good to know FDA approves new peanut allergy medication A new study ranks Massachusetts as one of the best states for families. In WalletHub’s 2020 Best & Worst States to Raise a Family, the Bay State took second place, just behind Minnesota. Our home state scored high in the areas of health and safety, education and family fun.
Terrible twos? More like stressful sixes. In a national survey of parents conducted by Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, moms and dads said children are the most difficult to handle at age 6.
Massachusetts has the highest vaccination rate in U.S. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Immunization Survey, researchers at expertinsurancereviews.com examined how many children in each state have completed the combined 7-vaccine series, which includes DTaP, Polio, MMR, Hib, HepB, Varicella, and PCV. Not only was the Bay State in the top spot, New England was the only region with consistently high combined vaccination rates in the country.
8 MARCH2020
As the number of children with food allergies continues to rise, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced the approval of the first medication to treat the second most common food allergy among children peanuts. The new medication, called Palforzia, was approved by the FDA on Jan. 31 and can be used in children ages 4 to 17. Although it is not a cure, the new medication is designed to minimize the incidence of severity of a child’s allergic reaction to peanuts. Palforzia works by exposing children to controlled dosages of peanut protein over time, which allows the chance for kids to build up a tolerance. Although peanut allergies are one of the most common, one in 13 children suffer from potentially life-threatening food allergies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of children with food allergies increased by about 50% between 1997 and 2011. Here are a few ways you can keep your children safe from food allergies, according to EatRight.org: • Get to know your child’s support team: Introduce yourself and your child to the adults he or she sees every day - teachers, nurses, coaches, bus drivers, cafeteria staff and administrators. Clear up any misconceptions they may have about food allergies. Provide them
with specific information about your child and how they can support him or her. • Know the epinephrine plan: Make sure your child’s epinephrine and written plans - such as the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan and a 504 Plan - are up-to-date and on file. This means asking where your child’s epinephrine auto-injectors are stored, who has access to them, how easily they can be accessed in case of an emergency and that they are stored properly. • Volunteer at your child’s school: Maintain frequent contact with a room parent and get involved. Sign up to volunteer or chaperone for classroom events or field trips. If you are unable to attend, ask a trusted friend, neighbor or family member who is comfortable administering epinephrine. • Involve your child: Read books about food allergies with younger children. Help them practice with auto-injector trainers and make up fun hand-washing songs before and after meals. Teach older children to read food labels, avoid non-labeled (including homemade) foods, how to recognize symptoms of a reaction and to report bullying. • Make safe meals and snacks fun: Try to treat allergies as a chance to teach children about healthful and safe eating. Read allergy-friendly cookbooks and blogs for inspiration, and get your child involved in safe food planning, shopping and preparation.
1 in 4 children with autism could go undiagnosed Children whose lives might be improved by getting services for autism could be falling through the cracks, according to a new study conducted by Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. The study, published in the journal Autism Research, found that one-fourth of children with autism spectrum disorder might go undiagnosed. Researchers also found that children whose autism is not recognized are more likely to be black or Hispanic. “There may be various reasons for the disparity, from communication or cultural barriers between minority parents and physicians to anxiety about the complicated diagnostic process and fear of stigma,” Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers and study co-author Walter Zahorodny said. “Also, many parents whose children are diagnosed later often attribute their first concern to a behavioral or medical issue rather than a developmental problem.”
Zahorodny advocates that every child should be screened at 18 and 24 months, 30 or 36 months and again at 40 or 48 months. According to Ada.com, the most common signs of autism include: • Avoiding eye contact • Delayed speech and communication skills • Reliance on rules and routines • Being upset by relatively minor changes • Unexpected reactions to sounds, tastes, sights, touch and smells • Difficulty understanding other people’s emotions • Focusing on or becoming obsessed by a narrow range of interests or objects • Engaging in repetitive behavior such as flapping hands or rocking • Children not responding to their name by 12 months • Children not pointing at distant objects by 14 months
