HomeLatest news from Food Allergy Canada – November 2021

Latest news from Food Allergy Canada – November 2021

November 4, 2021

New upcoming webinars with leading experts, including a session on COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 12 and on cow’s milk protein for babies. Discover how others helped to #ShineATealLight on food allergy this Halloween and find out who won our colouring contest! Mark your calendar for Giving Tuesday and learn the different ways you can help #MakeFoodAllergyCount. Check out our new section and resource on Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)/Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS). Plus, check out our monthly newsletters section to catch up on past newsletters.


New this month: Register for our upcoming webinars!

November 25th: COVID-19 vaccines and kids with food allergy – what parents need to know 

Female doctor placing adhesive bandage on little girl's arm after vaccination. Focus is on girl.

What is the webinar about: In anticipation of the approval of COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5-11 in the coming weeks, join our discussion with our panel of experts to learn more and get answers to top questions. This session will provide you with the most up-to-date information from three experts to help inform your decisions on this important public health priority.  Register today.

Hear from a panel of experts as they answer your questions, including:

  • What are the vaccine options for 5-11-year-olds and who are they best suited for?
  • How is Health Canada determining the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines for use in kids, including against the variants of concern?
  • What are the impacts of the vaccine to kids with food allergy and those at risk of anaphylaxis?
  • What are the side effects of the vaccines specific to children? 
  • If children do not frequently experience severe illness with COVID-19, why do they need to get the vaccine?

Who is presenting: This webinar will be moderated by Jennifer Gerdts, Executive Director, Food Allergy Canada and will feature the following experts:

covid-19 vaccines webinar expert panel
Celia Lourenco. Dr. Zain Chagla and Dr. Julia Upton
  • Celia Lourenco: Celia holds a PhD in Pharmacology and has been the Director General of the Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate (BRDD) of the Health Products and Food Branch of Health Canada since November 2018. BRDD is the federal regulatory authority responsible for regulating a variety of drug products for the Canadian market, including vaccines. Celia is also the co-chair of the COVID-19 working group of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities.
  • Dr. Zain Chagla: Dr. Chagla specializes in infectious diseases, internal medicine, and tropical medicine. He is a Consultant Physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Hamilton Health Sciences in Ontario, Associate Professor of Medicine at McMaster University, and adjunct faculty at the University of Namibia in the Department of Medicine.
  • Dr. Julia Upton: Dr. Upton is on staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in the Immunology and Allergy department; and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is the past Section Chair of the Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Section of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI), and is a member of the Healthcare Advisory Board for Food Allergy Canada. She is also a co-author of the CSACI statement on allergy management regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

When is the webinar: November 25th, 2021 from 12pm-1pm EST

Register today, and please share with others so they can also benefit from this important information.


November 17th webinar: Cow’s milk protein allergy in babies: what is it and how to manage it 

Close up view of mother and her crying lovely newborn baby. Mother holding her baby and feeding cute newborn baby from milk bottle. Happy family concept.

If a baby is extra fussy after eating and having stomach-related symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, when do you need to consider cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) as the cause?

Find out what CMPA is and how it can be managed through our informative and educational webinar on this medical condition. You’ll gain a better understanding of it along with practical management strategies that families can follow from two expert guest speakers, an allergist and a registered dietitian. A Q&A will follow where you can ask questions, plus, you can submit your questions upon registration. This session is sponsored by Mead Johnson Nutrition (Canada) Co. Register now.

You will learn:

  • What this type of milk allergy is in babies
  • How common it is
  • What are the signs/symptoms of it
  • How it is diagnosed and treated
  • When is it outgrown and how to find out
  • How to discuss daily management of CMPA with families
  • The roles of an allergist and dietitian in helping to support management

Who is presenting: 

Dr. Julia Upton and Ahuva Magder
Dr. Julia Upton and Ahuva Magder
  • Dr. Julia Upton, a Canadian allergist who is on staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in the Immunology and Allergy department; and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is the past Section Chair of the Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Section of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Upton is also a member of Food Allergy Canada’s Healthcare Advisory Board.
  • Ahuva Magder, a registered dietitian who manages a private practice with a special focus on paediatric health; and also supports community paediatric clinics. She has previously worked as a clinical research dietitian in the Food Allergy Program at the Hospital for Sick Children.

When is the webinar: Wednesday, November 17 from 12pm-1pm EST.

Who should attend: This webinar is for anyone interested in this topic. Healthcare providers will receive a certificate of attendance after the webinar.

Don’t miss out on this informative webinar! Register now and please share with others who may benefit.



Thanks for helping to #ShineATealLight on Halloween 

Shout out to everyone who joined the #ShineATealLight movement this Halloween and helped to raise awareness and support kids with food allergy.

Whether you attended a teal monument lighting, illuminated your house teal, entered our #ShineATealLight colouring contest, raised awareness with our glow-in-the-dark teal bracelets or shared our resources, you are all #FoodAllergyChampions. Check out some photos from our community below. 

Rose's #ShineATealLight poster
#ShineATealLight poster by Rose, age 6

#ShineATealLight Colouring Contest Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered our colouring contest. We received over 50 submissions and loved seeing your artwork! Congratulations to Rose, age 6, for being selected as the winner of our teal prize pack.

Even though Halloween is over, there are still many ways you can drive food allergy awareness and #ShineATealLight. Discover fun ways you can create awareness all year long!



#MakeFoodAllergyCount on Giving Tuesday – November 30th

Giving Tuesday 2021

Mark your calendars, Giving Tuesday is coming up on Tuesday, November 30th. Giving Tuesday is an annual tradition and global movement dedicated to supporting charities through giving and volunteering. 

Ahead of Giving Tuesday, take a moment to learn how your generous contributions allow us to sustain our educational programming, advocate for change, and provide life-changing support for the over 3 million Canadians impacted by food allergy. Learn more and please consider donating to Food Allergy Canada on Giving Tuesday.

Your support makes a real impact.

Check out our 2020 Impact Report and Impact in Numbers. Learn where your money goes and how your support is driving impact in the food allergy community. From our advocacy work on improving food labelling, to ensuring access to epinephrine auto-injectors, to helping to #MakeFoodAllergyCount through the National Food Allergy Action Plan, your donations make our important work possible.

Visit our donate page to learn about the different ways you can give to our charity and plan your giving today. We can’t make transformative change without you. Thanks in advance for your support and helping to #MakeFoodAllergyCount.



Understanding oral allergy syndrome/pollen food allergy syndrome

ICYMI last month, we have a fresh new section and resource on Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)/Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS).

With OAS/PFAS, the proteins in certain fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts are similar to those in pollens, and this “cross-reactivity” can cause allergic symptoms like the itchiness inside the mouth or throat when eating fresh fruits / vegetables or tree nuts.

Learn more about this type of food allergy below and download our new pollen allergy & foods chart to find examples of some foods that are similar to certain pollens.


ICYMI: Read our past monthly newsletters

Woman looking at her smart phone and signing up for emails

Our monthly newsletters help to educate and inform, as well as share what’s going on in the world of food allergy so you can make informed choices, participate in events, and have a platform of support. If you missed one of our past newsletters or would like to read one again, visit our monthly newsletters section.

Is there a topic you would like to learn more about in our future newsletters? Send your suggestions and ideas to info@foodallergycanada.ca with the subject, “Newsletter suggestion”. We love hearing from you!


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