Summary
Allergies are fairly common, affecting more than 60 million Americans, or about 1 in 5 people. When people experience an allergic reaction to something, their immune system thinks the substance—for instance, food, dust, pollen, or medicines—is harmful to the body. In response, it sends off a false alarm in the form of an allergic reaction, which may occur in the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, or intestinal tract. Milder reactions come in the form of slightly itchy eyes, a runny nose, itchy throat, or other uncomfortable symptoms. Severe allergic reactions, on the other hand, can be life threatening. Although there is no medication that can cure allergies, there are many effective treatments available to control them.
This accessible new guide provides all the information teens need to understand allergies and their impact on daily life. Loaded with helpful sidebars, appendixes, and real-life cases, this straightforward resource is sure to be useful for teens coping with allergies.
Specifications
Index. Appendixes. Glossary. Sidebars. Further reading.
About the Author(s)
Paul M. Ehrlich, M.D., a pediatric allergist, has been in practice in Manhattan for more than 30 years. He is a clinical assistant professor in New York University School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics and is on staff at Beth Israel Medical Center. Board-certified in pediatrics and allergy and immunology, Ehrlich is a fellow with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has authored numerous articles on allergies and asthma that have appeared in professional journals, and is the coauthor of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Your Child’s Allergies and Asthma. He is the founder and medical adviser to the Parents of Asthmatic and Allergic Children Support Group in New York City.
Elizabeth Shimer Bowers writes about health for books, magazines, and Web sites. She was the lead author on Natural Hormone Solutions and Natural Calm, and has done writing and research for more than 25 other health books, including Prevention’s Maximum Immunity; Reader’s Digest 1,801 Home Remedies; The Women Doctors’ Guide to Health and Healing; and Get Well, Stay Well. Her articles have been published in Prevention, Runner’s World, and Philadelphia magazine, among other periodicals. Bowers is a copywriter and copyeditor for the National Women’s Health Resource Center. She lives in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.