Living With Food Allergies

The essential guide for anyone who suffers from food allergies. Posing the urgent questions that anyone with food allergies will think to ask—and then some—Food Allergies provides practical, sensitive, and scientific guidance on the topics that affect your life. Allergy expert Scott H. Sicherer addresses the full spectrum of food allergies, from mild to life threatening and from single foods to food families, clearing up misconceptions along the way. He explores how exposure to foods can bring about an allergic response, describes the symptoms of food allergy, and illuminates how food allergies develop. Organized in an accessible Q&A format and illustrated with case studies, the book thoroughly explains how to prevent exposure to a known allergen at home, at school, in restaurants, and elsewhere. Dr. Sicherer also gives valuable advice about what to do if exposure occurs, including how to handle an anaphylactic emergency. Finally, he describes tests for diagnosing food allergies and chronic health problems caused by food allergies, such as eczema, hives, and respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. In this thoroughly updated new edition, Dr. Sicherer • describes new approaches to prevent food allergies • presents cutting-edge theories on risk factors for developing food allergies • describes innovative allergy tests to improve diagnosis • explains how to administer emergency medications for severe reactions • focuses on new allergens of concern, such as pink peppercorns • analyzes studies suggesting that resolution of an allergy might be predictable • talks about the role of "healthy diet" • lists additional resources, including allergy-related apps • provides revised school food allergy guidelines • offers insights into food allergy bullying—and advice to reduce it Dr. Sicherer also reviews food reactions that are not allergic (such as lactose intolerance and celiac disease), advises how to get adequate nutrition when you must avoid dietary staples, and discusses whether allergies ever go away (they do—and sometimes they return).

AARP Digital Editions offer you practical tips, proven solutions, and expert guidance. AARP Allergic Girl is an indispensable guide for living a full life with food allergies--from an Allergic Girl who lives it. Millions of Americans concerned about adverse reactions to food are seeking the advice of medical professionals and receiving a diagnosis of food allergies. Allergic Girl Sloane Miller, a leading authority on food allergies, has been allergic since childhood. She now lives a full, enjoyable life full of dining out, dating, attending work functions, and traveling. With tested strategies and practical solutions to everyday food allergy concerns, Allergic Girl shows how readers can enjoy their lives too. Informed by personal narratives laced with humor and valuable insights, Allergic Girl is a breakthrough lifestyle guide for food-allergic adults, their families, and loved ones. In Allergic Girl, you will discover: How to find the best allergist and get a correct diagnosis How to create positive relationships with family, friends, and food How to build a safe environment wherever you are Real-world scenarios scripted from the author's life as well her work with clients and other leaders in the field Enjoy your food-allergic life to the fullest. Let Allergic Girl show you how.

Over the past 20 years, public concerns have grown in response to the apparent rising prevalence of food allergy and related atopic conditions, such as eczema. Although evidence on the true prevalence of food allergy is complicated by insufficient or inconsistent data and studies with variable methodologies, many health care experts who care for patients agree that a real increase in food allergy has occurred and that it is unlikely to be due simply to an increase in awareness and better tools for diagnosis. Many stakeholders are concerned about these increases, including the general public, policy makers, regulatory agencies, the food industry, scientists, clinicians, and especially families of children and young people suffering from food allergy. At the present time, however, despite a mounting body of data on the prevalence, health consequences, and associated costs of food allergy, this chronic disease has not garnered the level of societal attention that it warrants. Moreover, for patients and families at risk, recommendations and guidelines have not been clear about preventing exposure or the onset of reactions or for managing this disease. Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy examines critical issues related to food allergy, including the prevalence and severity of food allergy and its impact on affected individuals, families, and communities; and current understanding of food allergy as a disease, and in diagnostics, treatments, prevention, and public policy. This report seeks to: clarify the nature of the disease, its causes, and its current management; highlight gaps in knowledge; encourage the implementation of management tools at many levels and among many stakeholders; and delineate a roadmap to safety for those who have, or are at risk of developing, food allergy, as well as for others in society who are responsible for public health.

For children with food allergies, eating—one of the basic functions of life—can be a nightmare. Children who suffer or become dangerously ill after eating peanuts, seafood, milk, eggs, wheat, or a host of other foods require constant vigilance from caring, concerned parents, teachers, and friends. In this empathetic and comprehensive guide, Dr. Scott H. Sicherer, a specialist in pediatric food allergies, gives parents the information they need to manage their children’s health and quality of life. He describes why children develop food allergy, the symptoms of food allergy (affecting the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, and the respiratory system), and the role of food allergy in behavioral problems and developmental disabilities. Parents will learn how to recognize emergency situations, how to get the most out of a visit with an allergist, what allergy test results mean, and how to protect their children—at home, at school, at summer camp, and in restaurants. Informative, compassionate, and practical, this guide will be indispensable for parents, physicians, school nurses, teachers, and everyone else who cares for children with food allergies.

The most complete guide to preventing, testing, living with, and treating food allergies in children and adults. In this comprehensive, evidence-based guide for adults and children with food allergies and those who care for them, Dr. Scott H. Sicherer provides all the critical information you need on preventing, testing, living with, and treating food allergies. Organized in an accessible Q&A format and illustrated with case studies, the book thoroughly explains how to prevent exposure to a known allergen at home, at work, at school, in restaurants, and elsewhere. Emphasizing the most recent advances, Sicherer touches on everything from handling an anaphylactic emergency to diagnosing allergies and intolerances, all while detailing chronic health problems caused by food, such as eczema, hives, and gastrointestinal symptoms. He also shares: • the benefits and risks of new therapies • new prevention guidelines • new approaches to improve quality of life and reduce anxiety • the latest insights on adult-onset food allergies • new diagnostic tests now commercially available • approaches shown to increase safety in school • the latest thinking on treating eczema through the diet • new doses and self-injection devices for treating food anaphylaxis • new information about food allergies that affect the gut Dr. Sicherer also reviews food reactions that are not allergic, such as lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease. He explains how to get adequate nutrition when you must avoid dietary staples and discusses whether allergies ever go away (they do—and sometimes they return). Finally, he includes an allergy and anaphylaxis emergency plan and checklists to reduce cross-contamination. This is the most authoritative and accessible allergy book on the market.

Practical tips to manage your child's food allergies.

With a number of well-publicised deaths caused by food-induced anaphylaxis in recent years, there is widespread recognition that preventative measures and prompt action are essential to living with this condition. This practical guide enables suffers to take a more pro-active role in its prevention. Information on special diets, restrictive diets and eating away from home, medical terms explained in layman's language an a comprehensive list of organisations to contact for further help and support are also included.

“There is something in this book for any stage of life with allergies, be it a new allergy parent, a newly diagnosed adult, or even your allergic teen.” —Allergy Girl Eats An allergy diagnosis can be overwhelming and life changing but this book brings together all the in-depth information and practical tips you need. It includes interviews with the country’s leading allergy experts, advice from people living with allergies and has been endorsed by Allergy UK. Living with Allergies provides insight into each allergic condition, how to cope at different life stages and information on diagnosis, treatment and everyday management. It also includes tips the doctors don’t tell you: How do you manage allergy anxiety? How do you keep your child safe at school? How can you travel abroad with allergies? This book will help you learn how to live with allergies in a proactive and positive way. “An excellent resource, I will be recommending it to my patients.” —Dr. Adam Fox, consultant pediatric allergist “The first comprehensive book ever on allergy.” —Amena Warner, clinical director, Allergy UK “A thorough guide about allergic conditions without unintelligible medical terms or sounding like a lengthy technical pamphlet . . . This book is not about living in fear of allergies or merely surviving; it’s all about thriving in spite of allergies.” —Le Coin de Mel “An all-encompassing approach to allergies . . . The information within is factual, practical and possible to follow with ease . . . I defy anyone to read this book and not learn something new, giving them a wider perspective of the allergy world, its intricacies and challenges.” —Glutarama