By Katarina Avendaño & Donna Duarte-Ladd
SpoonfulONE on Food Allergies in Kids and Their Quest to Help
Food allergies in kids are one of those things parents dread, and according to the CDC, “Food allergies are a growing food safety and public health concern that affect an estimated 8% of children in the United States.” Now with more scientific research, we want to educate ourselves in food allergens and find ways that we can help our kids.
According to the CDC, “A food allergy occurs when the body has a specific and reproducible immune response to certain foods. The body’s immune response can be severe and life threatening, such as anaphylaxis. Although the immune system normally protects people from germs, in people with food allergies, the immune system mistakenly responds to food as if it were harmful.”
Yet science is amazing, and now there is SpoonfulOne. Co-founder and inventor Dr. Kari Nadeau recently published a groundbreaking book: The End of Food Allergy. The book shares on preventing, diagnosing, and reversing food allergies from research by a team of trained experts.
We recently were invited to learn about SpoonfulOne. Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE, FAAP, pediatrician, and Chief Medical Officer of SpoonfulONE shares, “SpoonfulONE is a revolutionary, science-backed line of nutritional products that makes food allergen introduction & maintenance easy.”
Keeping all of this in mind, we touched base with Dr. Swanson on how SpoonfulOne works in decreasing food allergies.
What is SpoonfulONE?
SpoonfulONE is a revolutionary, science-backed line of nutritional products that makes food allergen introduction and maintenance easy. Each serving of pediatrician-recommended SpoonfulONE includes the food groups commonly associated with over 90% of food allergies.
How does it work?
SpoonfulONE is science-based nutrition that works in the tummy to help introduce common food allergens early during the immune system’s development. We precisely portioned the amount of proteins (30mg) in SpoonfulONE so that each serving is large enough to safely increase the production of IgG4 (good, protective antibodies). When eating SpoonfulONE, 16 foods are introduced to a child’s immune system. The immune cells in the stomach begin to recognize the foods. When eaten on an ongoing basis, SpoonfulONE teaches the immune system that the 16 foods are just foods, not allergens. Unlike other products on the market that only cover peanut, milk, or eggs, SpoonfulONE covers the food groups associated with over 90% of food allergies.
When is it too late for allergen introduction?
Ideally, we want families introducing common allergens around 4-6 months and continuing routine feeding through early toddlerhood. It’s never too late to start, however the true risk is in delayed introduction.
Can you purchase SpoonfulONE products with EBT? Are there any programs for families to make this more accessible?
SpoonfulONE recently launched SpoonfulONE for Good. We believe all families should have access to diet diversity and common allergens. If you are a parent with SNAP, WIC, or EBT benefits, or have experienced loss of employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please apply for a free, one-year subscription of SpoonfulONE products.
What is the science behind food allergies?
Multiple studies show parents can decrease food allergy risk by feeding their babies common food allergens early and repeatedly. SpoonfulONE is powered not only by global landmark research like the LEAP and EAT studies, but also our own proprietary research.
Why have food allergies more than doubled in the last generation?
Likely, in part, due to our modern world environment is more sterile than ever with the increased use of antibiotics, hand sanitizers, etc. We know that things like exposure to pets like dogs, and playing in dirt are great for the immune system and help downregulate the risk of food allergies. In addition, outdated advice pediatricians gave to delay the start of common allergens led to an increase in allergies as babies delayed introduction and inclusion of common allergens in their diets.
Why are pediatric recommendations changing from what was recommended in the past as to when you should be introducing certain foods into your child’s diet?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting your child on solids between 4 and 6 months of age. In a reversal from decades of advice from pediatricians to avoid the foods associated with food allergies, research now shows early and regular dietary exposure to a food — especially foods often associated with allergies, like peanuts — helps reduce the risk of a child developing an allergy to that food. Waiting too long to introduce and regularly feed these foods, research shows, increases the allergy risk.
What are top allergen foods that you should be introducing into your child’s diet and when?
Peanuts, milk, shellfish, tree nuts, egg, fish, grains, soy, and sesame. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting your child on solids between 4 and 6 months of age. Additionally, new USDA guidelines also recommend introducing common allergens around 4-6 months of age.
Why is early introduction important?
We know the immune system is primed in early infancy and toddlerhood. Delaying the introduction of common allergens can increase risk so helping parents get these foods in during critical, early periods of immune development is key.
What can you tell parents who are concerned about the risk of an allergic reaction when they introduce these foods into their baby’s diet so early on?
Most parents go straight to anaphylaxis when they hear “allergic reaction.” However, the two most common signs of an allergic reaction are hives and vomiting. You do not need to drive to your pediatrician’s office parking lot when offering new common allergens to your child. We need to move away from medicalizing feeding and instilling fear with first feedings.
Once you introduce these foods, how important is it to continue incorporating these foods into their diet as they grow and how?
Intermittent or “one bite” exposure to foods may not be enough for allergen introduction. Like any great habit (think toothbrushing), research shows the immune system works best when it’s exposed to a wide variety of foods regularly throughout a child’s early years. Scientists believe regular, consistent exposure to common allergens in the diet throughout early childhood is key to staying healthy.s
This story first appeared on NewYorkFamily.com.
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