|
 WATER,
WATER EVERYWHERE!
 Do
you sometimes get headaches for no obvious reason?
OR
Do
you get sore throats a lot?
OR
Does your nose get so stuffy you
can’t even blow it?
When
you don’t drink enough
water your body begins to DEHYDRATE. That means it loses
enough water to be out of balance and all of your body cells
start to dry out and shrivel up.
This can make your head hurt,
your throat feel chapped, and nose drainage gets
thick and stuffed up.
A little known fact:
Sometimes thirst masquerades as
hunger, so you think your body is asking for
food (calories) when it’s
actually asking for water. "
So if you feel hungry and it’s
not mealtime yet, drink a
LARGE
glass of water.
THE WELL DRESSED
KID IS PREPARED
 Winter
can give us extremes of weather. With snow and ice under
foot, the COLD and wind can cause dangerous conditions
especially if not prepared. Shorter recess times are
scheduled on days when the temperature and/or wind chill is
below zero. However, children should always leave home
dressed for the wait at the bus stop and the probability of
outside play time at recess. Boots usually provide a little
more grip underfoot than sneakers or dress shoes, as well as
keeping feet warm and dry. A hat, warm jacket, snow pants,
and mittens/gloves are a must every day during the winter
months!
The nurse has a very limited
number of hats and mittens for children for emergencies
only. We hope we can help children even as young as
kindergarten to learn to become responsible for bringing
their own things everyday.
Mrs. Kauffman's Nurses Notes
COLD, ICE, AND SNOW SAFETY
Winter isn't a time to just stay
indoors and wait for spring. There's a whole wonderland of
sports out there for the entire family - sledding,
snowmobiling, and snowboarding, to mention a few. Plus,
someone has to shovel the snow, right?
Once outdoors, however, you may
need to take extra steps to keep your family safe in the
cold. In ice and snow, accidents can occur easily, and
before you know it, you may
be on your way to the emergency
room.
.
There are ways to keep safe and
stay fit during the cold months. By following a few tips,
you can have a great time, no matter how much white stuff
piles up outside.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE
SAFE IN THE COLD?- ~
Certain injuries are more common
in the winter because of special cold-weather activities.
Activities like ice-skating, sledding, snowboarding, and
skiing lead to the most accidents and injuries in the
winter, and often it's children who get hurt.
Now that snowboarding is drawing
more kids out in the
cold weather, emergency rooms are
seeing more abdominal, head, and neck injuries in those who
run into trees or large rocks while snowboarding.
It's not just winter sports that
send people to the hospital or a doctor's office. Certain
illnesses are more common when the seasons change.
Respiratory illnesses, especially viruses like the flu, are
particularly prevalent during this time of year. That’s
because everyone spends more time indoors in chilly weather,
exposing themselves to more germs in the air.
 ON
THE HOME FRONT
One way to stay healthy while
cooped up inside is to make sure your family washes their
hands. It's especially important to wash after sharing toys,
coughing, and blowing a runny nose to help prevent the
spread of viruses.
Otherwise, it's
difficult to avoid getting sick. People who sleep and eat
well may be less likely to get sick because their bodies are
more resistant to viruses and other germs, including
bacteria.
Decided you've had enough of
the indoors and you're going to get the family outside
to shovel the snow? Fine, but take care. Snow shoveling is
strenuous work. It's OK for older, school-age kids to help
out, but young children should not be shoveling because they
can strain their muscles from lifting heavy shovels full
of snow.
 Younger
or older, kids sometimes have a tough time knowing when to
come inside from the cold. To nip frostbite in the bud,
check on your kids regularly to make sure that mittens are
dry and warm and noses aren't too red.
BRAVING THE COLD
If
you’re going outside in the cold, stay safe and warm. Make
sure your kids have a snack before going out. The calories
will give their bodies energy in the cold weather.
Kids should dress warmly using
layers of clothes - but not before using the
bathroom!
And protect your kids' faces with
sunscreen. Even though the idea of a sunburn in
January can seem odd, snow can reflect up to 85% of
the sun's ultraviolet rays.
Avoid
cotton clothing because it won’t keep kids very warm. Stick
with wools or other fabrics. Dress them in long underwear,
a turtle neck, a sweater and coat. Add more layers
depending on the temperature. Waterproof pants and jackets
are great top layers because they don't let the wetness seep
into the other clothing. The cold-weather ensemble wouldn't
be complete without warm socks and boots to keep feet dry
and a hat to top it off.
There's no set amount of
time children should be allowed to stay
out in the cold. However, when
being cold becomes unpleasant, it's
time to go inside. Sometimes,
though, kids may just need some dry
gloves. It helps to have an
extra pair of gloves or mittens tucked
into their pockets if
they plan to be outdoors for a while.
 If
your kids decide to go sledding on their own for the day,
make sure you know about the hill where they will be
playing. Is it steep or covered with trees? If so, it's not
a good
location for sledding. Also,
watch out for hills where there are rocks or those that are
near busy roads.
Sledding injuries can be very
serious, resulting in head trauma, neck trauma, and broken
bones. In serious injuries, there often is internal bleeding
and abdominal trauma, which is why it's a good idea to
supervise when your kids are sledding.
Ice-skating and hockey are great
cold weather activities, but they require safety smarts.
Make sure your children avoid sports injuries by wearing
properly fitted skates. In addition, ice rinks are always
safer than ponds for skating. If you only have access to a
pond, check the thickness of the ice the ice and supervise
your children while they skate.
Snowmobiling is more popular than
ever, and the machines also go faster than ever. When
snowmobiling, follow these safety steps:
~ Travel in groups and make sure
someone knows where the
snowmobilers are going.
>- It it's necessary to
snowmobile on frozen bodies of water, do so with
caution.
>- When crossing a roadway, make
sure the way is clear in both
directions.
>- Operate at a reasonable and
prudent speed for trail conditions.
>- Remember that alcohol and
snowmobiles don't mix.
 WHAT
TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
Children are at
greater risk for frostnip and frostbite than adults, and the
best way to prevent it is to make sure kids are dressed
warmly and that they don't spend too much time in extreme
weather.
Frostnip is an early warning sign
of the onset of frostbite.
It leaves the skin white
and numb. After bringing your child inside, remove all wet
clothing because it draws heat from the body. Immerse the
chilled body parts in warm (not hot) water - 104 to 108
degrees Fahrenheit (40 to 42 degrees Celsius) - until they
are able to feel sensation again.
Frostbite occurs mostly on
fingers, toes, ears, noses, and cheeks. The area becomes
very cold and turns white or yellowish gray. If you notice
frostbite, take your child immediately to the nearest
hospital emergency room.
Going on a road trip? Make sure
you have a first-aid kit, extra blankets, and gloves in the
car.
HELMETS COULD HELP HEAD OFF
INJURIES IN SKATERS
Is
ice skating your family's favorite way of spending a winter
day?
You know that you
need to protect little fingers and toes from the cold when
skimming across the ice – but you may not realize the
importance of protecting their heads, too. In 2001,
hospital emergency departments treated 11,100 injuries from
recreational ice skating. Researchers from the children’s
Hospital in Columbus, Ohio studied skating injuries in kids
and suggest new rules should be implemented that require
helmets for ice skaters.
Researchers compared
skating-related injuries that were treated at a large
children's hospital, including ice skating, skateboarding,
roller-skating, and in-line skating injuries, over a
3l-month period. They noted the type and severity of the
injury, the body parts that were affected, whether the child
was wearing any safety gear, and whether an adult was
supervising the child at the time of the injury.
 When
injuries from ice skating, skateboarding, roller-skating, or
in-line skating were compared, ice skaters were at a greater
risk of injury to the head (20% of injures) than in-line
skaters (4.9%). Head injuries sustained by roller skaters
and skateboarders were 9.2% and 15.9%, respectively.
The majority of injuries to
in-line skaters and roller skaters were upper arm injuries,
presumably because they were attempting to break a forward
fall. The current study suggests that skateboarders and ice
skaters may be falling backward or sideways and are unable
to use their arms to prevent injury to the head.
What this Means to You:
For skating sports such as
 skateboarding,
roller-skating, and in-line skating, medical
organizations such as the
American Academy of Pediatrics
recommend that children always
wear protective equipment
including helmets and wrist,
elbow, and knee padding. In this study the researchers found
that the proportion of head injuries amoung ice
skaters was even greater than
other skating sports, such as in-line
skating. They conclude that
helmets should be mandatory for
kids who ice skate. The
researchers also suggest that other protective equipment
(wrist, elbow and knee pads) should be considered when ice
skating and that younger children « 5 years) may not be
developmentally ready to participate in skating activities.
To reduce the risk of injury in your child, be sure that
helmets and protective gear are an essential part of your
child's skating preparation.
This information was taken from
www.kidshealth.org
~
Bike Safety
It's a beautiful day - the sun is
shining, the birds are chirping. What could be more perfect
than a bike ride? But wait! Before you pull your bike out of
the garage, let's find out how to stay safe on two wheels.
Why Is Bicycle Safety So
Important?
Bike riding is a lot of fun, but
accidents happen. Every year, about 176,000 kids go to the
emergency department because of bike accident injuries. Some
of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually
from head injuries.
A head injury means a brain
injury. That's why it's so important to wear your
bike helmet. Wearing one doesn't mean you can be
reckless, but a helmet will provide some protection for your
head in case you fall down.
A Helmet How-To
Bike helmets are so important
that the U.S. government has created safety standards for
them. Your helmet should have a sticker that says it meets
standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
If your helmet doesn't have a CPSC sticker, ask your mom or
dad to get you one that does.
Your bike helmet should fit you
properly. You don't want it too small or too big. Never wear
a hat under your bike helmet. If you're unsure if your
helmet fits you well, ask someone at a bike store.
Once you have the right helmet,
you need to wear it the right way so it will protect you. It
should be worn level and cover your forehead. The straps
should always be fastened. If the straps are flying,
it's likely to fall off your head when you need it most.
Make sure the straps are adjusted so they're snug enough
that you can't pull or twist the helmet around on your head.
Take care of your bike helmet and
don't throw it around. That could damage the helmet and it
won't protect you as well when you really need it. If you do
fall down and put your helmet to the test, be sure to get a
new one. They don't work as well after a major crash.
 Many
bike helmets today are lightweight and come in cool colors.
If don't love yours as it is, personalize it with some of
your favorite stickers. Reflective stickers are a great
choice because they look cool and make you more visible to
people driving cars.
HELMET ON, NOW WHAT???
Riding a bike that is the
right size for you also helps to keep you safe.
• When you are on your bicycle,
stand straddling the top bar of your bike so that both feet
are flat on the ground.
• There should be 1 to 3 inches
of space between you and the top bar.
Here's a safety checklist your
mom or dad can help you do:
. Make sure your seat,
handlebars, and wheels fit tightly.
. Check and oil your chain
regularly.
. Check your brakes to be sure
they work well and aren't sticking.
. Check your tires to make sure
they have enough air and the right tire pressure.
Be Seen, Be Safe!
Wearing bright clothes and
putting reflectors on your bike also can help you stay safe.
It helps other people on the road see you. And if they see
you, that means they're less likely to run into you.
You'll also want to make sure
that nothing will get caught in your bike chain, such as
loose pant legs, backpack straps, or shoelaces. Wear
the right shoes - sneakers - when you bike. Sandals, shoes
with heels, and cleats won't help you grip the pedals. And
never go riding barefoot! Riding gloves may help you grip
the handlebars - and make you look like a professional!
But avoid wearing headphones
because the music can distract you from noises around you,
such as a car blowing its horn so you can get out of the
way.
WHERE TO RIDE
You need to check with your mom
and dad about where you're allowed to ride your bike. You
need to know how far you're allowed to go and whether you
should ride on the sidewalk on in the street. Either way,
you need to keep an eye out for cars and trucks. Even if
you're just riding on sidewalk, a car may pull out of its
driveway into the path of your bike. If you're crossing a
busy road, it's best to walk your bike across the street.
A bike path free of cars is a
great choice if there's one in your area. Just remember to
share the path with the other riders, walkers, and strollers
who also might be using it! And if you're going on a long
ride, bring some water along with you.
 And
no matter where you ride, keep an eye on the road ahead so
you can be prepared for big hills and road obstacles. Some
common ones that can cause falls include:
. wet leaves
. big puddles
. changes in the road surface .
storm grates
. gravel or rocks
. curbs
. little kids in your way!
ROAD RULES
If you’re allowed to ride on the
street, follow these road rules:
• Always stop and check for
traffic in both directions when leaving your driveway, an
alley, or a curb.
• Cross at intersections. When
you pull out between parked cars, drivers can’t see you
coming.
• Walk your bike across busy
intersections using the crosswalk and following traffic
signals.
• Ride on the right-hand side of
the street, so you travel in the same direction as cars do.
NEVER ride against traffic.
• Use bike lanes or designated
bike routes wherever you can.
• Don’t ride too close to parked
cars. Doors can open suddenly.
• Stop at all stop signs and
obey street (red) lights just as cars do.
• When passing other bikers or
people on the street, always pass to their left side, and
call out “On your left!” so they know that you are coming.
Mrs. Kauffmans'
Nurses Notes'
WELCOME!
The health and
safety of the chiIdren at our school is of utmost
importance. If at any time you have questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact the school nurse.
If your child
requires medication to be given at school, please refer to
the school handbook for policies and procedures to be
followed. AT NO TIME ARE MEDICA TIONS TO BE SENT IN WITH
YOUR CHILD. This includes prescription or non-prescription
medication. Please keep the nurse informed of medication
changes.
The following
guidelines may help determine if your child is ready to
return to school from various health conditions.
1) Students
diagnosed with strep throat may return to school after 24
hours on prescribed medications and no fever present.
Students diagnosed
with pink eye may return to school after 48 hours on
prescribed medication. Eyes are to be clear with no
drainage. Students diagnosed with Fifth's Disease are
excluded from school only if fever is present.
Students with
Chicken Pox are excluded from school for one week. Chicken
Pox must be dry and crusted before returning to school.
Here is to a
healthy year!
Mrs. Kauffman, R.N.
.
Chickenpox: Frequentlv Asked Questions
Since
the chickenpox vaccine was licensed in
1995
and put into use
throughout the United States, the number 01 chickenpox cases
has decreased dramatically and the presentation of this
illness has changed. With the occurrence of milder cases
after vaccination (known as breakthrough disease),
chickenpox is becoming more difficult to diagnose. This FAQ
is to provide you with current information on chickenpox.
What
does
chickenpox look like?
Typical chickenpox
symptoms include fever, tiredness, and an itchy rash with
small blisters that dry up and form scabs in about 5 days.
The rash usually appears first on the body and face and can
spread over the entire body with 250-500 itchy lesions.
Complications from chickenpox, such as pneumonia,
inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or a severe
bacterial infection can occur. Individuals who have received
the chickenpox vaccine can still get chickenpox if exposed
to the virus. This is called breakthrough disease.
What
does breakthrough disease look like?
Breakthrough
disease is usually a very mild case of chickenpox with fewer
lesions (usually less than 50) lasting only a few days, with
no fever or a low fever, and few other symptoms. The lesions
often do not look like typical chickenpox blisters either.
They tend to look like small, raised, itchy, red bumps that
resemble mosquito bites or acne. Since breakthrough disease
usually does not look like typical chickenpox, it can often
be difficult to diagnose. Call your health care provider if
you are not sure if your child has breakthrough disease.
My
child
was vaccinated
years ago and this year he/she developed a mild case of
chickenpox. Why did this happen?
No vaccine is
100%
effective.
Breakthrough disease may be due to a number of different
factors. One reason is that some people do not develop
enough protection to completely prevent them from developing
chickenpox. When they come into contact with a case of
chickenpox, they may develop breakthrough disease.
Can
someone with breakthrough
disease spread
chickenpox?
Yes.
Therefore it is important that these individuals stay at
home from school, child care, and extracurricular activities
(such as sports, band, drama club), until their lesions have
dried and formed scabs, or until no new spots or bumps are
forming.
Does
breakthrough
disease
provide immunity like naturally
occurring chickenpox?
Yes.
A mild case of chickenpox, such as breakthrough disease,
produces immunity to chickenpox as does the more moderate or
severe cases of naturally occurring chickenpox.
If a person who has never had
chickenpox or the vaccine comes into close contact with
someone with chickenpox, would getting vaccinated help?
Yes.
Vaccination may prevent or modify chickenpox if given up to
3 days, and possibly 5 days, after close exposure to
chickenpox. They should contact their health care provider
for vaccination.
What if I am pregnant and
exposed to chickenpox?
Pregnant women who have never
had chickenpox are at risk of getting chickenpox during
their pregnancy. A small percentage of pregnant women who
get chickenpox in the first or second trimester can have
babies with birth defects. In addition, chickenpox may be
more severe in pregnant women and place them at a high risk
for complications due to chickenpox. You should contact
your health care provider and inform them that you have been
exposed to chickenpox.
If you have any questions or
need more information, please contact Harford County Health
Department, Division of Communicable Diseases at (410)
638-8458.
All About Allergies
Dust, cats, peanuts, cockroaches.
An odd grouping, but one with a common thread: allergies - a
major cause of illness in the United States. Up to 50
million Americans, including millions of children, have some
type of allergy. In fact, allergies account for the loss of
an estimated 2 million school days per year.
What
Are Allergies?
An allergy is an overreaction of
the immune system to a substance that's harmless to most
people. But in someone with an allergy, the body's immune
system treats the substance (called an allergen) as
an invader and reacts inappropriately, resulting in symptoms
that can be anywhere from annoying to possibly harmful to
the person.
In an attempt to protect the
body, the immune system of the allergic person produces
antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Those
antibodies then cause mast cells (which are allergy
cells in the body) to release chemicals, including
histamine, into the bloodstream to defend against the
allergen "invader."
It's the release of these
chemicals that causes allergic reactions, affecting a
person's eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, or
gastrointestinal tract as the body attempts to rid itself of
the invading allergen. Future exposure to that same allergen
(things like nuts or pollen that you can be allergic
to) will trigger this allergic response again. This means
every time that person eats that particular food or is
exposed to that particular allergen, he or she will have an
allergic reaction.
Who Gets Allergies?
The tendency to develop allergies
is often hereditary, which means it can be passed down
through your genes. However, just because you, your
partner, or one of your children might have allergies
doesn't mean that all of your children will definitely get
them, too. And a person usually doesn't inherit a
particular allergy, just the likelihood of having
allergies.
But a few children have allergies
even if no family member is allergic. And if a child is
allergic to one substance, it's likely that he or she will
be allergic to others as well.
What
Are the Most Common
Airborne Allergens?
Some of the most common things
people are allergic to are airborne (carried through
the air):
Dust mites are one of the
most common causes of allergies. These microscopic insects
live all around us and feed on the millions of dead skin
cells that fall off our bodies every day. Dust mites are
the main allergic component of house dust, which is made up
of many particles and can contain things such as fabric
fibers and bacteria, as well as microscopic animal
allergens. Present year-round in most parts of the United
States (although they don’t live at high altitudes), dust
mites live in bedding upholstery, and carpets.
Pollen is another major
cause of allergies (most people know pollen allergy as Hay
fever or rose fever). Trees, weeds, and grasses release
these tiny particles in the air to fertilize other plants.
Pollen allergies are seasonal,
and the type of pollen a child is allergic to determines
when he or she will have symptoms. For example, in the
mid-Atlantic states, tree pollination begins in February and
lasts through May, grass from May through June, and ragweed
from August through October; so people with these allergies
are likely to experience increased symptoms during those
times. Pollen counts measure how much pollen is in the air
and can help people with allergies determine how bad their
symptoms might be on any given day. Pollen counts are
usually higher in the morning and on warm, dry, breezy days,
whereas they're lowest when it's chilly and wet. Although
they're not exact, the local weather report's pollen count
can be helpful when planning outside activities.
Molds, another common
allergen, are fungi that thrive both indoors and out in
warm, moist environments. Outdoors, molds may be found in
poor drainage areas, such as in piles of rotting leaves or
compost piles. Indoors, molds thrive in dark, poorly
ventilated places such as bathrooms and damp basements, and
in clothes hampers or under kitchen sinks. A musty odor
suggests mold growth. Although molds tend to be seasonal,
many can grow year-round, especially those indoors.
Pet allergens from
warm-blooded animals can cause problems for kids and parents
alike. When the animal - often a household pet - licks
itself, the saliva gets on its fur or feathers. As the
saliva dries, protein particles become airborne and work
their way into fabrics in the home. Cats are the worst
offenders because the protein from their saliva is extremely
tiny and they tend to lick themselves more than other
animals as part of grooming.
Cockroaches are also a major
household allergen, especially in inner cities. Exposure to
cockroach infested buildings may be a major cause of the
high rates of asthma in inner-city children.
What Are the Most Common Food
Allergens?
The American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma, and Immunology estimates that up to 2 million, or
8%, of children in the United States are affected by food
allergies, and that eight foods account for most of those
food allergy reactions in kids: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts,
shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Cow's milk (or cow's milk
protein): Between 1% and 7.5% of infants are allergic to the
proteins found in cow's milk and cow's milk-based formulas.
About 80% of formulas on the market are cow's milk-based.
Cow's milk protein allergy (also called formula protein
allergy) means that the infant (or child or adult) has an
abnormal immune system reaction to proteins found in the
cow's milk used to make standard baby formulas, cheeses, and
other milk products. Milk proteins can also be a hidden
ingredient in many prepared foods.
Eggs: One of the most common food
allergies in infants and young children, egg allergy can
pose many challenges for parents. Because eggs are used in
many of the foods kids eat - and in many cases they're
"hidden" ingredients - an egg allergy is hard to diagnose.
An egg allergy usually begins when children are very young,
but most outgrow the allergy by age 5. Most kids with an egg
allergy are allergic to the proteins in egg whites, but some
can't tolerate proteins in the yolk.
Seafood and shellfish: The
proteins in seafood can cause a number of different types of
allergic reactions. Seafood allergy is one of the more
common adult food allergies and one that children don’t
always grow out of.
Peanuts and tree nuts: Peanuts
are one of the most sever food allergens, often causing life
threatening reactions. About 1.5 million people in the
United States are allergic to peanuts. (Peanuts are not a
true nut, but a legume – in the same family as peas and
lentils, although people with peanut allergy don’t usually
have cross-reactions to other legumes.) Half of those
allergic to peanuts are also allergic to tree nuts, such as
almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews and often sunflower and
sesame seeds.
Soy: Like peanuts,
soybeans are legumes. Soy allergy is more prevalent among
babies than older children; about 30% to 40% of infants who
are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to the protein
in soy formulas. Soy proteins, such as soya, are often a
hidden ingredient in prepared foods.
Wheat: Wheat proteins are
found in many of the foods we eat - some are more obvious
than others. As with any allergy, an allergy to wheat can
happen in different ways and to different degrees. Although
wheat allergy is often confused with celiac disease, there
is a difference. Celiac disease is caused by a sensitivity
to gluten, which is found in wheat, oat, rye, and barley. It
typically develops between 6 months and 2 years of age and
the sensitivity causes damage to the small intestine in a
different way to the usual allergic reaction.
What
Are Some Other
Common Allergens?
Insect Stings: For most
children, being stung by an insect means swelling, redness,
and itching at the site of the bite. But for children with
insect venom allergy, an insect bite can cause more severe
symptoms. Although some doctors and parents have believed
that most children eventually outgrow insect venom allergy,
a recent study found that insect venom allergies often
persist into adulthood.
Medicines:
Antibiotics - medications used to treat infections - are the
most common types of medicines that cause allergic
reactions. Many other medicines, including over-the-counter
medications, can also cause allergic reactions. If you
suspect a medicine allergy, talk to your doctor first
before assuming a reaction is a sign of allergy.
Chemicals: Some cosmetics
or laundry detergents can cause people to break out in an
itchy rash. Usually, this is because the person has a
reaction to the chemicals in these products. Dyes, household
cleaners, and pesticides used on lawns or plants can also
cause allergic reactions in some people.
Some children also have what are
called cross-reactions. For example, kids who are
allergic to birch pollen might have reactions when they eat
an apple because that apple is made up of a protein similar
to one in the pollen. Another example is that children who
are allergic to latex (as in gloves or certain types of
hospital equipment) are more likely to be allergic to
kiwifruit or bananas.
What
Are the Signs and
Symptoms of Allergies?
The type and severity of allergy
symptoms vary from allergy to allergy and child to
child. Allergies may show up as itchy eyes or an itchy nose,
sneezing, nasal congestion, throat tightness, trouble
breathing, and even shock (faintness or passing out).
Symptoms can range from minor or
major seasonal annoyances (for example, from pollen
or certain molds) to year-round problems (from allergens
like dust mites or food).
Because different allergens are
more prevalent in different parts of the country and the
world, allergy symptoms can also vary, depending on where
you live. For example, peanut allergy is unknown in
Scandinavia, where they don’t eat peanuts, but is common in
the United States, where peanuts are not only a popular
food, but are also found in many of the things we eat.
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