Mishpish

Sydney, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA


Joined February 12th 2007

Number of Posts:
54

Number of Comments:
13

Karma:
6



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Recent Posts

Is immunotherapy the answer?

September 27th 2009 01:30
It looks like there may be hope for children with life threatening allergies to peanuts (and other things for that matter). A couple of studies conducted using immunotherapy treatment for these allergies has offered positive responses. Link to info on one study:
Oral immunotherapy promising for children with peanut allergy

Although the results don't eliminate the allergy altogether, it increases the body's tolerance. So a person can be exposed to nuts with a less severe reaction (ie, not as life threatening). Sounds good to me!

The problem seems to be that it's difficult to prove the efficacy and safety of this treatment without widespread clinical trials. Getting enough children to participate is the challenge.


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No, Not the Arnott's Biscuits

May 18th 2009 01:13
cookie or killer?
Cookie or killer?


When my daughter was first diagnosed with a severe food allergy to nuts, I was very strict. I threw out half the pantry the day she suffered an anaphylactic reaction. I baked A LOT. Slowly over time, I baked less and bought more. I carefully brought in foods that although contained the 'may contain traces' disclaimer, seemed to have a low risk. And things went fine. After a while, we had crackers, cookies and snacks in the cupboard without incidence.

Unfortunately my good luck ran out. My daughter, Am, ate a 'rice cookie' that she'd eaten a bunch of times before. I thought it would be safer than most because it's made out of rice flour and is good for those with other food intolerances. Not so, we had the packet open for a few days and were half way through the packet, most of them eaten by Am. One day, she had a bite of one and immediately said she didn't want any more. I should have tweaked at that, but instead I thought nothing of it. A couple minutes later she was whining and complaining that her lip was hurting her. I couldn't see anything and assumed she'd bitten her lip when eating the biscuit. It wasn't until five minutes later when her lip had tripled in size that I realised what was happening.

I gave her some antihistimine and waited for other symptoms, trying not to panic. I called the doc who was helpful and calm. Things never progressed and she was fine. I was so relieved. The doctor said about the biscuit "well, if you play the odds sometimes the odds will work against you."

So, I guess I'm going to back to doing A LOT of baking.

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I was looking at the Sydney Morning Herald's business section online just now and glancing at the 'Breaking News' box this is what I saw:

Latest Breaking News


2:40PM Toll books FY08 loss of $695m

2:36PM AMEC CEO resigns after four yrs

1:59PM Air New Zealand profit falls 1%

1:50PM Suncorp cut staff

1:31PM AOFM offers $150m bonds at switch tender

1:09PM APA predict further growth

12:59PM RBA should give families a break: Fraser

12:46PM Prime TV's annual profit down

11:18AM B&B Infrastructure profit plummets 145%

Geez... that's a lot of bad news to occur in under two hours.
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HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's inflation rate has soared in the past three months and is now at 11.2 million percent, the highest in the world, according to the country's Central Statistical Office.

Zimbabwe's inflation rate has soared to a world high


[ Click here to read more ]
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What kind of a parent are you?

August 14th 2008 08:37
As a parent you are pretty much always rating and comparing yourself. Some parents think they are doing a perfect job, however most question themself and whether or not they are doing things 'the right way'.
golden arches
One parent's evil is another parent's saviour

Whether it's issues regarding behaviour, diet, TV or discipline, everyone has a different viewpoint and a different way of doing things. The same goes for handling your child's severe food allergies


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National news carriers in Australia optimised the Obama in Berlin event by overplaying footage of the orator in front of a massive crowd in Berlin. Everyone is comparing him to Kennedy. Everyone is saying how amazing his speech was. But what does it all really mean? Is he really the "new, black Kennedy"?
obama crowds in berlin
The crowd for Obama in Berlin

It all wreaks of spin to me. Everything in the Obama compaign has veered toward the Kennedy-era: New hope, opportunity and a time for change. The true test of a candidate is what he DOES, not what he SAYS. Obama is fighting his lack of experience with a message that spurs hope in a disillusioned population. It's like Primary Colours all over again. The trouble with presidential campaigns is there's very little talk about the issues, and more talk about what's wrong with competing candidates. In an age where a candidate is afraid to do any policy that isolates it's voters, lobbyists and popular opinion, the result is a depressing 'no action is action' policy


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Australia's network of childcare protection services has faced a constant barrage of bad press over the past few years. Living in Sydney, regular news stories appear -- tragic stories -- highlighting abuse, neglect and death of children who were "known to DoCS" (the NSW government's Dept of Community Services). In the past week alone Austrlian's have witnessed a number of sad and tragic stories. The worse being the murder suicide of a father and his three young children. Earlier last week there were two cases of children being removed from their mothers due to neglect and malnourishment. Finally, there's the 13 year old who DoCS lost.
children's shadows


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Global Suicide Rates Climb

June 26th 2008 04:13
Matters of life and death
Jun 25th 2008
From Economist.com


[ Click here to read more ]
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That's the $64,000 question, and no one has come out with a confident answer. Researchers have pointed to two likely theories behind the rise in severe peanut allergies in children:
1. Genetic predilection
2. Increasing exposure to processed foods


[ Click here to read more ]
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Article originally from news.com.au "Days are numbered for peanut allergyz' By Will Dunham
appeared: May 03, 2008 04:04am

[ Click here to read more ]
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Recent Comments

Comment by Mishpish
on The Butterfly Effect 2: Five Things I Hate About It.

February 15th 2008 02:59
I don't know... I can't agree about the first movie either. I made the mistake of watching the director's cut version. Very weird and twisted ending! It left me jaded enough that I just laughed out loud when I saw they made a sequel (without Ashton).


Thanks for your comment! It's nice to see year-old blog posts are still being read!!!

Comment by Mishpish
on Anxiety in Children: What's a Parent to Do?

January 30th 2008 02:58
My oldest daughter went through this. We finally sought the assistance of the local gov child services, who run a program called "fear fighters" ( in Queenscliff NSW Health Services). It was the best thing we ever could have done. While my daughter went into her 'class' and was taught ways to express and fight her fears, the parents had their own discussion led by a professional which taught us how to help our children.

It was only through this process that I realised that my husband and I were essentially a primary cause of the anxiety.. we didn't know it at the time, but we were helping to feed it by not acting appropriately.

I recommend it to anyone who needs help. Fear fighters is based on a program run by Macquarie University.


Comment by Mishpish
on NASTY STORIES YOUR PARENTS TOLD YOU

April 20th 2007 07:26
Mrs M,

A lovely and enjoyable post. Love anything that brings on nostalgia.

I was sent through 12 years of catholic school with old scary nun teachers.

My father once asked me when I was six to ask my teacher (a very old nun indeed) if jesus was so perfect and without sin, why would he forsake his father on the cross.

Innocently I asked the question. Sister Irene looked at me with rage and sent me to the principal's office.

My father thought it was funny and would think of more tortuous questions for me to innocently ask. I never did learn!

Comment by Mishpish
on It SHOULD be harder to become an Aussie Citizen

March 12th 2007 08:19
Point taken.

Comment by Mishpish
on It SHOULD be harder to become an Aussie Citizen

March 12th 2007 07:33
You're all taking me literally. The point is you have to invest some of your time. I'm not talking calculus. There should be some onus on people to work towards their citizenship. The original laws were passed after WWII when the gov't was desperate to get people to move out here. The situation has changed. The government doesn't need citizens... of course people should be encouraged to WANT to become Australian, but for the right reasons.

I agree that anyone can study a test without appreciating the subject matter. But you have to study. It shows you're taking it seriously.

Take what I did to become a citizen: I walked into the dept of immigration one day, filled in a form. Spent five minutes memorising my "rights and obligations" which I had to recite, wang bang I got approved as a citizen. It didn't take much thought or hard work.

Shouldn't it have to mean something?

Comment by Mishpish
on It SHOULD be harder to become an Aussie Citizen

March 12th 2007 05:18
Hi all,

As many Americans would fail their citizenship test as here... when you're born and raised in a country you have an understanding of that country's identity. You've invested in it's cultures without trying. Making someone study a citizenship history test doesn't prove they have "aussie values" it does prove that they have invested an interest in Australia, the country they want to adopt.


Childhood stars, man, they all end up with the same disastrous fate. Remember Willis from Different Strokes? Need I say more?

Comment by Mishpish
on Let Muslim Clerics talk to the media!

March 10th 2007 13:04
Ahmed,
I agree 100%... the voice of a few wackos gets all the hoopla. But why aren't they removed from their posts? It all seems a big joke.

Comment by Mishpish
on Water Saving Basics...

February 26th 2007 03:44
Lilla,

Sydney Water has had a similar service running here for over a year to the one in Qld. Great service. Costed $22 when I did it. Not sure if this is still the case. A family member is a plumber who does it for Sydney Water. He's gone one step further by putting a 4 minute timer on the hot water to the shower to his shower. Not sure how it works but once that timer goes, the hot water quits in the shower!

I posted a blog a a week or two ago regarding the different large scale water conservation schemes out there. I would be curious to have your thoughts on the issue.

Great blog with great tips.

Mishpish