The Epi-Pen that talks to you!

Click here to read the article that was in the New York Times about the newest epinephrine device.

A Stylish Solution for Kids with EpiPens

The Olli Pocket Cargo Pant from Olli Lolli is a stylish solution for kids who need to carry and EpiPen or asthma medication on them at all times.  Made of 100% organic cotton twill, these comfy cargos have a side pocket that's designed to carry those essential meds.  They also have sweaters, jackets and shirts that anounce to everyone what food your child is allergic to.  Visit www.ollilolli.com.

For more information on allergies and asthma, visit our website at www.southbayallergy.com.

FREE Internet training program, School-based Anaphylaxis Preparedness: Policies in Practice

Attend the free internet training program, School-based Anaphylaxis Preparedness: Policies in Practice on July 31, 2012 at 9AM.  To register, visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/1cqzln/1Q.

Peanuts and Airlines

Which airlines do not serve individual packages or bags of peanuts?

Many airlines post a written peanut allergy policy on their website. After reviewing these policies and corresponding with airline representatives, FAAN has concluded that the following domestic airlines do not serve individual packages of peanuts in coach class:

Air Canada, Air Tran, American, Continental, Frontier, Jet Blue, Midwest, United, US Airways

Please note! This list includes only airlines that do not serve packaged peanuts (i.e., PEANUTS ARE THE ONLY INGREDIENT) in coach class. Some airlines may serve peanuts in first class or business class. Some airlines, such as Frontier, sell snack items (e.g., trail mix, candy bars) in coach class that contain peanuts as an ingredient and/or snack items that include a “may contain” advisory warning on the label.

As long as a passenger with peanut allergy does not eat these products or come into very close contact with them, the risk of reaction from skin contact or inhalation will be minimized.

Again, the most important strategy for avoiding reactions while flying is: DO NOT EAT AIRLINE MEALS OR SNACKS!

What about tree nuts?

Most airlines continue to offer, generally for sale, snack items that contain tree nuts. Other airlines, such as American, serve a warmed tree nut mix in first and/or business class, where the tree nuts are warmed in an oven during the flight prior to being served.

Source: FAAN

EpiPen Proposal Becomes Virginia Law

Good news for the state of Virginia!   EpiPens become mandatory in every school.    Read the article: Click Here

Is it a drug allergy or just a side effect?

Medication reactions are not always an allergy.  For example, many antibiotics will lead to non-allergic side effects, such as stomach upset or yeast infections.  This is due to irritation of the stomach or killing off of "good bacteria" as well as the bad -- leading to overgrowth of yeast and other organisms that normally are kept under check.

True allergy to a medication is an immune reaction to the drug, leading to release of histamine that can cause anything from mild to severe hives, swelling of the eyelids, lips, mouth, or throat, breathing difficulty, or life-threatening anaphylaxis.  Symptoms of a drug allergy can range from mild to life-threatening.  Once a drug allergy has occurred, it is important to let your doctors know, so that this drug can be avoided as a treatment option in the future.

'Life in a Bubble' Leaves Kids with Food Allergies at Risk

Food allergies and anaphylaxis are on rise, as are peanut-free schools, baseball parks and airplanes. But is it possible or medically recommended to isolate food-allergic children from killer proteins?

This hot topic is spicing up communities throughout the U.S. and Internet forums. As the pendulum swings from irrational fear to the blatantly cavalier, school-aged kids with food allergies are left hanging in the balance.

This year, allergists and community members team up nationwide to help steer the debate with realistic expectations and evidence-based solutions. Anaphylaxis Community Experts (ACEs), a program developed by Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics in partnership with the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, conduct free local seminars to increase awareness about anaphylaxis and treatment and prevention strategies.

Food allergy anaphylaxis can be deadly but doesn't have to be. Our goal is to prevent death and anxiety due to anaphylaxis in our community.

A board-certified allergist should confirm which food allergens are responsible and assess risks for severe anaphylactic reactions. Parents are instructed to eliminate the food from the child's diet. But it's one thing to strip the kitchen cupboards bare of offending peanut protein, for example, and quite another to try to institute bans outside the home.

Designated areas such as 'peanut-free zones' can give a false sense of security. For children with life-threatening food allergies, the key is to identify and treat medical emergencies appropriately -- no matter where they are.

Teachers rather than trained medical professionals are often first on the scene when anaphylaxis happens at school. Most fatalities occur because access to life-saving auto-injectable epinephrine was delayed or nonexistent.

Latex Allergy

Latex, also known as rubber or natural latex, comes from the milky sap of the rubber tree, found in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Latex allergy is an allergic reaction to substances in natural latex. Rubber gloves are the main source of allergic reactions, although latex is also used in many other products -- here are some common places latex may show up in your environment:



At Home:

• balloons
• rubber gloves for cleaning house
• rubber erasers
• some computer mouse pads 
• rubber bands
• tennis shoe soles
• ping pong paddles
• foam rubber pillows 
• some "pillow top" mattresses
• koosh balls
• party "bounce" houses
• tires
• freshly resurfaced roads

At School:

• rubber balls on the playground
• rubberized playground surfaces
• rubber running tracks
• artificial turf fields
• mouse pads

Other:

• dental or medical offices where latex gloves are worn by staff
• restaurants or cafeterias where food handlers wear latex gloves
• some medical devices such as urinary catheters with a rubber tip
• latex condoms

It is thought that repeated exposure to latex and rubber products may induce symptoms in people prone to allergies.

About 5% to 10% of health care workers have some form of allergy to latex.  Many hospitals are now latex-free as this condition has become more prevalent in the population.


What Happens During a Latex Reaction?

There are three types of latex reactions:

• Irritant contact dermatitis.  Least threatening form, a non-allergenic skin reaction. Usually occurs as a result of repeated exposure to chemicals in latex gloves and results in dryness, itching, or burning of the skin.
• Allergic contact dermatitis. Results in the same type of reactions as irritant contact dermatitis, but the reaction is more severe, generally itchier, spreads to more parts of the body and lasts longer.
• Immediate allergic reaction (latex hypersensitivity). The most serious reaction to latex. It can include hay fever-like symptoms, conjunctivitis (allergic pink eye), hives, wheezing or chest tightness, swelling of the lips, eyelids, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing. Rarely, symptoms may progress to include rapid heartbeat, tremors, chest pain, low blood pressure, anaphylactic shock, or potentially, death.

What Should I Do During an Allergic Reaction to Latex?

If you experience severe symptoms, call your doctor or 911 immediately, or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you suspect latex allergy, we can help you decipher the causes of your symptoms.  Give us a call at (310) 371-1388 and set up a time to come see one of our allergy doctors.

Would You Know the Symptoms of Life-Threatening Anaphylaxis?

Many of the deaths in the U.S. each year due to anaphylaxis, a sudden, serious allergic reaction, could be prevented if more people knew the symptoms and the immediate treatment needed to survive. 

To increase awareness of anaphylaxis, South Bay Allergy and Asthma have joined the national Anaphylaxis Community Experts (ACEs) educational program to present community awareness programs to schools, hospital grand rounds, PTA meetings, medical offices, Scouting organizations, EMS, fire and police departments, and more.

The first line of treatment is early administration of epinephrine. Most fatalities from anaphylaxis occur outside the home, especially when treatment is delayed.  Our goal is to show parents, teachers, school nurses, emergency responders and others how to recognize and respond to anaphylaxis symptoms the moment they begin.

Anaphylaxis is a rapid-onset, whole-body, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. It can happen to anyone at any time, but is more commonly experienced among people with risk factors. There are three major risk factors for fatal anaphylaxis:

·         -Allergic reaction to food, stinging insects or medications

·         - Presence or history of asthma symptoms

·         -Delay in administration of epinephrine

The affected person may experience cardiovascular shock and/or serious respiratory compromise.

What causes the allergic reaction? The answer may not be what you think. See an allergist. Get a strategy and reduce anxieties associated with anaphylaxis.  Forty-seven states protect students’ rights to carry and use auto-injectable epinephrine. We’ve created resources to help them and families coordinate students’ needs.

Every child at risk should have an anaphylaxis action plan on file with all schools and caregivers.  The plan should list symptoms and state that immediate action can be life-saving and outline what to do in order of importance.

For more information on the symptoms and treatment of anaphylaxis or to request an ACE awareness presentation for your group, contact our allergy nurse, Anna, at 310-371-1388 ext. 15.

The ACE program is a partnership of Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), supported by Dey Pharma, L.P. 

Anaphylaxis: Better Safe than Sorry

Q. How can I tell when to use auto-injectable epinephrine? I don't want to use it or go to the hospital if it's not necessary.

A. There's no way to predict how severe an anaphylaxis episode might become, so the time to begin treatment is when symptoms first develop.

Only epinephrine stops anaphylaxis. Injected into the thigh, it begins to take effect within 5-8 minutes. It often takes more than one dose - and if something were to go wrong with the first dose, you'll need a back-up. By comparison, antihistamines don't start working for an hour and won't touch the respiratory or cardiovascular effects of anaphylaxis.

After you administer epinephrine, call 911. Don't drive yourself to the hospital! Adults should lie down with feet elevated to help protect the heart and brain while they wait for help. If possible, be ready to explain what you were doing before symptoms appeared and what's happened since you used epinephrine. Children tend to have breathing compromised more so than cardiovascular function and it's important they be kept comfortable, so they can remain or be held by a parent sitting upright.

Epinephrine is not a dangerous drug; adverse effects typically are mild and affect only elderly and frail patients. Anaphylaxis, however, can be fatal - it's safer to treat!

source: Wallace, Dana MD, Allergy & Asthma Today, Volume 9, Issue 4. Winter 2011.

Food Allergy Basics

A food allergy occurs when a person's immune system identifies proteins in a food as an allergen and begins to produce antibodies - called Immunoglobulin E or IgE - against that food (e.g. nuts or milk).

These antibodies attach themseleves to mast cells in the body, and when the person again eats the allergenic food, the proteins from it become attached to the IgE antibodies. This causes the mast cells to release histamine and other powerful chemicals. It is these chemicals that cause the symptoms of allergy.

The symptoms: Not everyone will get all symptoms, and reaction severity varies widely. The symptoms may include:

-Tingling in the mouth

-Swelling of the tongue and throat

-Itchy skin, hives or skin redness

-Breathing difficulty, wheezing

-Abdominal cramps

-Vomiting

-Faintness due to a sudden drop in blood pressure

-In a severe anaphylactic reaction, the allergic person can lose consciousness and is at risk of death.

Anaphylaxis- This is a serious form of allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and can be fatal. Symptoms may involve the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, the skin and or the cardiovascular system. It is essential that those with food or insect sting allergies carry an epinephrine auto-injector, so treatment can be given promptly while arranging to get to emergency care (call 911 for ambulance).

Source: Allergic Living, Fall 2011.