Latex problems

March 15, 2002

Hi ,

" 's pinkie " is the brand Infa-Dent, Baby Soft Toothbrush and Gum

Massager.

The phone number is 1-.

Jan H. Mom to (17 mo.) CH(A?)RGE

March 15, 2002

Hi ~

How about calling the manufacturer of the product. Surely they

could tell you the latex content. Quite often they put an 800 number on

the back of the packaging for inquires. Good luck.

Smiles from,

- Mom to Jeff (17 yrs., CHARGEr), Steve (18 and off to college),

and others married with children of their own.

Idaho,USA

Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 20:38:02 -0800

Subject: latex problems

Hello everyone,

I have a question about latex. Kendra used to be quite allergic to

it and

now is still, but to a lesser degree.

One of the suggestions recently made to help Kendra stop picking at

her

fingers was one of the devices that fits over a finger and has a

bristle

end for brushing a baby's teeth. She likes this pink baby

'toothbrush' and

it stops her from picking at her finger, but it seems it is probably

latex

or has some latex in it. Does anyone know for sure? We don't want

to

further aggravate the latex allergy she has.

Thanks.

Mom to Kendra, and Camille

________________________________________________________________

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March 15, 2002

,

I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away from

latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red & splotchy...very

scary stuff..

Weir

Mom to Kennedy 4yr old CHARGEr, 12, 10, and wife to Graeme

New Brunswick, Canada

Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/gweir

ICQ #1426476

" In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. "

- Frost

latex problems

Hello everyone,

I have a question about latex. Kendra used to be quite allergic to it and

now is still, but to a lesser degree.

One of the suggestions recently made to help Kendra stop picking at her

fingers was one of the devices that fits over a finger and has a bristle

end for brushing a baby's teeth. She likes this pink baby 'toothbrush' and

it stops her from picking at her finger, but it seems it is probably latex

or has some latex in it. Does anyone know for sure? We don't want to

further aggravate the latex allergy she has.

Thanks.

Mom to Kendra, and Camille

March 15, 2002

,

I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away from

latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red & splotchy...very

scary stuff..

Weir

Mom to Kennedy 4yr old CHARGEr, 12, 10, and wife to Graeme

New Brunswick, Canada

Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/gweir

ICQ #1426476

" In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. "

- Frost

latex problems

Hello everyone,

I have a question about latex. Kendra used to be quite allergic to it and

now is still, but to a lesser degree.

One of the suggestions recently made to help Kendra stop picking at her

fingers was one of the devices that fits over a finger and has a bristle

end for brushing a baby's teeth. She likes this pink baby 'toothbrush' and

it stops her from picking at her finger, but it seems it is probably latex

or has some latex in it. Does anyone know for sure? We don't want to

further aggravate the latex allergy she has.

Thanks.

Mom to Kendra, and Camille

March 15, 2002

Dear , , and Jan,

Thank you all so much for your responses about latex and baby

toothbrushes/massagers. I really appreciate it. It looks like there are

several safe options. If the one Kendra got yesterday is not 'safe' I will

get one of the other ones. The teacher was checking on the packaging and I

will check with her after school.

I appreciate the names of the brands: Infa-Dent and Tommy Tippee. I called

Infa-Dent and they said the toothbrushes are sold at Toys R Us and Babies R

Us. I think I have seen Tommy Tippee products sold in many stores.

, it sounds like on any product that says: 'Latex free' there really

could be too much natural rubber? Could you explain a little about

that? How can they get away with that?

Thanks again everyone. I thank you and Kendra's fingers thank you.

:-)

Mom to Kendra, and Camille

March 15, 2002

Dear , , and Jan,

Thank you all so much for your responses about latex and baby

toothbrushes/massagers. I really appreciate it. It looks like there are

several safe options. If the one Kendra got yesterday is not 'safe' I will

get one of the other ones. The teacher was checking on the packaging and I

will check with her after school.

I appreciate the names of the brands: Infa-Dent and Tommy Tippee. I called

Infa-Dent and they said the toothbrushes are sold at Toys R Us and Babies R

Us. I think I have seen Tommy Tippee products sold in many stores.

, it sounds like on any product that says: 'Latex free' there really

could be too much natural rubber? Could you explain a little about

that? How can they get away with that?

Thanks again everyone. I thank you and Kendra's fingers thank you.

:-)

Mom to Kendra, and Camille

March 15, 2002

Dear , , and Jan,

Thank you all so much for your responses about latex and baby

toothbrushes/massagers. I really appreciate it. It looks like there are

several safe options. If the one Kendra got yesterday is not 'safe' I will

get one of the other ones. The teacher was checking on the packaging and I

will check with her after school.

I appreciate the names of the brands: Infa-Dent and Tommy Tippee. I called

Infa-Dent and they said the toothbrushes are sold at Toys R Us and Babies R

Us. I think I have seen Tommy Tippee products sold in many stores.

, it sounds like on any product that says: 'Latex free' there really

could be too much natural rubber? Could you explain a little about

that? How can they get away with that?

Thanks again everyone. I thank you and Kendra's fingers thank you.

:-)

Mom to Kendra, and Camille

March 15, 2002

,

I was thrilled to find there are some latex free options out there for the

toothbrushes/ massagers..

The balloon thing is soooooo hard!!! Kendra loves them but she also had a

lot of problems with allergic reactions to them. Some balloons do seem to

be okay for her. I don't allow her around them due to the fact I can never

know which kind it is, though. Luckily she also likes the Mylar ones that

are made to look like any number of characters.

Thanks for your response.

:-)

At 03:30 PM 3/15/02 -0400, you wrote:

>,

>I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

>too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away

>from latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red &

>splotchy...very scary stuff..

> Weir

March 15, 2002

,

I was thrilled to find there are some latex free options out there for the

toothbrushes/ massagers..

The balloon thing is soooooo hard!!! Kendra loves them but she also had a

lot of problems with allergic reactions to them. Some balloons do seem to

be okay for her. I don't allow her around them due to the fact I can never

know which kind it is, though. Luckily she also likes the Mylar ones that

are made to look like any number of characters.

Thanks for your response.

:-)

At 03:30 PM 3/15/02 -0400, you wrote:

>,

>I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

>too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away

>from latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red &

>splotchy...very scary stuff..

> Weir

March 15, 2002

,

I was thrilled to find there are some latex free options out there for the

toothbrushes/ massagers..

The balloon thing is soooooo hard!!! Kendra loves them but she also had a

lot of problems with allergic reactions to them. Some balloons do seem to

be okay for her. I don't allow her around them due to the fact I can never

know which kind it is, though. Luckily she also likes the Mylar ones that

are made to look like any number of characters.

Thanks for your response.

:-)

At 03:30 PM 3/15/02 -0400, you wrote:

>,

>I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

>too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away

>from latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red &

>splotchy...very scary stuff..

> Weir

March 16, 2002

,

I find it soooooooo difficult because you WANT her to be invited to other

people's/children's birthday parties, etc but you can't tell ppl what to have &

what not to have at their own parties. And all the children have sooooooo much

fun with theirs. I buy her a foil helium balloon when we are going around where

other kids have balloons...it's still not the same to her though...she knows

it's different...

Weir

Mom to Kennedy 4yr old CHARGEr, 12, 10, and wife to Graeme

New Brunswick, Canada

Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/gweir

ICQ #1426476

" In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. "

- Frost

Re: latex problems

,

I was thrilled to find there are some latex free options out there for the

toothbrushes/ massagers..

The balloon thing is soooooo hard!!! Kendra loves them but she also had a

lot of problems with allergic reactions to them. Some balloons do seem to

be okay for her. I don't allow her around them due to the fact I can never

know which kind it is, though. Luckily she also likes the Mylar ones that

are made to look like any number of characters.

Thanks for your response.

:-)

At 03:30 PM 3/15/02 -0400, you wrote:

>,

>I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

>too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away

>from latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red &

>splotchy...very scary stuff..

> Weir

March 16, 2002

,

I find it soooooooo difficult because you WANT her to be invited to other

people's/children's birthday parties, etc but you can't tell ppl what to have &

what not to have at their own parties. And all the children have sooooooo much

fun with theirs. I buy her a foil helium balloon when we are going around where

other kids have balloons...it's still not the same to her though...she knows

it's different...

Weir

Mom to Kennedy 4yr old CHARGEr, 12, 10, and wife to Graeme

New Brunswick, Canada

Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/gweir

ICQ #1426476

" In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. "

- Frost

Re: latex problems

,

I was thrilled to find there are some latex free options out there for the

toothbrushes/ massagers..

The balloon thing is soooooo hard!!! Kendra loves them but she also had a

lot of problems with allergic reactions to them. Some balloons do seem to

be okay for her. I don't allow her around them due to the fact I can never

know which kind it is, though. Luckily she also likes the Mylar ones that

are made to look like any number of characters.

Thanks for your response.

:-)

At 03:30 PM 3/15/02 -0400, you wrote:

>,

>I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

>too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away

>from latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red &

>splotchy...very scary stuff..

> Weir

March 16, 2002

,

I find it soooooooo difficult because you WANT her to be invited to other

people's/children's birthday parties, etc but you can't tell ppl what to have &

what not to have at their own parties. And all the children have sooooooo much

fun with theirs. I buy her a foil helium balloon when we are going around where

other kids have balloons...it's still not the same to her though...she knows

it's different...

Weir

Mom to Kennedy 4yr old CHARGEr, 12, 10, and wife to Graeme

New Brunswick, Canada

Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/gweir

ICQ #1426476

" In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. "

- Frost

Re: latex problems

,

I was thrilled to find there are some latex free options out there for the

toothbrushes/ massagers..

The balloon thing is soooooo hard!!! Kendra loves them but she also had a

lot of problems with allergic reactions to them. Some balloons do seem to

be okay for her. I don't allow her around them due to the fact I can never

know which kind it is, though. Luckily she also likes the Mylar ones that

are made to look like any number of characters.

Thanks for your response.

:-)

At 03:30 PM 3/15/02 -0400, you wrote:

>,

>I would call the makers and ask what is in it....I would guess some latex

>too....I know exactly the thing you are speaking of. We keep Kennedy away

>from latex also...one balloon against her face and she gets red &

>splotchy...very scary stuff..

> Weir

March 16, 2002

----- Original Message -----

From: " Graeme & Weir "

>> I buy her a foil helium balloon when we are going around where other kids

have balloons...it's still not the same to her though...she knows it's

different...

I had the same problem and the real problem is the cost of mylar balloons.

What I did though was buy a dozen plain mylar balloons. When they went down

I kept them and then when I need them again I simply take them back to the

party shop and they refill them with helium for a nominal charge, often when

they know the reason they refill them free..........

I can usually get between 3 and 6 " refills " out of the one balloon - depends

on how energetic the kids are playing with them. Of course some dont last

that long if lets them go for the angel babies to play with :-))

(at the trisomy conferences we have balloon releases in memory of our angels

who could not stay - I explained this to many years ago in that we were

sending the balloons to the angel babies to play with, and so he still sends

his balloons when he has finished playing........)

It is the wounded oyster that mends its shell with pearl.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep Looking for Rainbows!!!

, Mum to (7, T-18 mosaic)

Sydney, Australia

http://members.optushome.com.au/karens

http://www.trisomyonline.org

March 16, 2002

----- Original Message -----

From: " Graeme & Weir "

>> I buy her a foil helium balloon when we are going around where other kids

have balloons...it's still not the same to her though...she knows it's

different...

I had the same problem and the real problem is the cost of mylar balloons.

What I did though was buy a dozen plain mylar balloons. When they went down

I kept them and then when I need them again I simply take them back to the

party shop and they refill them with helium for a nominal charge, often when

they know the reason they refill them free..........

I can usually get between 3 and 6 " refills " out of the one balloon - depends

on how energetic the kids are playing with them. Of course some dont last

that long if lets them go for the angel babies to play with :-))

(at the trisomy conferences we have balloon releases in memory of our angels

who could not stay - I explained this to many years ago in that we were

sending the balloons to the angel babies to play with, and so he still sends

his balloons when he has finished playing........)

It is the wounded oyster that mends its shell with pearl.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep Looking for Rainbows!!!

, Mum to (7, T-18 mosaic)

Sydney, Australia

http://members.optushome.com.au/karens

http://www.trisomyonline.org

March 16, 2002

----- Original Message -----

From: " Graeme & Weir "

>> I buy her a foil helium balloon when we are going around where other kids

have balloons...it's still not the same to her though...she knows it's

different...

I had the same problem and the real problem is the cost of mylar balloons.

What I did though was buy a dozen plain mylar balloons. When they went down

I kept them and then when I need them again I simply take them back to the

party shop and they refill them with helium for a nominal charge, often when

they know the reason they refill them free..........

I can usually get between 3 and 6 " refills " out of the one balloon - depends

on how energetic the kids are playing with them. Of course some dont last

that long if lets them go for the angel babies to play with :-))

(at the trisomy conferences we have balloon releases in memory of our angels

who could not stay - I explained this to many years ago in that we were

sending the balloons to the angel babies to play with, and so he still sends

his balloons when he has finished playing........)

It is the wounded oyster that mends its shell with pearl.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep Looking for Rainbows!!!

, Mum to (7, T-18 mosaic)

Sydney, Australia

http://members.optushome.com.au/karens

http://www.trisomyonline.org

March 16, 2002

----- Original Message -----

From: " Keedy "

> , it sounds like on any product that says: 'Latex free' there really

> could be too much natural rubber? Could you explain a little about

> that? How can they get away with that?

Latex is actually the sap that comes from the rubber plant. Technically when

it is processed it is no longer latex but a natural rubber by product.

Gloves are typically made by dipping a mould into " latex " but other products

may use processed latex and therefore go under the name " natural rubber "

If you simply use the term " latex " the manufacturer may (and can) ignore the

fact that they use " natural rubber " . I am so cautious these days that I even

check to see if anything is " vulcanised " - while not all materials that are

vulcanised contain rubber, many do.

Another one to watch for is silcone coated latex - common in catheters. Its

still dangerous because the silicone layer can break down and because its

delayed it can be hard to identify.

Remember that your US legislation on latex identification ONLY applies to

medical related products. Anything " non-medical " eg baby supplies is not

required by law to identify latex. A lot of manufacturers do but...........

I have also learnt to check how things are made!!!!

had to be canulated in ER one night. And as usual the nurse put what I

thought was emla on the back of his hands in preparation. He has had emla

many times with no problems whatsoever. He deteriorated so quickly that the

doctor went ahead and canulated without waiting. We removed the cream in no

more than 5 minutes. But within 10 his breathing was laboured and his hands

swollen to three times their size.

has no drug allergies, only the latex and a peanut allergy so I was

very perturbed. It turned out that the hospital had stopped using emla and

were using their " own " cream - called amethacaine. The pharmacy made it up

themselves.

I checked the ingredients and there was nothing in it that should have

reacted to so I asked how they made it. " we use a large stainless steel bowl

and then put it into the tubes there is no latex used " But when I pressed

further as to how they put it into the tubes they admitted that they used a

large syringe with a " brown flexible nozzle " - yep the flexible nozzle was a

latex catheter..........

Minute contact with latex in the preparation, but the nature of the cream to

be absorbed rapidly by the skin and straight into the blood vessels really

caused a rapid and severe reaction.

Check, check and double check everything and even then use all your

investigation skills!!!!

Of course it was inadvertent latex contact that first alerted us to 's

allergy. We had a fantastic immunologist who I went to because had

repeated ear infections and I was frustrated because he couldn't wear his

hearing aids. The immunologist suspected that they weren't true ear

infections but an allergy to latex, his suspicions made stronger when he

took 's history. Sure enough some tough investigation revealed that

there was a minute amount of latex in his hearing aid moulds. Changed to

pure silicone moulds (not great when you have " unusual " ears as they are not

as flexible) and wonder of wonders - no more ear infections.................

Care, care, care and remember that children who undergo multiple hospital

procedures are at a very high risk of developing a latex allergy!!!!

It is the wounded oyster that mends its shell with pearl.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep Looking for Rainbows!!!

, Mum to (7, T-18 mosaic)

Sydney, Australia

http://members.optushome.com.au/karens

http://www.trisomyonline.org

March 16, 2002