Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE mediated allergy to food proteins. Infants may present with repeated episodes of vomiting, and/or chronic diarrhoea and faltering growth. A 2019 Australian case series demonstrated that 5% of cases occurred in exclusively breastfed infants. Infants with FPIES face significant feeding challenges, and families require significant support. Diagnosis is often delayed leading to additional stress for families. This presentation will provide an overview of FPIES, with a focus on the breastfeeding dyad and communicating with allergy families.
Re-introducing foods once excluded from the maternal diet can be guided by the foods most likely to be tolerated and the value foods bring in terms quality and enjoyment of the maternal diet. Approach to food reintroduction into the maternal diet can be informed by impact of exclusion, effect of recent accidental exposures and high priority nutritional foods. Careful re-introduction clarifies eliminated foods that are tolerated, if a food is an issue and the level of exposure than can be achieved through breast milk at any point in time. Insight gained often provides confidence to parents when introducing allergens into the baby’s diet.
After this presentation, participants will be able to:
The overconsumption of processed foods has a negative impact on breastfeeding and healthy living. A diet rich in processed foods, sugary foods, fried foods and fast foods causes an abundance of adipose tissue, alters the gut microbiome, and contributes to an increase in intestinal permeability. These three factors have the potential to negatively impact breastfeeding. This increase in intestinal permeability causes the junctions in the gut to become more pliable, thereby allowing ingested foods to directly enter the blood stream and bypass the liver. Additionally, poor/inadequate intake of dietary fiber coupled with poor dietary intake alters the gut microbiome. Proper nutrition rapidly heals the digestive tract.
This session will focus on common concerns regarding infant digestive health and useful support strategies that care providers can incorporate into their work with families. We will discuss what's normal and what's not in regard to stooling, spit up/reflux, colic/fussiness, food sensitivities, and more. Many parents are coping with babies that are uncomfortable and unhappy due to digestive health concerns. Dealing with a fussy, uncomfortable baby is emotionally and physically draining. Having a basic understanding of infant gut health and care strategies can be useful tools for any type of practitioner working with infants.
An introduction into the diagnosis of food allergies, particularly in the breast fed infant and with an introduction into the potential role of dysbiosis and the advantages of dietary and probiotic treatment in same.
After this presentation, participants will be able to:
Deep dive into infant food reactivity through breastfeeding by understanding the molecular and immunological basis of what happens when families are experiencing symptoms. Follow a protein from the mouth of the lactating parent all the way to the immune system response in the feeding child. Review timing for each step and how we can empower continued breastfeeding based on this research.
After this presentation, participants will be able to:
Frances Walker
Frances Walker dedicates 50% of her Food Intolerance Private Practice working with babies sensitive to food allergens and other food components via the maternal milk. Working with mothers across the nation and locally, Frances supports parents to find a pathway through the confusing world of babies reacting to breast milk with often very distressing symptoms despite having already made dietary eliminations to their diets. Maximising nutrition while supporting elimination with the ultimate aim of re-introducing foods as tolerated is often an individual pathway requiring a thorough detailed analysis. Seeing babies emerge from the fog of symptoms to finding their smiles is reward in itself.
Thorsten Stanley
Dr Stanley is a senior lecturer in paediatrics at the University of Otago, Wellington. He has been a consultant paediatrician since 1980 with special expertise in all aspects of allergy management and prevention, with particular experience in probiotics and diagnosis of non-IgE food allergies.
Trillitye Paullin
Dr. Trill Paullin is a molecular biologist and mother to two beautiful daughters who had severe infant food reactions to proteins transferred from her diet to breast milk. After processing the painful fact that she could hurt her children through breastfeeding, she started researching how to produce breast milk they could properly digest. She discovered that many parents experience the same troubling situation. She wanted to create a place for parents to find answers to their questions about infant food reactivity and empower them to reach their feeding goals. Free to Feed was born to provide the research, resources, and support she wished they had early on.
LaChiana A. Hamilton
Dr. Hamilton is the co-founder and chief operations officer of Free To Feed. She is currently serving as a nurse practitioner at a federally qualified health center in Okatie, SC. In this position, she proudly serves the socioeconomically disadvantaged and the underserved. LaChiana served in the United States Military as an Army Officer for over 11 years. LaChiana departed from military service after her son had open-heart surgery in 2009; this event led her to healthcare. She has a heart for teaching children how to grow up to be healthy adults and for helping mothers learn to navigate the complexities of feeding infants with food intolerances.
Danuta Amelung
Dr Amelung is a general practitioner with a special interest in non-IgE allergy including FPIES, infant feeding and maternal and child health. She is accredited through the Possums Neuroprotective Developmental Care program, and has completed additional post graduate study in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and tropical medicine. Her published research background is in paediatric middle ear disease and sinusitis. Danuta has a passion for supporting families experiencing cry-fuss behaviour, breastfeeding challenges, and improving communication between health professionals and allergy families. Danuta works as a specialist general practitioner in the Hutt Valley, New Zealand.
Melissa Cole
Melissa Cole is a board-certified lactation consultant, neonatal oral-motor assessment professional and clinical herbalist in private practice. Melissa is passionate about providing comprehensive, holistic lactation support and improving the level of clinical lactation skills for health professionals. She enjoys researching and writing, especially on topics such tongue tie and botanical medicine. Her bachelor’s degree is in maternal/child health and lactation and her master’s degree is in therapeutic herbalism. Before pursuing her current path, Melissa’s background was in education and cultural arts, which has served her well in her work as a lactation consultant and healthcare educator. She loves living, working and playing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her 3 children.
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