Halting the Alarming Rise in Food Allergies

'Kids and the Growing Food Allergy Threat': Readers welcomed our cover story on the search for the treatment of, and cure for, food allergies. "It's hard to describe to people the daily fear I have when my son says goodbye as I drop him off at school," one said. Some cited genetically modified "Frankenfoods" as a cause. Others concurred with the "hygiene hypothesis," that our immune systems are confused because we've become too clean. "Bacteria are in our bodies for a reason," one noted, "even if medical science doesn't understand their role or function."

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Is Food Really the Enemy?
Two of my three kids have multiple allergies ("Fear and Allergies in the Lunchroom," Nov. 5). The third thankfully outgrew them. What I find perplexes most other parents is the fact that every child with allergies is different and has different reactions and thresholds for triggering a reaction. This disparity confuses many parents who don't live with allergies. Our allergist tells us that the peanut allergy is the hardest one to outgrow. We're holding out hope that a vaccine can be created so my kids and thousands like them can lead normal lives. Food allergies in the family are a source of constant stress, worry and fear, and permeate every aspect of daily life. Our options for eating out are very limited. When I send my kids to school or a party, I have to supply the food every time. Kids want to be like other kids, and always being different in this respect takes a toll. Pharmaceutical companies should feel compelled to work on a solution.
Anne Chiu
Brookfield, Wis.

As someone who has lived in fear of "death by peanut" for 38 years, I was thrilled to see NEWSWEEK's cover story and the great job with the facts. Often, we "allergic" are labeled as overzealous freaks who are trying to infringe on everyone else's rights. You've really helped people understand just how serious these allergies are. The challenge to stay safe grows outside the lunchroom in the adult world of things like business dinners and foreign travel, so the more people who are aware of possibilities like cross-contamination and how little it takes to send someone into anaphylactic shock, the better. Please share the link to my Web site that shows the growing trend of businesses catering to us 11 million or so out there: http:// www.nutfreebusinesses.com.
Kyla Cragg
Chula Vista, Calif.

As a teacher, I was so excited to see your cover story, but wonder why you didn't investigate the link between food allergies and the rising special-education crisis. Many food allergies create intense behavioral problems, and gluten intolerance has been connected to autistic behaviors. Teachers, administrators, taxpayers and parents need to know.
Kirsten Rall
Mantua, Ohio

What could be the cause of the food-allergy epidemic? How about?genetically engineered foods? Since their introduction into the U.S. food market in 1996, an estimated 75 percent of all processed foods in the United States now contain one or more genetically modified ingredients. In the European Union, GE foods are banned or are strictly regulated. There is virtually no regulation or oversight in the U.S. food market. In fact, U.S. agribusiness?continues to rush gene-altered foods into our food supply without any testing or labeling of which foods contain GE products. There have been numerous studies that have identified possible health risks, including food allergies, antibiotic resistance and organ and immune system damage. In fact,?the FDA said in 2001 (Fed|Register 22987) that "Genetic engineering may transfer new and unidentified proteins from one food into another, triggering allergic reactions. Millions of Americans who are sensitive to allergens will have no way of identifying or protecting themselves from offending foods." It has been said that the United States is allowing one of the largest uncontrolled experiments in modern history, and the lab rats are our children.
Joseph Logan
Milford, Pa.