Medical Alert Clothing Supports Families with Celiac Disease



Earlier this month, Check My Tag, LLC (www.checkmytag.com) showed its support for Celiac Disease by participating in the St. Louis Walk/Run for Celiac Disease. The event is organized and managed by the Bi-State Celiac Support Group (www.bscsg.org), whose mission is to reach the many undiagnosed Celiacs in the Bi-State area who are unnecessarily suffering from gluten sensitivity; to provide a sense of community for those already diagnosed and to raise funds for Celiac Disease research programs. The St. Louis Walk/Run is one of the ways that the group raises funds for the Center for Celiac Research (CFCR) at the University of Maryland. This annual fundraiser, which is in its 5th year and is hosted in cities across the U.S. has raised over $1 million to date. The funds are used to increase awareness and support research. The June 3rd event in St. Louis raised over $12,000, 75% of which go to support research and other national initiatives and 25% to support BSCSG'ss community activities.

The group continues to receive great feedback on the event from local Celiac families. A recent message says, we are sad, happy, overwhelmed and relieved because our sons now know they really are a part of a big community of people who have to eat a special diet! At the pavilion our kids eyes got big as saucers when we hit the goody table. They were so thrilled to pick out whatever they wanted.

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot eat a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods, but is also found in products we use every day like adhesives, medicines, and vitamins.

When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, the gluten triggers an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine. The immune system produces antibodies that attack the gluten but also attack the villi of the small intestine, causing damage and a variety of illnesses.

Toddlers with Celiac Disease and their families must practice strict avoidance of a wide variety of foods. Accidental exposure can cause a myriad of health problems. Check My Tag clothes are designed to help prevent accidental exposure to problem foods with a visible emblem on each garment alerting caregivers to the presence of a medical condition. The product line provides parents of toddlers with Celiac Disease peace of mind that a visible reminder accompanies their child when they cannot.

The product line was developed by Ria Sharon, whose 13-month old son was diagnosed with severe food allergies in March 2005. 's8220;I began searching immediately for resources that would help me manage his condition, in a way that would allow him to experience and enjoy life like any other child his age. Specifically, I wanted something that would give me back my confidence in being able to keep him safe. To my surprise, everything that was currently available in terms of alert products were not practical solutions for us.'s8221; Ria applied her creative skills to develop a solution that eased her own anxiety and empowered her son'ss teachers and babysitters to care for him safely.

The patent-pending clothes are safe from choking, strangulation and electric shock. Each garment can be personalized to include all of a child's8217;s own symptoms. Her prototypes were met with such positive responses from childcare providers, physicians, and other parents that she recognized a way to help other families who face the same challenges.

Celiac Disease is genetic. Sometimes it is is triggered (becomes active for the first time) after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress. Celiac Disease affects people differently. Symptoms may occur in the digestive system, or in other parts of the body. For example, one person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person may be irritable or depressed. In fact, irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease may include one or more of the following: gas, recurring abdominal bloating and pain, chronic diarrhea, pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool, weight loss/weight gain, fatigue, unexplained anemia, bone or joint pain, osteoporosis, osteopenia, behavioral changes, tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage), muscle cramps, seizures, missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss), infertility, recurrent miscarriage, delayed growth, failure to thrive in infants, pale sores inside the mouth (called aphthous ulcers), tooth discoloration or loss of enamel, itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.

Untreated Celiac Disease can be life threatening.

Finding the cause of this disease is a priority of the Center (CFCR). Alessio Fasano, MD, is the Medical Director and a leading expert in the field. A study Dr. Fasano recently conducted concluded that as many as one out 133 Americans may have the disease. In fact, The National Institute of Health (NIH) has recognized Celiac Disease for the first time as a serious health problem in the United States and estimates almost three million Americans are affected.

Check My Tag clothes are available online at www.checkmytag.com or by calling toll free (888) 636-6405. Clothes retail for $25-$27.

The following media assets are available for editorial review at www.checkmytag.com/press_media.html
* Our Story (Word, pdf)
* Press Releases (Word, pdf)
* Photos of Products (web and press ready)

For more information about Celiac Disease, visit the Bi-State Celiac Support Group website (www.bscsg.org). The group also manages a gluten-free community email support group (stlouisalerts http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/stlouisalerts), a free service where over 304 Celiacs in the area get email updates about Gluten-Free products and local restaurants that understand gluten-free.

Contact: Ria Sharon, founder
Company Name: Check My Tag, LLC
Voice Phone Number: (314) 406-2117
Website: www.checkmytag.com





Medical Alert Clothing Supports Families with Celiac Disease