The challenge of making the school environment safe for children with food allergies.

An ever-increasing number of children are entering schools with life-threatening food allergies. Despite efforts of well-educated school nurses, Sampson, Mendelson, and Rosen (1992) found more children succumbed to a fatal anaphylactic shock at school than at home or another setting. The strain on the school nurse who works on the front lines in an attempt to keep these children safe is evident. Because so many schools do not have a full-time nurse, it is essential for faculty to recognize when children are having a reaction and know what emergency steps to take. The school nurse has the responsibility for devising an emergency plan for the school in the event of her absence. Disseminating general information about anaphylactic reactions and specific information about how to read a label in order to avoid an allergen is essential. Legal ramifications regarding the children's right to privacy and the right to be educated along with their peers as well as laws that protect the non-nursing professional who gives nursing care, including use of an Epi-pen, need to be explained to staff. Because parents of children with food allergies are often frightened of the dangers their children may encounter when in the school environment, they require support and affirmation.

Abomasum emptying in dairy calves fed milk replacers with varying fat and sources of protein.

Young Holstein male calves fitted with reentrant duodenal fistulae were in two 3 x 3 Latin square experiments. In the first experiment the calves were fed milk replacers containing either 5%, 15%, or 25% lard. Total nitrogen, protein nitrogen, and fat left the abomasum more slowly for the 5% fat milk replacer than for the other two milk replacers. In the second experiment, the calves were fed milk replacers containing either whey proteins, whey, and fish proteins (50:50), or whey and soybean proteins (50:50). Dry matter, total nitrogen, protein nitrogen, and nonprotein nitrogen left the abomasum more slowly for the milk replacer containing whey and soybean proteins than for the other two milk replacers. In both experiments, milk replacers did not differ in rates of passage of fresh matter, reducing substances, ash, gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid, gastric proteolysis, and diarrhea. In Experiment 1, milk replacers did not differ in rates of passage of dry matter and nonprotein nitrogen. In Experiment 2, milk replacers did not differ in rate of passage of fat. Circadian rhythm had no influence.

Abomasum emptying in young dairy calves fed milk replacers containing animal or vegetable fats.

Young Holstein male calves, fitted with re-entrant duodenal fistulae, were fed 25% fat milk replacers containing either butter oil, lard, or corn oil in a 3 X 3 Latin square experiment. Proteins were supplied by skim milk powder. Patterns of changes with time after feeding were observed for the composition and pH of duodenal digesta, recovery rates of fresh and dry matter, rates of abomasum emptying for fresh and dry matter, gastric proteolysis, and diarrhea. The composition and pH of duodenal digesta changed markedly with time after feeding, but the only notable differences between milk replacers were for contents of protein nitrogen and total nitrogen. Recovery rates of fresh matter were higher than 100%, presumably due to salivary and gastric secretions. Dry matter was recovered at a rate averaging 100% suggesting that the method used to measure the flow rate and sample duodenal digesta was adequate. The highest flow rates of fresh matter were during the first 3 h after feeding. Differences were marked among the flow rates of constituents of dry matter. Gastric proteolysis was not influenced by the nature of dietary fats. Fecal dry matter, a measure of the severity of diarrhea, was markedly lower for the milk replacer filled with corn oil than for the other two milk replacers.

Apparatus to measure flow and sample duodenal contents in calves.

A simple and inexpensive apparatus, requiring minimum labor to operate, was designed to measure flow and sample duodenal contents in young dairy calves. This apparatus simulated normal physiological conditions and was used satisfactorily under varied experimental conditions.