Adventures of an Allergist Mommy

Last week, my 3 year old, whose asthma is generally very mild, needed a few treatments of his albuterol inhaler. Because he is unaccustomed to having the spacer device on his face, the process of administering the medication was a bit of an ordeal. When I say a bit of an ordeal, I mean kicking, screaming, tears flowing, hyperventilating -- you know, nothing I can't handle. I finally got the puffs in him, and swore to myself that we weren't going through that again. By that point, we were already late for daycare, so I left the inhaler and spacer on the coffee table and whisked the kids off to school. That evening, as I was preparing dinner, I heard a strange musical noise, and turned to find Son #2 using his spacer as a vuvuzela. Here was the same child who only that morning was so vehemently resisting his treatment, now dancing around the kitchen with his spacer and inhaler attached to his face. The sound might have been as annoying as anything coming out of the World Cu...

The past few years have seen increasing interest in potential strategies to reduce the risk of allergy and asthma in young children. One particularly popular topic has been that of early pet exposure potentially decreasing the risk of animal allergy. Indeed, I am often asked by parents of my young patients if I recommend adding a furry pet to the household. However, it has been unclear how early in life the pet exposure needs to occur in order to modify risk.  A recent analysis of data from the Detroit Childhood Allergy Study sheds some light on this important question. It was published in the July 2011 issue of the peer-reviewed medical journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy. (Clin Exp Allergy. 2011;41:920-922) Annual interviews from 1987 through 1989, and follow-up interviews at age 18 years, were used to assess study subjects' exposure to indoor dogs and cats. After analyzing pet exposure during the first year of life, specific age ranges, and cumulative lifet...

10 things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving: 1. Increasing awareness of allergies and asthma among family and friends. 2. Schools that recognize the importance of not using food as a reward in the classroom. 3. The availability of novel, high-quality allergy and asthma-friendly products and foods. 4. Laws that protect the public from the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke. 5. The availability of life-saving epinephrine in Illinois schools (and hopefully soon, schools throughout the nation!) 6. A robust community of asthma and allergy parents and physicians sharing their experiences via the magic of social media. 7. Treasured patients who have put their trust in my expertise and care. 8. A steadily growing medical practice which is the beneficiary of kind word-of-mouth referrals (scheduled my 100th patient this month!) 9. The flexibility to set my own schedule, which allows me to a more involved mother. 10. My awesome family (and inspiration)... Wishing you and you...

One of the things that helps me be a better allergist is that I know, first hand, what it feels like to experience anaphylaxis.  I am severely allergic to blueberries. Here's what happened when I experienced my first episode of anaphylaxis: Red, itchy palms. They felt hot and uncomfortable (as though they were being cooked from the inside out), and I found myself rubbing them against my thighs because they were so itchy. Painful abdominal cramping.  This pain made me feel like my innards were being wrung out like a wet dishrag, and was followed by a sneaking suspicion that if I elected to go the bathroom at that very moment, I might just evacuate the entire contents of my body in a single second. Incessant throat-clearing.  I felt like something was caught in my throat, but I just couldn't clear it. I was trying to be quiet, because I didn't want to bother anyone, but I couldn't stop. When I finally spoke up for help, my voice was hoarse. Involuntary cough...

My 6 year son old just got over a rite of passage - strep throat and scarlet fever. Unfortunately, before we could even celebrate his recovery, I noticed a swelling on the left side of his neck. It was red and tender, and it was GROWING. The pediatrician in me worried, "Damn. Lymphadenitis (infected lymph node)". No sooner had we finished one course of antibiotics than we were onto another, and the side effects were bad enough to keep him out of school for another three days. Why did my munchkin suffer so? My answer: Drug allergy. Group A streptococcal bacteria (the cause of strep throat and scarlet fever) is remarkably sensitive to penicillin. Penicillin is the first choice treatment for strep throat, and has been proven to reduce the risk of developing rheumatic fever, a post-infectious complication which can result in chronic heart disease. Problem is, my son is allergic to antibiotics in the penicillin family. At 11 months of age (8 days into his second ever co...

Halloween is just around the corner! I went to the grocery store to pick up candy, and was pleased to find that there are plenty of allergy-friendly options available, both in terms of candy and non-edible treats. Here's what I picked up: 1. Smarties. Link to their Allergen info:  http://www.smarties.com/allergen/ 2. Sweet Tarts. (Wonka candies labels its products for inclusion or possible cross-contamination of the 8 major allergens- check your bag to make sure it's safe) 3. Nerds. (Wonka candies labels its products for inclusion or possible cross-contamination of the 8 major allergens- check your bag to make sure it's safe.) 4. Pencils. Yay for Target! 5. Stickers. Again, yay for Target! 6. Halloween-themed silly bands. Did I mention that I love Target? I keep the candy and the non-edibles in separate bins, and let the kids/parents choose. This year, my practice is having a Halloween candy "Buy-Back". So, I'll include the following note by the d...

You're Invited to an Open House! I am thrilled to celebrate the opening of Kaneland Allergy & Asthma Center with an Open House event for my colleagues, patients and community members. We'll be giving tours of our kid-friendly new office, talking about the latest developments in allergy and immunology, sampling yummy allergy-friendly treats, accepting donations for a local Food Pantry and giving away prizes! (iPad, anyone?) If you have a friend or family member who could use a good allergist, this is a great time to "Meet the Doc" and get a feel for the practice before scheduling an appointment, so bring a buddy! Where: 66 Miller Drive North Aurora, IL 60542 When: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 6:00pm-8:00pm I'm lucky to share my office building with great neighbors, who will also be opening their offices to the public during this time with similar events. Here's your opportunity to meet all of the professionals at 66 Miller Drive in one evening: Ligh...