Category Archives: Uncategorized

Sunscreen Benefits and Tips

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This summer has turned out to be quite a hot one for most areas throughout the country. That summer sun that you think about all year is accompanied by a risk of harmful UV rays. These UV rays can cause short-term and long-term damage to your skin. These risks can include sunburn, signs of aging and increased risk of skin cancer. But yet, even with these risks people still seem to leave the sunscreen home, hoping to get a tan. This is not recommended.

You should apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, then wait for 10 to 20 minutes before getting dressed. It is also recommended to reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, or after every water exposure or sweating even if they are labeled water-resistant. Studies show that SPF 30 sunscreen blocks 97% of UV rays. An increase above SPF 50 only slightly increases the effectiveness. The most important thing is to keep wearing the sunscreen and reapplying.

 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sun-protection-appropriate-sunscreen-use-2018062114114

A Creative Alternative to Dying “Chicken” Eggs for Easter

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Eggnots:

To dye or not to dye Ester eggs- that is the question!  I’ve always personally dreaded dying Easter eggs, although my children seem to have enjoyed it.  First of all, boiling eggs.  Yes- seems easy and straight-forward enough.  However, even with an egg timer, I’m constantly wondering if they are done enough.   I often boil the water too long, and an egg breaks, which creates a bit of a mess.  Then there’s the inevitable ‘oops’ as at least one egg rolls off the counter onto the floor.  Then, after the fun and the kids are long gone, the mess is cleaned up, and the eggs are safely put away in the refrigerator, the reality sets in.  I am going to be eating AND smelling boiled eggs for the next month!

 

Or- I can choose an alternative called eggnots.  Eggnots is a dyeable ceramic replacement for traditional Easter eggs.  This is a great alternative for vegan families and for kids with egg allergies.  I love the fact that they are ceramic, dyeable, and non-perishable.  They can be displayed proudly on the kitchen table as part of your Easter decor, instead of being tucked away in your refrigerator mere seconds after dying ‘real’ eggs.  I wish I would have come across this product years ago, before my children grew into teen/pre-teen non-believers of magical beings!

Mylan’s EpiPen Recall in the United States

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Many of our patients have been prescribed epinephrine in case of a rare anaphylactic reaction to their allergy drops, so I wanted to pass along some information about a voluntary recall of Mylan’s popular brands of epinephrine: EpiPen 2-Pak® and EpiPen Jr 2-Pak®.
If you or someone you know were prescribed one of these medications, please click on the link below for more information about the lot numbers of the recalled products and for replacement information.   If your lot number matches one of the recalled products, you will need to contact Stericycle at 877-650-3494. If not, your EpiPen product is not affected by the recall and there is no further action necessary.

EpiPen Recall

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Food Allergies

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In honor of the upcoming World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, I wanted to share some information regarding autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and food allergies.

 

General Information:

IgE-mediated allergic diseases (e.g., allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic asthma and food allergy) are among the most common chronic conditions worldwide, and are continuing to rise each year.  In addition to easily recognized symptoms, such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and coughing, allergic diseases can cause neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as irritability and hyperactivity, in otherwise healthy individuals. This is also likely to occur in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Moreover, the discomfort and pain associated with allergic diseases could aggravate behavioral symptoms in ASD children. [1]  This may be due the child’s inability to communicate or fully understand or explain his or her discomfort.

 

Allergy Testing:

Autism spectrum disorder children are known to suffer from additional issues, with gastrointestinal (GI) and sleep disorders being the most common. It may be useful to test for food allergies to confirm or rule out allergies as a cause for GI issues.  Allergy testing can be done by skin testing or blood work.  Many times these tests indicate that children do, in fact, have true allergic responses to foods. Other times, the tests come back “negative” for food allergies.

 

Allergy Treatment:

If a patient tests positive for food allergies, they can be treated with sublingual immunotherapy (allergy drops), by avoiding the allergy-inducing foods altogether, or a combination of both.

 

For more information about World Autism Awareness Day, please go to: https://www.autismspeaks.org/.  Wear blue on April 2 to show your support of the Light It Up Blue national campaign.

 

[1] http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/721702_1