Food Allergies

A new act, called the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, was signed into legislation last month in an effort to provide grants to schools that are providing on-hand stock and training for the use of Epi Pens, also known as an epinephrine delivery device. They are lifesaving medications used to treat patients who have allergic reactions during school hours. Anaphylactic episodes can occur and require immediate attention. This act gives incentives to states that adopt laws that allows schools to stock epinephrine delivery devices with auto-injectors while making them eligible for federal asthma education grants. Several states have laws … Continue Reading

Eggs are among the six most common food allergies in kids. In fact, around a reported 70 percent of pediatric allergy sufferers will outgrow their egg allergies by age 16 as their digestive systems mature. However, eggs are also a common source of allergies among adults. In fact, you may have developed an egg allergy in your 20s or 30s, or at an older age. You can also pass an egg allergy on to your children. You may be more likely to develop an egg allergy if: Your parents had allergies to food or other substances, such as pollen You … Continue Reading

Food allergies can present frustrating problems. We tend to have our own set ways of eating, and foods that we enjoy. Facing an allergy in ourselves or a loved one forces us to get creative in our efforts to maintain safety while ensuring adequate nutrition. Let’s not forget that food also delivers certain sensory and social pleasures. For people with egg allergies, in particular, this can be a challenge. Symptoms of egg allergies In our offices in Elgin and Crystal Lake, we see a number of children present with symptoms of egg allergies. These may include: Atopic dermatitis such as … Continue Reading

Food intolerance and food allergies are often confused with each other. You may assume the physical reaction experienced after eating certain foods is caused by a food-related allergen. After all, there are a lot of symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea shared between these two conditions. Intolerance to a food, however, isn’t an immune system reaction. Allergies are the body’s hyperactive response to a food and/or other environmental triggers. Unlike food intolerance typically limited to digestive problems, the allergic immune response can affect many different organs, so you may also suffer from itchy skin, rashes and hives, chest … Continue Reading

Even though food allergies are commonly confused with food intolerance, allergies to food are relatively common. The Centers for Disease Control estimate 4 to 6 percent of kids and 4 percent of adults have this immune system reaction to food triggers. Symptoms can vary widely from person to person. Even the same person can have a mild allergic reaction and then have a more severe reaction later. In addition, your food allergy symptoms may vary from the symptoms experienced by a friend or family member who is allergic to other substances such as pet dander, mold, pollen, and dust. If … Continue Reading

Food allergies can cause a wide range of symptoms, from mild itching and skin irritation to a potentially life-threatening condition known as anaphylaxis, whereby the airways are constricted, the throat and tongue may swell, and the body can go into shock. In fact, food allergy is reportedly the leading cause of anaphylactic shock outside of a hospital environment. It’s estimated that every three minutes, reactions to food allergies send a sufferer to the emergency room. It is critical to have a plan in place to avoid potential tragedies. Working with you, Dr. Noga Askenazi and the staff will develop an … Continue Reading

At Advanced Allergy & Asthma Associates and Food Allergy Center of Illinois, we know the power of introducing small amounts of the very allergen that causes our face to itch or our nose to run. By doing so, we build the immune system’s tolerance to the trigger. The latest research indicates Dr. Noga Askenazi will have another weapon in their arsenal to fight food allergies in the form of friendly bacteria called Clostridia. Getting to know Clostridia Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by University of Chicago researchers isolated the oxygen-sensitive bacteria deep … Continue Reading

From head-to-toe, bacteria can be blamed for everything from meningitis, sinusitis and eye infections, to upper respiratory tract and urinary tract infections, as well as nasty food-related outbreaks like salmonella and Shigella, associated with consuming undercooked meat and contaminated prepared meals. Yet, bacteria have been used for thousands of years to produce the very foods we love – from cheeses, pickles, and sauerkraut to vinegar and yogurt. In fact, an entire category of foods and nutritional products has sprung up marketed as “probiotics,” a type of “good” bacteria often associated with fermented yogurt and kefir. You may have seen the … Continue Reading

An estimated 15 million people have food allergies in the U.S., according to University of Chicago researchers. Food allergies among children alone have increased 18 percent in the decade between 1997 and 2007. While these allergies may make you apprehensive about dining out, more restaurants are recognizing that it’s good business to have the means and protocols in place to serve the many potential patrons allergic to specific types of foods. Just as you have modified your diet, and the way you shop and prepare foods at home, it takes a little bit of planning to ensure dining out is … Continue Reading

Allergies to food may seem more common today than they were when you were a child. It’s estimated that for every three people, one has modified a diet because of a suspected food allergy. That may sound like an extremely common condition, but only around 5 percent of kids reportedly have “clinically proven” allergies to foods. In adults that figure is even lower, around 4 percent. What accounts for the gulf between perceived food allergies and genuine, clinical conditions? Mayo Clinic believes such disconnect lies in an allergy mistakenly being blamed for symptoms that are actually caused by food intolerance. … Continue Reading