Allergy

As a mother and registered nurse, I was thrilled to see The Sun highlight recently the seriousness of food allergies, particularly among children ("Food allergies common, growing, study says," Oct. 19). Food allergies are very real and, as the article states, among the most common chronic diseases in America. Over 12 million Americans — and 1 in every 25 children — suffer from allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy, exposure to which can lead to life-threatening anaphylaxis within seconds.

Oh, that was a fun day about 10 years ago when we fed our infant son yogurt and then watched his face unexpectedly blow up like a red-spotted balloon. A few years and a few EpiPens later, he was allergy free and I could stop reading labels like a detective. But for families still dealing with allergies, these bracelets from Hope Paige might come in handy.

Sneezing? Think you may be allergic to something? Some Rite Aid stores are planning to hold free allergy screening for the most common allergens on Saturday at selected stores from noon to 4 p.m. Spring is traditionally a busy allergy season so nurses will be on hand to administer Fluorescent Allergosorbent, or FAST, tests. Included allergens are eggs, mold, cats, wheat, mountain cedar, dust mites, milk, ragweed and grass. Stores offering the screenings include: +6838 Loch Raven Boulevard in Baltimore, 410-825-8900 +711 West 40th Street in Baltimore, 410-467-3343 +4380 Park Heights Ave. in Baltimore, 410-664-8644 +2043 Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore 410-523-6315 +250 West Chase Street in Baltimore, 410-752-4473 +2801 Foster Avenue in Baltimore, 410-732-0523 +5624 Baltimore National Pike in Baltimore 410-a719-7608 +29-31 Shipping Place in Baltimore 410-282-0020 +110 Mitchells Chance Road in Edgewater, 410-956-9411 +2633 Brandermill Blvd.

Taking drops of allergens under the tongue can be an effective alternative to allergy shots for preventing coughing, wheezing and chest tightness common this time of year among allergy sufferers, according to a Johns Hopkins doctor's review of dozens of published studies. The report, published on the Journal of the American Medical Association's website Wednesday, summarizes 63 studies and makes a case for what is known as sublingual immunotherapy. The treatment is popular in Europe but is less common in the United States.

Oh, that was a fun day about 10 years ago when we fed our infant son yogurt and then watched his face unexpectedly blow up like a red-spotted balloon. A few years and a few EpiPens later, he was allergy free and I could stop reading labels like a detective. But for families still dealing with allergies, these bracelets from Hope Paige might come in handy.

He only explodes like that when his sinuses are unbearably painful.-- A former aide explaining Bill Clinton's occasional flashes of anger.In an effort to reinvigorate his campaign and seize the all-important allergy sufferers' vote, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton yesterday detailed a long history of sinus problems that he said had made his life "a living hell -- especially in the spring."It hurts right here," said the Arkansas governor at a hastily called news conference, pointing to an area of his forehead above both eyebrows.

Q. I have fig trees in my back yard, and they were especially fruitful this year. I love fresh figs, but lately I have been experiencing a scary reaction. My lips tingle, and my tongue swells up. Could this be a fig allergy? A. Food allergies can be serious. Those who are sensitive to nuts or shellfish might suffer life-threatening reactions to even the smallest exposure. Fruit allergy is usually less serious, but if your tongue swells it could interfere with breathing. Some people, especially those who are allergic to latex or tree and grass pollens, might also react to kiwi fruit, figs, papaya, passion fruit, bananas, peaches and nectarines, to name just a few. Numbness and tingling in the mouth or lips, itching and swelling are all red flags that shouldn't be ignored.

Amy Windham peers at her tormentors, Thelma and Louise, who are lounging a few feet away, confined in a steel cage. "I have no sympathy for them," she says, between coughs.They ignore her, rubbing against each other and flicking their tails.Ms. Windham, a 27-year-old Baltimore resident, sits suffering in the cat room -- a fur-matted cubicle in a basement of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She is one of a hardy group of volunteers helping researchers test new anti-allergy drugs for people who are allergic to cats.

Johns Hopkins Allergy and Asthma Center in Baltimore is seeking high school students who are allergic to ragweed to take the SAT in an effort to determine the effects of allergy medications on SAT scores.Student scores on the test, which will be administered tomorrow, will not appear on their records unless they request it.Candidates must be at least 14 years old and have completed their freshman year of high school. They also must never have taken the SATs.Those interested should call 1-800-845-3942.

In springtime, Dana Frank's thoughts turn to baseball, steroid nasal sprays and antihistamine eye drops. He keeps his windows shut on many balmy nights, and powers up his car's air conditioning even when it isn't sticky outside.Like thousands of other Americans, the Baltimore physician suffers from a severe allergy to tree pollen. In late April and early May, when the oaks and ashes and alders get frisky, Dr. Frank feels miserable."Particularly in the early morning and late afternoon, I have very itchy eyes, painful eyes, sneezing, runny nose," he said yesterday.

Allergy sufferers, beware: It's just about that time of year to get a stock of tissues handy again. Trees have started to bud, and as temperatures rose and sunshine abounded this weekend, pollen levels have crept up.  Tree pollen levels are considered high Monday in the Baltimore area, according to the National Allergy Bureau Pollen and Mold Report . Levels had been low since late February. According to The Weather Channel , the most prevalent varieties of tree pollen are cedar, maple and elm. Mold levels are meanwhile also at low levels and have been since late February, according to the allergy bureau.

For Maureen Burke, “gluten-free” is not just the latest diet trend -- it's a way of life. Since being diagnosed with celiac disease in the late 1980s, Burke has wrestled with her intolerance of gluten. And now, as chef and owner of One Dish Cuisine, in Ellicott City, she shares the fruits of her labor over the past two decades with others who suffer from food allergies and intolerances: a restaurant that serves food they can eat. Burke, now 49, was diagnosed with celiac disease and lactose intolerance when she was 25. Back then, celiac disease was relatively unheard of and there weren't many options.

What's the best way to deal with seasonal allergies? Pets react to airborne allergies just like humans do. But when they inhale these potential allergens, instead of just sneezing and sniffling, they get very inflamed and itchy skin that can become infected. It is important to treat any secondary infections or underlying conditions before starting to treat seasonal allergies. The idea of treating seasonal allergies is to make the skin less reactive. Here are some of the agents used to treat or manage allergies for pets.

Brandy Dopkin gave her then-11/2-year-old daughter Jordana a snack — a small piece of multigrain bread topped with peanut butter — just before they headed to Jordana's music class. At the time, the child showed no indications of a food allergy. But that changed during the class: Someone noticed that Jordana's skin was breaking out in hives. Dopkin decided to take her daughter home, but by the time they arrived, Jordana's eyes were swollen shut and welts had formed on her neck.

Kids who are allergic to foods can overcome their reactions through therapy that involves giving them increasing doses of the specific foods, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins Children's Center and other hospitals. The research adds to what doctors already know about food allergies. In this case, they used eggs for the treatment, known as oral immunotherapy. Past research involved milk and peanuts. For now, the research is still considered experimental and isn't recommended outside of a study.

Soap, toothpaste and mouthwash may fight germs, but it also could make your child prone to allergies, new research has found. Common antibacterial chemicals in these products may affect development of the immune system making children more likely to develop food and environmental allergies, the research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center found. Researchers analyzed data from a national health survey of 860 children ages 6 to 18. They compared urinary leves of antibacterials  in each child to preservatives found in personal hygiene products.

Is there a cloud behind our silver linings?In a recent study, Canadian scientists put "silver" fillings, which are half mercury and half silver-tin alloy, in young sheep, which showed signs of kidney failure within months. The scientists thought the mercury might be to blame.Mercury makes fillings pliable and hardens to a high state of durability. But it's toxic in high doses.Scientists have known for some time that small amounts of mercury leach out of fillings. But whether that adds up to human fTC risk is still unknown.

What's green and festive and makes you sneeze? It might be your Christmas tree. Allergists have long suspected that live Christmas trees are the culprits behind some folks' runny, itchy noses during the holidays -- and now one doctor believes he has proof. "I've been in practice for 30 years and, every year, between Christmas and New Year, we have everybody come in with recurring sinus infections," said Dr. John Santilli, a Connecticut allergy specialist. "We tell them, `Take down the tree,' but we never had the proof to show them."

Maryland public schools will all soon be keeping emergency supplies of epinephrine on hand for students who may have an allergic reaction, and patient advocates are applauding the new law . “Receiving a dose of epinephrine in the critical minutes following exposure to a food allergen can mean the difference between life and death,” said Susan Sweitzer, executive director of the Maryland-DC Chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of...

Sneezing? Think you may be allergic to something? Some Rite Aid stores are planning to hold free allergy screening for the most common allergens on Saturday at selected stores from noon to 4 p.m. Spring is traditionally a busy allergy season so nurses will be on hand to administer Fluorescent Allergosorbent, or FAST, tests. Included allergens are eggs, mold, cats, wheat, mountain cedar, dust mites, milk, ragweed and grass. Stores offering the screenings include: +6838 Loch Raven Boulevard in Baltimore, 410-825-8900 +711 West 40th Street in Baltimore, 410-467-3343 +4380 Park Heights Ave. in Baltimore, 410-664-8644 +2043 Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore 410-523-6315 +250 West Chase Street in Baltimore, 410-752-4473 +2801 Foster Avenue in Baltimore, 410-732-0523 +5624 Baltimore National Pike in Baltimore 410-a719-7608 +29-31 Shipping Place in Baltimore 410-282-0020 +110 Mitchells Chance Road in Edgewater, 410-956-9411 +2633 Brandermill Blvd.