Blog — Mun Cho RD

Negative Skin Prick Test To Milk: You May Still Have A Milk Allergy

There are 2 types of food allergy.

1) IgE-mediated milk allergy (risk of anaphylaxis, need to carry epinephrine).
2) non-IgE mediated milk allergy (delayed onset, mostly gut related symptoms, not anaphylactic).

Skin prick test can only help with diagnosing an IgE milk allergy. Just because you have a negative skin prick test to milk does not mean that you don't have a milk allergy…

Managing Your Mindset and FPIES

Your mindset is half the battle. Many parents are fearful to introduce new foods. I wish I can tell you that you can hold off on introducing solids until your baby outgrows FPIES but that would delay baby's acceptance of different textures and taste. It is important to think about a progressive mindset versus a paralyzing mindset…

Food AllergiesMun ChoJanuary 6, 2020fpies, food allergies, positive thinking, managing food allergiesComment

We Are Officially FPIES Free at 15 Months!

When we started introducing solids, we found out our lil monkey has food protein-induced enterocolitis (FPIES). Acute triggers are rice, eggs and soy. We had the worse reaction with egg. She vomited 8x over 14 hrs and was pale and lethargic.

Navigating FPIES was tricky. The hardest part was introducing new foods. With FPIES, a baby can react to anything like literally any, kind.of.food. And a baby can have multiple triggers. Read more of our story…

Food AllergiesMun ChoDecember 30, 2019fpies, food allergies, pediatric nutritionist Comments

When You Fail Another Oral Food Challenge

This is for the FPIES mama who failed another oral food challenge. It is discouraging and your heart sinks. Try to find a sliver lining among the dark clouds, no matter how dark those clouds may be. Remember these things…

Is Eczema A Sign Of Food Allergy?

Is eczema a sign for a food allergy? Short answer is no. However, children with eczema have a higher chance of developing IgE-mediated food allergies (aka anaphylactic reaction). The consensus is that foods do NOT cause eczema but some foods can worsen an eczema flare-up. Many parents avoid foods that are believed to cause eczema. I was one of them until I spoke with my allergist…

Food AllergiesMun ChoNovember 27, 2019eczema and food, eczema, food allergies, pediatric nutritionist Comment

When Your Baby Has a FPIES Reaction To Baby Formula

Many tend to assume that dairy is the trigger. Yes, dairy could be a culprit. Commercial baby formula usually contains soy, coconut and corn ingredients as well. ANY one of these ingredients could be a culprit. When a baby does not tolerate commercial baby formula, the next step is usually an extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF) like Alimentum or Nutramigen. Read more…

Food AllergiesMun ChoNovember 20, 2019fpies, choosing baby formula, managing food allergies, food allergy in babiesComment

Surviving FPIES Mentally and Building Resilience

FPIES is cruel because you have to persevere with the food challenges even if they scare you. Each food challenge brings about a roller coaster of emotion. But there are some silver linings…

The First Few Foods For A FPIES Baby

What should I feed my baby first? Anything high in iron! After 6 months, baby's iron needs go up dramatically. Some of these foods fall under the "high" risk category for FPIES (eg. soy, egg, fish, chicken). Keep in mind that just because the food is labelled "high risk" does not mean that your baby will react to it.

The level of "risk" describes how likely the food tends to be a culprit in a GROUP of babies. It is not very good at predicting whether or not your baby will react to it. The only way to know for sure is to offer the food to baby.

Food AllergiesMun ChoOctober 31, 2019fpies, food introduction, food allergy in babies, pediatric nutritionistComment

What's The Difference Between An IgE vs. non-IgE Mediated Food Allergy?

Both impact food allergy families significantly. More money to buy special food, fear and anxiety, lack of food freedom, more time and labour spent on preparing special foods. Both groups need to avoid the allergen.

Both are very different from food intolerance. I know some would refer to non-IgE food allergies as "food intolerance" and IgE mediated allergies as "true food allergies". This language is problematic. Read more…

Food AllergiesMun ChoOctober 9, 2019fpies, food allergies, managing food allergies, food allergyComment

Moving From Fear To Vigilance When Dealing With Food Allergies

Let's talk about food allergy and fear. My first thought when my son was diagnosed with a peanut allergy was to create a peanut-free household. I wanted a peanut-free zone so that I don't have to worry about a possible anaphylactic reaction. That way I can let my guard down. Read more…

Diagnosing Food Allergy: What You Need to Know About False Positive in Skin Prick Test and Blood Work

Disclaimer: I am not an allergist. I have seen a variety of practices among allergists. Some will do wide panel skin prick test (SPT), some will only do SPT when there is a clinical indication for it (ie. hives, other clinical symptoms that points to a suspicious IgE mediated reaction). I believe many are moving towards the later.

Read more about what you need to know about false positives in skin prick test and blood work from the perspective of a pediatric nutritionist.

Cross-Reactivity Between Soy and Dairy in FPIES - A Closer Look at the Stats

Are you afraid to trial dairy because your baby reacted to soy? Or vice versa....nervous try soy because dairy is a trigger? You heard about cross-reactivity between soy and dairy. Let's take a closer look at the stats…

Food AllergiesMun ChoSeptember 16, 2019fpies, managing food allergies, food allergies, pediatric nutritionist, dairy allergyComment

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