February 7th, 2011 admin
For a child whose hyposensitization continues even after the start of the aggravating season, injections are given throughout the year; but the interval between injections is increased gradually.
To begin with 1:5000 dilution of the allergens to which the child is sensitive, is given. Biweekly injections are given starting with 0.1 ml and then increasing by 0.1 ml each time till a 0.9 ml dose is reached.
If there is no reaction to this dose and concentration, then the next course is started and the concentration of the extracts increased ten times, i.e., 1:500 and weekly injections or them are given, starting with 0.1 ml and reaching 0.9 ml.
The third course of injections begins with a 1:50 concentration of the allergens and the injections are given, starting with 0.1 ml and going upto 0.5 ml. This is followed with seven more weekly injections of 0.5 ml, keeping the concentrations of the extracts the same i.e., 1 in. 50, which is the maximum concentration. This schedule of injections and dosage is however not sacrosanct. Doctors modify the schedule according to their experience with the extracts of the allergen used.
A child may complain or experience an aggravation of illness for a day or two. If this becomes unbearable, the injection dose can be reduced. Sometimes, a swelling or urticarial patches appear at the site of injection. This also requires a reduction of dose. Since most reactions occur soon after the injection, it is better to keep the child under observation in the clinic for some time so that, required, proper remedial measures can be taken.
The perennial method of hyposensitization has a slightly higher incidence of reactions. However, most doctors believe that the effectiveness of perennial therapy is much greater than either seasonal or co-seasonal injections.
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ARE ALLERGY SHOTS HELPFUL? METHODS OF IMMUNOTHERAPY – PERENNIALFor a child whose hyposensitization continues even after the start of the aggravating season, injections are given throughout the year; but the interval between injections is increased gradually.To begin with 1:5000 dilution of the allergens to which the child is sensitive, is given. Biweekly injections are given starting with 0.1 ml and then increasing by 0.1 ml each time till a 0.9 ml dose is reached.If there is no reaction to this dose and concentration, then the next course is started and the concentration of the extracts increased ten times, i.e., 1:500 and weekly injections or them are given, starting with 0.1 ml and reaching 0.9 ml.The third course of injections begins with a 1:50 concentration of the allergens and the injections are given, starting with 0.1 ml and going upto 0.5 ml. This is followed with seven more weekly injections of 0.5 ml, keeping the concentrations of the extracts the same i.e., 1 in. 50, which is the maximum concentration. This schedule of injections and dosage is however not sacrosanct. Doctors modify the schedule according to their experience with the extracts of the allergen used.A child may complain or experience an aggravation of illness for a day or two. If this becomes unbearable, the injection dose can be reduced. Sometimes, a swelling or urticarial patches appear at the site of injection. This also requires a reduction of dose. Since most reactions occur soon after the injection, it is better to keep the child under observation in the clinic for some time so that, required, proper remedial measures can be taken.The perennial method of hyposensitization has a slightly higher incidence of reactions. However, most doctors believe that the effectiveness of perennial therapy is much greater than either seasonal or co-seasonal injections.*81\260\8*
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April 23rd, 2009 admin
Allergy to Fruits and Vegetables
The citrus group (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, and tangerines) usually causes allergies in the nose and chest; berries (strawberries and raspberries) usually cause hives; peaches, cantaloupes, bananas, apples, grapes, pears, pineapples, cherries, and watermelon usually cause throat irritation and abdominal discomfort.
Allergy to any one of the members of the citrus group entails the removal of all the members of the group from the diet. However, allergy to the other fruits should be considered on an individual basis.
Sometimes one species of a particular fruit may cause allergies, while the other species may not; for example, the American strawberry may cause hives, while the European strawberry may not. The peels of peaches and oranges may cause allergies, while the fruit itself may not. Unripe fruit may cause allergies, while the ripe fruit may not. Cooking, canning, or freezing a fruit also alters its allergenic powers.
Vegetables rarely cause allergies and will not be considered here.
Allergy to Poultry, Meat, Fish
Chicken, duck, goose, hen, squab, and turkey should be avoided as a group in the case of allergy to any one of them. Furthermore, fowl may contain eggs in their insides which may cause egg allergy. (In order to avoid this, an egg-sensitive person should eat only capons or roosters.) Antibiotics and sex hormones which are frequently added to the food of fowl may cause allergy.
Pork, ham, and bacon may be allergenic and may be contacted unknowingly in the lard used as shortening for cakes, in the bacon drippings used to fry foods, and in the insulin used in the treatment of diabetes. Likewise, beef and veal may be contained in gelatin, in the diced veal which is used to flavor chicken salads, and in the extracts of organs of cows and calves. Lamb and mutton are hypoallergenic meats which may substitute for pork and veal.
Fish is a highly allergenic food. However, canned tuna or salmon is usually better tolerated than fresh fish. Products of the fish industry (such as caviar, glue, cod liver oil, and halibut oil) should also be avoided by the child who is allergic to fish.
Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, oyster, shrimp, scallops, mussel, abalone, clams, squid, and crayfish) are all extremely allergenic foods which should be avoided by all atopic children as a matter of principle.
An allergist does not dare test for shellfish because the patient is usually already aware of his allergy from a previous bad experience and testing for them may cause violent allergic reactions.
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April 20th, 2009 admin
One of the newest and most exciting fields of biological research at present concerns the relationships between the immune system, the nervous system and the hormones. The realization that these three systems can interact, and the identification of the mechanisms involved, has only come within the past few years. This new science has been given the rather daunting name of psychoneuroimmunology.
Among the discoveries made in psychoneuroimmunology is that stressful events can make the immune cells far less responsive to infection. Bereavement can have devastating effects on our defensive cells, but even something as minor as taking an exam can make us more vulnerable to infection. With long-term stress, it appears that a sense of being in control makes all the difference – feelings of helplessness and inability to improve matters are the most damaging. Controllable stress, on the other hand, can actually improve immune status.
The mechanisms behind these interactions are still waiting to be unravelled, but there are indications that small messenger molecules may be important. These small messengers include the major chemical signals produced by the body (hormones), messenger substances released by the nerves for communication with adjacent nerves (neurotransmitters) and mediators released by immune cells which stimulate or suppress other immune cells (lymphokines). Some of the hormones known to affect the nervous system, such as the endorphins, now appear to bind to immune cells as well, and probably influence their behaviour. Conversely, mediators produced by immune cells can influence nerve cells – histamine and prostaglandins both have this effect. One lymphokine with marked effects on both body and mind is interferon. The hormone, noradrenaline, also acts as a neurotransmitter for some nerves. In other words, these are three closely interconnected systems.
There are also direct links between the nerves and the immune system that do not rely on messenger substances. Detailed anatomical studies have revealed nervous connections that were not previously suspected. It turns out that several parts of the immune system – including the lymph nodes, the spleen, the thymus gland and the bone marrow – are connected by nerve fibres to the central nervous system. Exactly what effect the nerves have on these organs is as yet unknown.
So far, research into psychoneuroimmunology has done no more than scratch the surface of this potentially important topic. But it indicates that the idea of allergies affecting the mind – and vice versa – is not implausible.
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