Allergy & Asthma Soluitons
August2015 Issue
In This Issue
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Back to School 
Allergy & Asthma Plan

school_bus.jpg You may have been thinking through your child's back-to-school allergy plan since school let out in spring. But unless everyone your child deals with at school knows his or her  symptoms and triggers, your plan won't help keep allergies and asthma under control. 

"More than 10 million kids under age 18 have asthma, and one in four suffer from respiratory allergies," said allergist James Sublett, MD, FACAAI, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). "Many kids with asthma and food allergies don't have a plan in place at their school. An allergy or asthma action plan doesn't do any good if it's not shared with the people who can act on it."

Following is a list from ACAAI of people at your child's school you should work with to keep allergies and asthma under control.

Teacher- Teacher - While your child's teacher is the first line of defense at school in helping reduce sniffing, wheezing and sneezing, the right systems must be established at home before they get on the bus. If your child takes an allergy or asthma medication, make sure they take them at home, and that good avoidance measures are set up to keep their triggers under control. If your child's teacher knows your child's triggers, she may be able to help them steer clear in the classroom as well.
Too cool for school? Nah. - Discuss how to handle emergencies with the school principal and school nurse. Since 2010, all 50 states have laws protecting students' rights to carry and use asthma and anaphylaxis medications at school. Children who are at risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) from certain foods or insect stings should have epinephrine auto-injectors immediately available for treatment.  Be sure your child and school staff know how to use emergency medications.
Put me in Coach! - Playground games, physical education class and after-school sports can trigger exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). Children with asthma and allergies should be able to participate in any sport they choose, provided their allergist's advice is followed. Asthma symptoms during exercise may indicate poorly controlled asthma. Make sure your child's coach or physical education teacher knows what to do in case of an asthma-related event.
ABC, easy as 1-2-3 - Kids with food allergies are often very good atidentifying what they can and can't eat, but it helps if other parents (such as the room parent) and your child's friends know too. Your child's school may have a policy about bringing in treats for special occasions. If they don't, you'll want to make other parents and kids aware of what's off-limits. 
Future's so bright - Your child with allergies or asthma should be under the care of a board-certified allergist. An allergist can determine what is causing symptoms and show you h
jumping_schoolkids.jpg
ow to avoid triggers. For children with particularly bothersome allergies, an allergist may prescribe immunotherapy (allergy shots) which can modify and prevent allergy development. Kids who have asthma who see an allergist have a 77 percent reduction in lost time from school.


Test Your Knowledge

Allergy Quiz

1.  Ragweed pollen is high

a. In the early hours of the morning
b. Around noon
c. Late afternoon
d. At dusk


2.  What is the most common food allergy in children?

a. egg
b. cow milk
c. soy
d. peanut
e. wheat


 
News from the Allergy World
 
 
Second Allergic Reaction as severe as the first and can occurs hours later.
A study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), examined records of 484 children seen in an emergency department (ED) for anaphylaxis. The researchers tracked whether there was a second, follow-up reaction. 75 percent of the secondary reactions occurred within six hours of the first. Children who developed a second reaction had evidence of anaphylactic shock in the ED, required multiple doses of epinephrine and required multiple other therapies to treat the first reaction. At least half of the second reactions were considered serious, and also required treatment with epinephrine. Always have a second dose with you and, when in doubt, administer it too.  Anaphylaxis can be fatal if left untreated.  An emergency room visit for anaphylaxis should always be followed up with a visit to an allergist, as allergists provide the most comprehensive follow-up care and guidance.

Could Hand Dishwashing Reduce Allergy Risk?
The question of whether lifestyle factors such as dishwashing methods may alter allergy prevalence was explored in a study on the practical implications of the hygiene hypothesis (cleaner environments tend to produce more allergies than dirt exposure). The researchers found that hand dishwashing was associated with a reduced risk of development of allergic disease, compared to machine dishwashing. The risk was further reduced in a dose-response pattern if the children ate fermented food or food directly from farms. Pediatrics. 2015

 

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A Message from Dr. Chinoy 
Dr. Chinoy
  
School is just around the corner.  As we wrap up summer vacations and prepare for school, be certain to identify your children's allergies or asthma and inform the school.  Make sure there is a plan in place at the school and for after school care.  I hope everyone had a great summer!
 


Kind Regards, 

Dr. Birjis Chinoy

 
Visit our website at www.simplybreathe.com 



AnswersAnswers to the Test Your Knowledge Section: 

Ans1.   At noon. This is one of the few plants that pollinate around noon in the fall. It also produces more pollen per plant compared to rees, grasses or other weeds

Ans 2. cow milk. Although peanut allergy tends to be more severe, cow milk allergy is the most common, followed by peanut and egg. Here are the prevalence of the following foods cow milk 2.5%, hen egg 2%, peanut 1.3%, wheat and soy 1% or less.