Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA)

‘Basics’

Patients, Not Piggy Banks!

Published April - 24 - 2013

Feeling more and more like the nation’s healthcare piggy bank? Shaken, pinched and poked at every turn? No wonder! The Kaiser Foundation reports insurance premiums soared a whopping 131 percent in the last decade. Commercial insurance and government payers are shifting healthcare costs onto consumers faster than Farmer Dell can ring the dinner bell. And to some enterprising allergy and asthma businesses, that spells opportunity!

Don’t go running wee, wee, wheezing all the way home! We’ve got work to do! Read the rest of this entry »

All Articles, Basics, Medications, What's New?

Shots to Drops?

Published April - 24 - 2013
Traditional immunotherapy – allergy shots – are effective against numerous pollens, dust mites, animal dander, insect venom, and more. Another therapy – sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT – which uses drops under the tongue instead of shots, shows promise, according to JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read the rest of this entry »
All Articles, Allergy Basics

Flu Fight

Published January - 25 - 2013

By Gary Fitzgerald

First it was coughing. The next morning, it was fever. Symptoms only got worse from there. By the time I made my way to my doctor on call a day later, my body temperature had soared to 103.8!

Read the rest of this entry »

All Articles, Flu

It’s Not Too Late to Get a Flu Shot

Published January - 16 - 2013

There is still time to protect your children and yourself from the flu in what remains of a severe influenza season.

“Everyone seems to know that the elderly are particularly vulnerable, but so too are children,” says William Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatrician at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Severe complications are most common in children under age 2, and all children ages 6 months and older should be immunized.”

Read the rest of this entry »

All Articles, Flu

Halloween: Allergy-Safe

Published October - 18 - 2012

Trick or Treating can be fun, yet spooky for parents of children with allergies and asthma. Triggers hide like ghosts everywhere, and not only in treats.

 

Deviled Make-Up

Like all the invisible ingredients in a deviled egg, inexpensive makeup can contain ghostly allergens. Test the products in a small area of skin days before to avoid unpleasant surprises or unwanted reactions.

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All Articles, Allergy Basics

Ask the Allergist: Little Ears, Big Infections

Published August - 27 - 2012
By Talal Nsouli, MD
Q: Why does my baby get so many ear infections?
A: Nasal inflammation and congestion spreads easily to the middle ear, causing fluid to accumulate behind the eardrum. Read the rest of this entry »
All Articles, Sinus Infections, What's New?

Ask the Allergist: Can you help me with my pollen allergy?

Published April - 9 - 2012
By Stanley Fineman, MD
Q: I get a lot of allergy symptoms during pollen season. How can an allergist help me?
A: It’s definitely helpful to understand what triggers your symptoms, especially if you’re having difficulty controlling them with over-the-counter medications, Read the rest of this entry »
All Articles, Allergy Basics, Basics

Ask the Allergist: From Diagnosis to Touchdown

Published September - 29 - 2011

Q: My boy has asthma but loves playing sports. Can kids with asthma grow up to be sports heroes?

Absolutely yes! To do that, though, you’ll need to get and keep asthma symptoms under control.

Read the rest of this entry »

All Articles, Allergy Basics, Exercise

Fooled Allergies: Finding Truth and Confidence

Published August - 30 - 2011

Food labeling laws and peanut-free ballparks are a few signs there’s much greater awareness of food allergies nowadays. But are things really getting any better for our kids?

My daughter Brooke grew up owning food allergies, anaphylaxis, the whole bit. Yes, I was scared at first — terrified, really. She was a baby! With asthma,
rhinitis, eczema and reflux disease! Sick and malnourished!

Read the rest of this entry »

All Articles, Allergy Basics, Asthma Basics, Food Allergies

HEPA: Help or Hype?

Published June - 16 - 2011
Let’s clear the air about something: There’s no quick answer to questions such as
What kind of room air purifier should I buy?
Do I really need to spend the money for a HEPA filter?
What kind of vacuum should I get?
And you don’t want a quick paid-for endorsement or implied seal of approval to do the thinking for you. However, you can make informed decisions with a little advice from James Sublett, MD, a leading board-certified allergist and indoor air quality specialist. Read the rest of this entry »
Allergy Basics, Indoor allergens