Posing the urgent questions that anyone with food allergies will think to askand then some Food Allergies provides practical, sensitive, and scientific guidance on the topics that affect your life. Allergy expert Scott H. Sicherer addresses the full spectrum of food allergies, from mild to life threatening and from single foods to food families, clearing up misconceptions along the way. He explores how exposure to foods can bring about an allergic response, describes the symptoms of food allergy, and illuminates how food allergies develop.
Organized in an accessible Q&A format and illustrated with case studies, the book thoroughly explains how to prevent exposure to a known allergen at home, at school, in restaurants, and elsewhere. Dr. Sicherer also gives valuable advice about what to do if exposure occurs, including how to handle an anaphylactic emergency. Finally, he describes tests for diagnosing food allergies and chronic health problems caused by food allergies, such as eczema, hives, and respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms.
In this thoroughly updated new edition, Dr. Sicherer
describes new approaches to prevent food allergies
presents cutting-edge theories on risk factors for developing food allergies
describes innovative allergy tests to improve diagnosis
explains how to administer emergency medications for severe reactions
focuses on new allergens of concern, such as pink peppercorns
analyzes studies suggesting that resolution of an allergy might be predictable
talks about the role of "healthy diet"
lists additional resources, including allergy-related apps
provides revised school food allergy guidelines
offers insights into food allergy bullyingand advice to reduce it
Dr. Sicherer also reviews food reactions that are not allergic (such as lactose intolerance and celiac disease), advises how to get adequate nutrition when you must avoid dietary staples, and discusses whether allergies ever go away (they doand sometimes they return).
Preface Introduction, by Hugh A. Sampson 1. What Are the BASIC FACTS about Food Allergy? 2. What Do I Need to Tell the Doctor to Help Get a FOOD ALLERGY DIAGNOSIS? 3. These Food ALLERGY TESTS Are Confusing! What Do They Mean? 4. What Is ANAPHYLAXIS and How Do I Treat It? 5. What CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS Are Caused by Food Allergy? 6. How Do I AVOID ALLERGIC REACTIONS to Foods? 7. How Do I Manage a Food Allergy While Living a Normal and Healthy LIFESTYLE, with ADEQUATE NUTRITION? 8. Will These Food Allergies Ever GO AWAY? 9. Is There Any Way to PREVENT Food Allergies? 10. Will There Be a CURE or BETTER TREATMENT of Food Allergy? 11. How Do I Get MORE HELP and INFORMATION to Manage Food Allergies? Index
""As the subtitle of Sicherer's book bluntly observes, these allergies can be fatal. That's why this allencompassing and timely revision of his already praised book is so important for everyone who takes care of those with food allergies'from physicians, nurses, teachers and spouses to adults with food allergies and parents with children who are allergic to certain foods.""
