Social Media For Clinicians Who Care For Infants and Myths and Facts About Allergy

This education is about:

• Differentiating an influencer for from an expert
• Recognizing examples of cognitive biases
• Utilizing strategies to discuss information patients and caregivers find on social media
• Employing strategies to ensure credible information is shared on social media
• Understanding the difference between food allergy and intolerance
• Recognizing the changing rates of allergic conditions
• Understanding factors that contribute to development of food allergy
• Summary/key takeaways

Why it matters:

Widespread social media use has changed not only the way that patients seek information but generated abundant misinformation around medical, nutrition, and clinical practices. Leading medical societies are advocating that clinicians engage to combat misinformation, share valuable research updates, and advocate on behalf of patients. With effective engagement on social platforms, clinicians can instill confidence to leverage their expertise when communicating with parents and caregivers.

Additionally, patients may have many questions about food intolerances and increasing rates of allergies.  Understanding the types of reactions to foods, trends in the prevalence of allergic conditions and identified risk factors is essential to prevent the spread of misinformation as healthcare providers engage with patients.

• Profile

  David R. Stukus, MD

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  David Stukus, MD, is a professor of clinical pediatrics and founding director of the Food Allergy Treatment Center in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, completed a residency in pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, and a fellowship in allergy and immunology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. 
  Dr. Stukus has devoted his career not only to clinical care and research focused primarily on food allergy, but also to communicating evidence-based medicine and best clinical practice to colleagues, other medical professionals, patients, and the general public. Acknowledging that food allergies can be serious and life-threatening, Dr. Stukus reassures patients and their families that with appropriate education, the majority of allergies are also manageable. Through his leadership, the Center provides all-inclusive, patient-specific care and education to help families develop skills to manage their child’s food allergies.

  Dr. Stukus was among the first medical practitioners to recognize possibilities associated with the use of social media in the healthcare arena and how it fundamentally changed how information is transmitted and consumed. His popular posts are designed to increase awareness, dispel misconceptions, and support legislative initiatives benefiting patients like his own.

  The impressive social media skills of Dr. Stukus were subsequently recognized by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) when he was appointed as the organization’s social media medical editor. He now hosts and produces the podcast series “Conversations From the World of Allergy” and is vice chair of the AAAAI’s Website, Internet and Related Technologies Committee. The American Academy of Pediatrics also acknowledged Dr. Stukus’ expertise by inviting him to serve as faculty for their “Social Media for Medical Professionals” course.

  Dr. Stukus is the editor of two textbooks, several book chapters, as well as numerous research publications and articles. He is an associate editor for Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and a reviewer for the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Journal of Asthma, Journal of Pediatrics, New England Journal of Medicine, and Pediatrics.

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  David R. Stukus, MD

  Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
  The Ohio State University College of Medicine
  Director, Food Allergy Treatment Center
  Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  Columbus, Ohio

• Profile

  Mimi Lai-Kuan Tang, MBBS, PhD

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  Mimi Lai-Kuan Tang, MBBS, PhD, is director of Allergy Translation and group leader of Allergy Immunology at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Parkville, Australia, a pediatric immunologist allergist at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, and a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Melbourne. Dr. Tang received her MBBS degree, with honors, and a PhD in immunology from the University of Melbourne. She completed her training in allergy and immunology through the Royal Australian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia.

  Dr. Tang has an international reputation in the field of allergic disorders and is a leading expert in food oral immunotherapy. She is recognized for her research achievements, investigating immune mechanisms of allergic disease and the role of the gut microbiota in modulating immune responses. Dr. Tang was responsible for the discovery of a highly effective world-first treatment for food allergy that induced remission of peanut allergy in eighty percent of children treated.

  In addition to her research published in scientific journals and textbooks, Dr. Tang has coauthored two books for lay audiences. Kids' Food Allergies for Dummies, provides valuable resources for parents, caregivers, and educators, and The Allergy Friendly Family Cookbook, provides recipes and reassurance for families of children with food allergies.

  Dr. Tang has been recognized for translating research into health policy and clinical practice with respect to food allergy and anaphylaxis management both nationally and internationally. She served on a committee to develop evidence-based Global Guidelines for Food Allergy Management in Schools, published in 2021 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In Australia, she played a key role in lobbying efforts to make EpiPens available through the national health service, developed guidelines for the prevention of anaphylaxis in schools, and worked with patient support groups to lobby governmental agencies to pass legislation requiring that day care and school staff receive training in anaphylaxis and allergy management.

  Dr. Tang is the author of more than 440 scientific articles, books chapters, reviews and studies, and, according to the Web of Science citation index, she is ranked in the top one percent of cited researchers in the field of immunology, demonstrating her remarkable influence in the field. She is associate editor of the Journal of Allergy and Immunology and serves on the editorial boards of a several scientific journals including the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Journal, Journal of Allergy and Immunology, Asia Pacific Allergy Journal, and World Allergy Organization Journal. She is a frequently invited speaker at international allergy and immunology symposia.

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  Mimi Lai-Kuan Tang, MBBS, PhD

  Professor, Head of Allergy Immunology Research Group
  Director, Allergy Translation Center
  Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
  Victoria, Australia