Newswise — Memorial Hermann Health System has made an investment in Ready, Set, Food that will further its commitment to educate and equip families with the tools necessary to give their babies the best chance at living a life free of food allergies.
“We have been partners with Ready, Set, Food since 2022, providing parents with an informative handout that explains the importance of introducing food allergens to your infant early,” said Dr. Victoria Regan, vice president of Women’s and Children’s Services for Memorial Hermann. “In addition, through the company’s Giving Back partnership, Memorial Hermann has been able to give the allergen introduction system directly to 2,000 low-income families who might not otherwise have access to the product.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 8% of children in the United States have some type of food allergy. The most common food allergies are to milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts. Recent guidelines issued by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) recommend feeding babies foods like peanuts and eggs starting at 4 months to 6 months of age to help prevent food allergies from developing.
“It’s also been shown that eczema, a condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, is a risk factor for food allergies,” Regan said. “We are partnering with Ready, Set, Food on a clinical trial, currently in the planning stages, which will examine the link between the two. This is the first time that both are being studied together, and our findings could have a big impact on public health.”
In 23 different clinical trials with more than 13,000 participants, it has been shown that the process of introducing food allergens early can prevent up to 80% of food allergies in children.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Memorial Hermann to provide their pediatricians and nurses the tools to teach about food allergy, and that they also helped us donate our early allergen introduction products to families in need,” said Daniel Zakowski, CEO and co-founder of Ready, Set, Food. “We are also very excited about our new study with Memorial Hermann to explore the opportunities to prevent both eczema and food allergies through early interventions.”
“At Memorial Hermann, our vision is to create healthier communities, now and for generations to come, and this partnership is giving us an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of countless number of children,” Dr. Regan said. “By simply adding Ready. Set. Food to a breastmilk or formula feeding, parents can introduce food allergens easily and safely and give their children the best chance at a life free of food allergies.”
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