Taking Charge of Your Child’s Allergies: The Informed Parent’s Comprehensive Guide

231 Pages·1998·4.91 MB·English

by  M. Eric Gershwin MD

Taking Charge of Your Child's Allergies
The Informed Parent's Comprehensive Guide
This book is for our wives, Laurel and jean, mothers who
have dealt each day with their own children's allegies
with incomparable understanding and patience.
Taking Charge
of Your Child's
Allergies
The Informed Parent's
Comprehensive Guide
M. Eric Gershwin, MD
University of California Medical School, Davis, CA
Edwin L. Klingelhofer, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Psychology
California State University, Sacramento, CA
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
© 1998 Springer Science+B usiness MediaNe w York
Originally published by Humana Press Inc. in 1998
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1998
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Gershwin, M. Eric
Taking charge of your child's allergies: the informed parent's comprehensive guide I M. Eric
Gershwin, Edwin L. Klingelhofer.
p. em.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-61737-044-1 ISBN 978-1-4757-6685-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4 757-6685-1
I. Allergy in children-Popular works. 2. Allergy in children-Patients--Care. 3.
Allergy in children-Prevention. 4. Parent and child. 5. Consumer education. I. Klingelhofer, E.
L. (Ed L.) II. Title.
RJ386.G465 1998 98-5850
618.92'97--<lc21 CIP
Preface
The number of children with allergies is astounding-nearly one child in
six is said to suffer from some sort of allergy. The problems of these allergic
children can be as mild as occasional attacks of hay fever or as severe as
disfiguring eczema and life-threatening bronchial asthma. In addition to the
obvious health problems associated with having allergies, affected children
may experience recurring colds, painful ear infections, and other allergy
linked conditions, all of which cause frequent school absences. Childhood
allergies affect school performance adversely; they may be instrumental in
reducing attention span, and they are certainly a major social, psychologi
cal, and financial burden for children and their parents.
This book is a complete guide to childhood allergies presented in simple
jargon-free language. It provides parents with comprehensive, up-to-date,
and practical information and advice on how to help their allergic children.
It identifies the many allergic symptoms, tells what they look like, how
prevalent they are, what causes them, and what to do about them. It outlines
steps parents can take to help their children understand, manage, and control
their allergies. Its goal is to help parents and children cope effectively with a
major childhood problem.
We wrote this book because we have had to live with allergies all our
lives, in ourselves and in our children. Both of us have had severely allergic
children. We want to share with you what we have found out, and what Eric,
who is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of Allergy, Rheumatology, and
Clinical Immunology at the University of California, Davis, Medical School,
teaches his medical students about caring for allergic children.
M. Eric Gershwin
Edwin L. Klinge/hofer
v
To Our Readers
This book can help you and your family greatly. Its suggestions about
health care reflect the best and most up-to-date medical information and
opinions available. As with all medical advice, however, cases-and treat
ments thereof-may vary.
The authors and publisher therefore disclaim any responsibility for con
sequences resulting from following advice or procedures set forth in this
book. It is not intended to be an alternative to or substitute for your own
doctor's recommendations. In particular, the treatment of severe, protracted,
or stubborn symptoms or the use of any drug or medication should be under
taken only after consultation with your own physician.
vi
Contents
Preface .......................................................................................................................... v
To Our Readers ........................................................................................................ vi
Introduction .............................................................................................................. xv
PART I. WHAT ARE ALLERGIES, WHY Do CHILDREN HAVE THEM,
HOW CAN I BE SURE MY CHILD IS REALLY ALLERGIC, AND How CAN
I BEST COPE?
Chapter I. Why Our Child?
Some Facts About Allergies .................................................................................. 3
What Specifically Is an Allergy? ............................................................................ 7
Chapter 2. How to Know Whether Your Child Is Allergic
Introduction ............................................................................................................. I I
Family History of Allergies .................................................................................. I I
What Are the Symptoms? ............................................................................. 12
The When and How of Allergic Diseases in Children ................................ 12
Associated Factors .......................................................................................... 12
Directions for Using the Allergy Finder .......................................................... I 3
The Doctor's Role ................................................................................................. IS
Allergies and Allergy Imposters ......................................................................... 16
Allergy, Allergy Imposters, and Physiology ..................................................... 18
Chapter 3. Guiding Your Allergic Child into the Mainstream
General Health Problems .................................................................................... 23
School Problems ..................................................................................................... 24
Overall School Performance ........................................................................ 25
Physical Education ........................................................................................... 25
Other Classes ................................................................................................... 26
Other Risks at School .................................................................................... 28
At Homes of Friends ............................................................................................. 28
vii
viii CONTENTS
At Home Alone ...................................................................................................... 29
Holidays .................................................................................................................... 29
Traveling ................................................................................................................... 30
Summer Camp ........................................................................................................ 31
Special Problems of Allergic Children .............................................................. 31
Other Problems ..................................................................................................... 33
Teaching Allergic Offspring How to Act judiciously
and Competently on Their Own ............................................................. 33
Illicit Drugs ............................................................................................................... 34
PART II. WHAT ARE ALLERGIES' TRIGGERS AND How CAN I AVOID
OR CONTROL THEM EFFECTIVELY?
Chapter 4. Food and Food Additives
Symptoms of Food Allergy or lntolerance ...................................................... 40
Diagnostic Procedures for Establishing the Cause of Food
Allergies or Intolerances ............................................................................... 40
Allergy and Intolerance-Causing Agents .......................................................... 42
Fad Diets .................................................................................................................. 43
A Special Word About Latex Allergy ............................................................... 44
Treatment of Food Allergy or Hypersensitivity ............................................ 44
Too Much of a Good Thing ................................................................................ 46
Chapter 5. Colds and Respiratory Infections
Prevention of Colds and Respiratory Infections ........................................... 48
The Importance of Good Nutrition ................................................................. 48
Psychological Stress ............................................................................................... 49
Hygiene and General Health Habits ................................................................. 49
Recurrent or Chronic Lung Diseases ............................................................... 49
Chapter 6. Airborne Allergens
Plant Pollens ............................................................................................................ 51
Molds and Fungi ...................................................................................................... 52
Dust ........................................................................................................................... 53
Animal Dander ........................................................................................................ 54
Smoke ........................................................................................................................ 54
Pollutants .................................................................................................................. 55
Other Airborne Allergens ................................................................................... 55
Chapter 7. Weather, Climate, and Exercise
Cold ........................................................................................................................... 5?
Heat ........................................................................................................................... 59
CONTENTS ix
Heat and Cold ......................................................................................................... 58
Barometric Pressure and Humidity ................................................................... 59
The Seasons ............................................................................................................. 59
Activity and Exercise ............................................................................................. 59
PART Ill. THE COMMON ALLERGIC DISEASES, WHY CHILDREN DEVELOP
THEM, AND THE STEPS You, THE PARENT, CAN TAKE TO DIAGNOSE,
TREAT, CONTROL, AND AVOID THEIR SYMPTOMS
Chapter 8. Skin Irritants ..................................................................................... 63
Chapter 9. Insect Stings or Bites
Incidence .................................................................................................................. 67
Usual Age of Onset ............................................................................................... 67
Symptoms ................................................................................................................. 67
Habitats of Stinging and Biting Insects .............................................................. 69
First Aid and Home Treatment of Insect Stings and Bites ......................... 69
Avoiding Insect Stings and Bites ......................................................................... 69
Controlling Stinging and Biting Insects ............................................................. 72
Long-Term Treatment .......................................................................................... 72
Complications ......................................................................................................... 73
A Special Note About Spiders ............................................................................ 74
Chapter I0 . Gastrointestinal Complaints
(Colic, Constipation, Diarrhea, and Stomachache)
Causes of Food Allergies and Intolerances in Children .............................. 76
Foods Associated with Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children ............... 77
A Note on Milk and Enzyme Deficiencies in Children ................................ 78
Identifying Food Intolerance ............................................................................... 78
First Aid and Home Treatment of Food Intolerance ................................... 78
Special Hints ............................................................................................................ 80
Chapter II. Asthma (Wheezing and Shortness of Breath)
Incidence .................................................................................................................. 81
Usual Age of Onset ............................................................................................... 82
Symptoms ................................................................................................................. 82
Causes ....................................................................................................................... 82
When to See the Doctor .................................................................................... 83
Skin Testing ............................................................................................................. 83
Treatment of Asthma ........................................................................................... 84
Identify the Causal Agent or Agents ................................................................. 84
Avoid Asthma's Causal Agents ........................................................................ 86