"Take Action, Prevent Reactions" At The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network'sAnnual Food Allergy Conference In Rosemont

Main Category: Allergy
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 15 Apr 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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For the millions of Americans with food allergies, the importance of being educated about food allergy and prepared to treat a reaction is not to be underestimated. On April 18, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) will host the second of its 16th annual Food Allergy Conferences in Rosemont, Ill. The conference will help both those who have food allergies and those who care for people with food allergies. Whether the food allergy is newly diagnosed or has been managed for years, there is something to be learned at this conference.

The theme for this year's conferences is "Take Action, Prevent Reactions." Attendance can help anyone reach this goal, and the knowledge gained can literally mean the difference between life and death.

As the prevalence of food allergy increases, particularly among children, the need for accurate and current information about food allergy is crucial. One study released last fall by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed an 18% increase in the number of children with food allergies between 1997 and 2007. An estimated 3 million children in the U.S. have food allergies.

"These conferences are designed to give people the tools they need to safely manage food allergies - to show them how to 'Take Action, Prevent Reactions,'" said Julia Bradsher, CEO of FAAN. "But they also link people with others who share the same challenges."

FAAN's conferences offer insight on the most recent research findings about food allergy as well as discussion and networking opportunities with families, caregivers, teachers, child care providers, and school staff. Special sessions are also held for teens, nurses, and registered dietitians.

Topics at the all-day conference include strategies for avoiding reactions, how to eat well with food allergies, emergency preparedness, tips for dining out with food allergies, and lessons learned from reactions in schools.

In Rosemont, Dr. Wesley Burks , lead researcher of the recently publicized peanut oral immunotherapy study at Duke University Medical Center and Arkansas Children's Hospital, will be a featured speaker. Burks is a professor and chief of pediatric allergy and immunology at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina.

"The benefits of attending this conference are many - you learn not only about the best practices in managing a food allergy but you walk away knowing you are not alone," Burks said. "It's a tremendous educational opportunity not only for those who have food allergies but for loved ones and caregivers to better understand the serious nature of this condition."

The Rosemont conference will run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and will be held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road.

The last Food Allergy Conference in 2009 will be held May 9 in Tarrytown, N.Y.

For more information or to register for one of FAAN's Food Allergy Conferences, visit http://www.foodallergy.org or call (800) 929-4040.

About FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has 30,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 62 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at http://www.foodallergy.org, http://www.faankids.org, and http://www.faanteen.org.

Source
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

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