlin/Dresden 2009. 

Research on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Scientist researching about MCS - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Research on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

 

Compiled by

Professor Anne C. Steinemann and Amy L. Davis

University of Washington

 

This document lists scientific citations for peer-reviewed journal articles that support a physiological basis for MCS:

  1. Abdel-Rahman A., Shetty A.K., Abou-Donia M.B. 2002. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier and neuronal cell death in cingulate cortex, dentate gyrus, thalamus, and hypothalamus in a rat model of Gulf-War syndrome. Neurobiology of Disease 10(3): 306-26.
  2. Abel-Rahman A., Abou-Donia S., El-Masry E., Shetty A., Abou-Donia M. 2004. Stress and combined exposure to low doses of pyridostigmine bromide, DEET, and permethrin produce neurochemical and neuropathological alteration in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 67(2): 163-92.
  3. Abdel-Rahman A., Dechkovskaia A.M., Goldstein L.B., Bullman S.H., Khan W., El-Masry E.M., Abou-Donia M.B. 2004. Neurological deficits induced by malathion, DEET, and permethrin, alone or in combination in adult rats. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 67(4): 331-56.
  4. Abou-Donia M.B 2003. Organophosphorus ester-induced chronic neurotoxicity. Archives of Environmental Health 58(8): 484-97.
  5. Abou-Donia M.B., Wilmarth K.R., Abdel-Rahman A.A., Jenseen K.F., Oehme F.W., Kurt T.L. 1996. Increased neurotoxicity following concurrent exposure to pyridostigmine bromide, DEET, and chlorpyrifos. Fundamentals of Applied Toxicology 34(2): 201-22.
  6. Abou-Donia M.B., Dechkovskaia A.M., Goldstein L.B., Shah D.U., Bullman S.L., Khan W.A. July 2002. Uranyl acetate-induced sensorimotor deficit and increased nitric oxide generation in the central nervous system in rats. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior 72(4): 881-90.
  7. Abou-Donia M.B., Dechkovskaia A.M., Goldstein B., Abdel-Rahman A., Bullman S.L., Khan W.A. 2004. Co-exposure to pyridostigmine bromide, DEET, and/or permethrin causes sensorimotor deficit and alterations in brain acetylcholinesterase activity. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior 77(2): 253-62.
  8. Abu-Qare A.W., Abou-Donia M.B. 2001. Combined exposure to sarin pyridostigmine bromide increased levels of rat urinary 3-nitrotyrosine and 8-hydroxy-2’deoxyguanosine, biomarkers of oxidative stress. Toxicology Letters 123(1): 51-58.
  9. Abu-Qare A.W., Abou-Donia M.B. 2001. Biomarkers of apoptosis: release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase-3, induction of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, increased 3-nitrotyrosine, and alteration of p53 gene. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B, Critical Reviews 4(3): 313-32.
  10. Abu-Qare A.W., Abou-Donia M.B. 2008. In vitro metabolism and interactions of pyridostigmine bromide, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, and permethrin in human plasma and liver microsomal enzymes. Xenobiotica 38(3): 294-313.
  11. Anderson R.C., Anderson J.H. 1999. Sensory irritation and multiple chemical sensitivity. Toxicology and Industrial Health 15(3-4): 339-45.
  12. Ashford N.A. 1999. Low-level chemical sensitivity: implications for research and social policy. Toxicology and Industrial Health 15(3-4): 421-47.
  13. Baldwin C.M. and Bell I.R. 1998. Increased cardiopulmonary disease risk in a community-based sample with chemical odor intolerance: implications for women’s health and health-care utilization. Archives of Environmental Health 1998 53(5): 347-53.
  14. Baldwin C.M., Bell I.R., O’Rourke M.K. 1999. Odor sensitivity and respiratory complaint profiles in a community-based sample with asthma, hay fever, and chemical odor intolerance. Toxicology and Industrial Health 15(3-4): 403-9.
  15. Bascom R., Meggs W.J., Framptom M., Hudnell K., Kilburn K., Kobal G., Medinsky M., Rea W. 1997. Neurogenic inflammation: with additional discussion of central and perceptual integration of nonneurogenic inflammation. Environmental Health Perspective 105 (Suppl. 2): 531-37.
  16. Bell I.R., Miller C.S., and Schwartz G.E. 1992. An olfactory-limbic model of multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome: possible relationships to kindling and affective spectrum disorders. Biological Psychiatry 32(3): 218-42.
  17. Bell I.R., Warg-Damiani L., Baldwin C.M., Walsh M.E., Schwartz G.E. 1998. Self-reported chemical sensitivity and wartime chemical exposures in Gulf War veterans with and without decreased global health ratings. Military Medicine 163(11): 725-32.
  18. Bell I.R., Schwartz G.E., Peterson J.M. and Amend D. 1993. Self-reported illness from chemical odors in young adults without clinical syndromes or occupational exposures. Archives of Environmental Health. 48(1): 6-13.
  19. Bell I.R., Schwartz G.E., Baldwin C.M., Hardin E.E. 1996. Neural sensitization and physiological markers in multiple chemical sensitivity. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 24(1), pt. 2: S39-S47.
  20. Bell I.R., Baldwin C.M., Schwartz G.E.R. 2001. Sensitization studies in chemically intolerant individuals: implications for individual difference research. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 933:38-47.
  21. Brandt-Rauf P.W., Andrews L.R., Schwarz-Miller J. 1991. Sick-hospital syndrome. Journal of Occupational Medicine 33(6): 737-39.
  22. Bronstein A.C. 1995. Multiple chemical sensitivities—new paradigm needed. Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology 33(2): 93-94.
  23. Brooks S.M., Weiss M.A., Bernstein I.L. 1985. Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome. Case reports of persistent airways hyperreactivity following high-level irritant exposures. Journal of Occupational Medicine 27(7): 473-76.
  24. Brown-DeGagne A.M., McGlone J. 1999. Multiple chemical sensitivity: a test of the olfactory-limbic model. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 41(5): 366-77.
  25. Buchwald D., Garrity D. 1994. Comparison of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities. Archives of Internal Medicine 154(18): 2049-53.
  26. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C. 2003. A review of a two-phase population study of multiple chemical sensitivities. Environmental Health Perspectives 111(12): 1490-97.
  27. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C. 2004. Prevalence of multiple chemical sensitivities: A population-based study in the southeastern United States. American Journal of Public Health 94(5): 746-47.
  28. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C. 2009. Prevalence of fragrance sensitivity in the American population. Journal of Environmental Health 71(7): 46-50.
  29. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C. 2009. Asthma and chemical hypersensitivity: prevalence, etiology, and age of onset. Toxicology and Industrial Health 25(1): 71-78.
  30. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C. 2004. A national population study of the prevalence of multiple chemical sensitivity. Archives of Environmental Health 59(6): 300-305.
  31. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C. 2005. National prevalence of asthma and chemical hypersensitivity: an examination of potential overlap. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 47(5): 518-22.
  32. Caress S.M., Steinemann A.C., Waddick C. 2002. Symptomatology and etiology of multiple chemical sensitivities in the southeastern United States. Archives of Environmental Health 57(5): 429-36.
  33. Davidoff A.L., Keyl P.M., Meggs W.J. 1998. Development of multiple chemical sensitivities in laborers after acute gasoline fume exposure in an underground tunneling operation. Archives of Environmental Health 53(3):183-89.
  34. DeRosa C.T., Hicks H.E., Ashizawa A.E., Pohl H.R., Mumtaz M.M. 2006. A regional approach to assess the impact of living in a chemical world. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1076:829-38.
  35. Donnay A.H. 1999. On the recognition of multiple chemical sensitivity in medical literature and government policy. International Journal of Toxicology 18(6): 383-92.
  36. Elberling J., Linneberg A., Dirksen A., Johansen J.D., Frølund L., Madsen F., et al. 2005. Mucosal symptoms elicited by fragrance products in a population-based sample in relation to atopy and bronchial hyper-reactivity. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 35(1): 75-81.
  37. Farrow A., Taylor H., Northstone K., Golding J. 2003. Symptoms of mothers and infants related to total volatile organic compounds in household products. Archives of Environmental Health 58(10): 633-41.
  38. Fernandez M., Bell I.R., Schwartz G.E. 1999. EEG sensitization during chemical exposure in women with and without chemical sensitivity of unknown etiology. Toxicology and Industrial Health 15(3-4): 305-12.
  39. Gibson P.R., Elms A.N., Ruding L.A. 2003. Perceived treatment efficacy for conventional and alternative therapies reported by persons with multiple chemical sensitivity. Environmental Health Perspectives 111(12): 1498-1504.
  40. Gilbert M.E. 1995. Repeated exposure to lindane leads to behavioral sensitivities and facilitates electrical kindling. Neurotoxicolgy and Teratology 17(2): 131-41.
  41. Greene G.J., Kipen H.M. 2002. The vomeronasal organ and chemical sensitivity: a hypothesis. Environmental Health Perspectives 110 (Suppl 4): 655-61.
  42. Haley R.W., Billecke S., La Du B.N. 1999. Association of low PON1 type Q (type A) arylesterase activity with neurologic symptoms complexes in Gulf War veterans. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 157(3): 227-33.
  43. Heuser G., Mena I., Alamos F. 1994. NeuroSPECT findings in patients exposed to neurotoxic chemicals. Toxicology and Industrial Health 10: 561-71.
  44. Jammes Y., DelPierre S., DelVolgo M.J., Humbert-Tena C., Burnet, H. 1998. Long-term exposure of adults to outdoor air pollution is associated with increased airway obstruction and higher prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Archives of Environmental Health 53(6): 372-77.
  45. Johansson A., Löwhagen O., Millqvist E., Bende M. 2002. Capsaicin inhalation test for identification of sensory hyperreactivity. Respiratory Medicine 96(9): 731-35.
  46. Joffres M.R., Sampalli T., Fox R.A. 2005. Physiologic and symptomatic responses to low-level substances in individuals with and without chemical sensitivities; a randomized controlled blinded pilot booth study. Environmental Health Perspectives 113(9): 1178-83.
  47. Kelly K.J., Prezant D.J. 2005. Bronchial hyperreactivity and other inhalation lung injuries in rescue/recovery workers after the world trade center collapse. Critical Care Medicine 33 (Suppl 1): S102-S106.
  48. Kilburn K.H. 2003. Effects of hydrogen sulfide in neurobehavioral function. Southern Medical Journal 90(10): 997-1106.
  49. Kilburn K.H. 1999. Measuring the effects of chemicals in the brain. Archives of Environmental Health 54(3): 150. Read more…