Penicillin Allergies: A few interesting facts

Last week we had the pleasure of speaking at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital on a topic that is near and dear to our hearts: Penicillin Allergies.

As some of you may or may not know, a penicillin allergy can be a life-threatening reaction to a number of different penicillin containing antibiotics in sensitive individuals. Penicillin allergies are quite common and people with penicillin allergies can also be sensitive to other types of antibiotics.

Here are a few interesting facts about penicillin and penicillin allergies. It is said that 2% of the population has an allergy to penicillin, however 10% of hospitalized patients report having a penicillin allergy. This means that 80% of people with a “self-reported” penicillin allergy probably do not have one. There area reasons for this discrepancy:

Many people with a history of penicillin allergies received that diagnosis when they were children and were too young to remember what kind of reaction they endured. This could be one of the reasons that so many people think that they have an allergy to penicillin, but in reality they don’t. They have likely outgrown their allergy.

When we hear this kind of story from our patients, we share this lovely fact with them: After 10 years of having an allergic reaction to penicillin, 87% of those people will "lose" the allergy and be able to tolerate penicillin, thus, not be allergic any more!

One way to know if you still have an allergy to penicillin is skin testing. Skin testing is available and with 98% certainty, will be able to determine whether someone is still allergic to penicillin. It is safe, cost effective and covered by most insurance plans.

Why get tested? Well, according to Dr. Tim Mainardi, "Patients with penicillin allergies are usually treated with different antibiotics that can be less effective or cause worse side effects. After verifying a penicillin allergy with a skin test, patients on average spend 32% less on antibiotics than those who were not tested."

If you have questions about penicillin allergies or want to come in and find out once and for all if you are still allergic, schedule an appointment. Visit www.hudsonallergy.com or email us at info@hudsonallergy.com. You will be glad you did.  

Peanut Allergies: What You Need To Know About Halloween Candy

In lieu of Halloween, we wanted to share some information around peanut allergies and Halloween candy. To celebrate this festive holiday, we've put together an infographic to help parents and kids quickly digest some helpful information on peanut allergies and how to stay safe during Halloween.  Happy Halloween!

Tips to Prevent Candy Allergies During Halloween

October is here and with that comes Halloween. However, for those who have food allergies, this time of year can be tricky as some Halloween candies contain ingredients that people are allergic to. This can be dangerous -- especially for children. In fact, food allergies affect 1 in 13 children under the age of 18.

Source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/special/618283/

Nuts are commonly found in Halloween candy, which is one of the “Big 8” ingredients that cause allergies. Some examples of Halloween candies with nuts are Snickers, Butterfingers, or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Something else important to know is that even if a particular candy does not actually contain nuts, a child can still be allergic to candy that is made in a plant that processes peanuts and tree nuts. Therefore it is important to know where the candy is made and if this type of information is available on the label. Common symptoms related to these types of food allergies are nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, hives, shortness of breath, wheezing, lightheadedness or even cause someone to go into anaphylactic shock.

Food allergies can also be caused by milk, eggs, wheat, and soy, which are also common, ingredients in candy. Often times, these food allergens are hidden ingredients in candy. For example, did you know that soy can be found in lollipops and gummy candies? The best way to confirm if there are hidden allergens in Halloween candy is to read the ingredient label on each candy package. Another thing to know is that the ingredients of bite-sized candy may differ from those ingredients used in the regular size of the same candy.

It’s important that parents prepare for Halloween by knowing before hand which candies have ingredients that can cause food allergies before Halloween trick-or-treating starts! Here are a few tips from Hudson Allergy to help parents prevent unforeseen allergic reactions during Halloween.

●      Identify candy that you already know your child is allergic to before you start trick-or-treating.

●      Establish ground rules and identify candy that your child shouldn’t eat before Halloween.

●      Prepare a bag filled with allergy “safe treats” in advance and then swap them out for the candy that’s been collected that contains ingredients that your child is allergic to.

●      Carry emergency medication such as an Epi Pen or Benadryl.

●      Go trick-or-treating with your child.

●      Educate your child’s friends and their families about your child’s allergy

●      Try to avoid letting other children touch or carry candy that contains the allergens your child is allergic to.

So, before you start trick-or-treating, let your neighbors know that your child has food allergies and suggest allergy-free Halloween treats in advance to hand out to your child.  Another good idea is to feed your child before going trick-or-treating so there is less temptation to "sneak a treat" while they are out and about. By taking the time to prepare, you can better protect your children and have a safe Halloween. 

If you have any questions regarding candy allergies, contact us at info@hudsonallergy.com or give us a call at 212-729-1283.

Six things to know if someone goes into anaphylactic shock

Did you know that when "ICE" is stored in someone's phone it's usually an acronym for "in case of emergency?" Yes it's true! We know a ton of moms who put their contact information in their children's phone book using this protocol. And, if you haven't, it might be something you'd like to consider doing.

Education is very important to our practice and today we stumbled upon a great new infographic from Allergic Living Magazine that we wanted to share with our readers. Do you know what to do if someone goes into anaphylactic shock as a result of a food allergy?

Their latest infographic provides people with six potentially life saving steps that everyone should know in order to help others a medical emergency induced by food allergies.

The six steps include:
1. Know what the anaphylactic symptoms look like
2. Use an Epi Pen first, use antihistamines second
3. Timing is key, note step number 2
4. Go to the hospital
5. Lie down and raise your feet
6. Don't be afraid to ask others for help

To review the full infographic see below:

If you or someone you know has food allergies we recommend that you have a plan in place in case of a food allergy emergency like anaphylaxis. Allergic Living's six steps are a great helpful start, but as a next step, we recommend seeing you allergist to come up with an action plan if you have are in an emergency situation.

Do you have other questions about anaphylaxis? We'd be happy to speak with you. Please feel free to give us a call at 212-729-1283 or email us at info@hudsonallergy.com

Summer time asthma tips

New York City is an amazing place to live, but if you have allergies, living in a metropolitan area can take a toll on your health…especially if you have asthma.

Although this summer has been quite mild, New York City is know for being hot and humid during the summer months. And while most of us enjoy the summer weather, especially after a long winter, the summer heat can be tough on your asthma.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you have asthma:

1. High humidity, high air pollution and high temps can trigger shortness of breath, especially if you have asthma.
2. Make sure to check the air quality index for pollution levels. Weather.com is a great resource.
3. Make sure to keep your asthma rescue inhaler with you at all times. And, if possible use it with a spacer.
4. If you have a peak flow meter, check it daily.  If you see a drop in your peak flow level, this may indicate a higher probability of a future asthma exacerbation, even before you feel symptomatic. Consult with your doctor to put an action plan in place in case this ever happens. 
5. It’s so simple but so easy to forget: stay hydrated!
6. On super hot days don't exercise outside. Wait until the evening, when it's cooler.
7. If you decide to go swimming to cool down in the summer heat, make sure the pool area is well ventilated. Chlorine and other chemical gases may trigger asthma symptoms, especially if the chlorine smell is strong.
8. Try using hypoallergenic sunscreens and lotions.

Do you have any other tips that you’d recommend? We’d love to hear!

Or if you have more questions about asthma, we’d be happy to be a resource. Please feel free to info@hudsonallergy.com or give us a call at 212-729-1283. Hope to hear from you soon!

Source: http://conservative50plus.com/blog/obama-administration-set-to-ban-asthma-inhalers-over-environmental-concerns/

Ragweed Causes Allergies: What you need to know!

One of the most common allergens in the fall is ragweed.  Normally ragweed doesn't begin to pester allergy suffers until fall officially begins, however with this summer’s cool weather, and long spells of little rain, we’ve already started to see ragweed begin to bloom this season.

Here are four things you need to know about ragweed:

What is ragweed?

Spoiler alert: Ragweed is a weed! It grows nearly anywhere but especially in the east coast and Midwest. Starting in the beginning of fall, ragweed blooms and begins to releases its pollen, which is a fine powder also made by trees, grasses, and flowers. The pollen is what people are allergic to! In NYC, ragweed pollen usually appears around August 15^th, give or take a few days, and can be active until about November.

Here are a few images of what ragweed looks like. We’ve provided a close up image of the flowering pollen as well as an overview of the entire plant! Does this look familiar?

Source: http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek070915.html 

Source: http://njmoldremoval.pro/ragweed-pollen/

Ragweed can cause hay fever

As just mentioned, ragweed is a weed that releases pollen when it blooms. The pollen from ragweed can cause allergies for people who suffer from pollen related allergies.

Ragweed allergy symptoms include sneezing; itchy throat; runny or stuffy nose, hives, swollen eyelids and itchy eyes. These symptoms are often referred to as hay fever, or by its medical term, seasonal allergic rhinitis. Some people also develop asthma symptoms from ragweed, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath

How can you avoid ragweed pollen?

• Make sure to wash your hands often. As we’ve mentioned in other tree pollen posts, pollen can stick to your hands when you touch something outside. Same goes for your pet, pollen can easily stick to their fur. So to minimize reactions, make sure to wash your hands and face!
• Don’t spend a lot of time outdoors when pollen (ragweed) counts are high! Here’s a great resource to check the pollen forecast: http://www.weather.com/health/pollen/forecast/10007
• If you spend the day outside, be sure to take your “outdoor” clothes off when you get home as they may be covered in pollen.
• Make sure to change your air conditioning filters often and use HEPA filters when possible as they remove 99% of all pollen as well as other allergens.
• Dry your clothes in a dryer when possible as opposed to hanging them out to dry.

How do you know it’s time to see an allergist?

If your eyes are red and puffy, your nose won’t stop running, and your throat itches, you may have severe allergies. To us, these symptoms indicate that it’s time to see an allergist. We believe that there is no reason one should suffer from seasonal allergies, especially since there are remedies that we can provide you with to help you through allergy season. We can suggest over the counter drugs, which are a temporary solution, or we can discuss something more long-term, like allergy shots.

If you are interested in finding out more about seasonal allergy treatment, please give us a call or schedule an appointment to speak with one of our doctors today. 212-729-1283 or info@hudsonallergy.com