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Risk factors for allergy can be placed in two general categories, namely host and environmental factors. Host factors include heredity, gender, race, and age, with heredity being by far the most significant. However, there have been recent increases in the incidence of allergic disorders that cannot be explained by genetic factors alone. Four major environmental candidates are alterations in exposure to infectious diseases during early childhood, environmental pollution, allergen levels, and dietary changes.

One of the most common food allergies is a sensitivity to peanuts. Peanut allergies may be extremely severe, but can sometimes be outgrown by children school-age. Tree nuts, including pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, and walnuts, are another common allergen. Sufferers may be sensitive to one, or many, tree nuts.Also seeds, including sesame seeds and poppy seeds, contain oils where protein is present, which may elicit an allergic reaction.

Egg allergies affect about one in fifty children but are frequently outgrown by children when they reach age five.Typically the sensitivity is to proteins in the yolk, rather than the white.

Milk, from cows, goats or sheep, is another common allergy-causing food, and many sufferers are also unable to tolerate dairy products such as cheese. A small portion of children with a milk allergy, roughly ten percent, will have a reaction to beef. Beef contains a small amount of protein that is present in cow’s milk.

Other foods containing allergenic proteins include soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, spices, synthetic and natural colors, and chemical additives.

About 40% of us suffer from some form of allergies. And they’re particularly bad during spring and fall, when pollens and molds are high. But allergies aren’t just about a runny nose and scratchy throat. In fact, allergies are caused by a reaction in your immune system. Read more about it in our Allergy Care Center. 3

In simple terms, an allergy is a hyperactive response of the immune system to certain substances which are “foreign” to our bodies. These substances are called “allergens”, and they can range from food and pollen to dust and drugs. Allergies are something we acquire throughout life, and some people are more susceptible than others.

Conventional treatment of allergies is most commonly directed at blocking the immune response, or in more severe cases, at suppressing the entire immune function with steroids, both systemic and topical. While this approach can provide symptomatic relief, it does nothing to address the
underlying cause of the problem. Patients often become dependant on their medication, they suffer from numerous side effects, and more importantly, they worsen their overall health by constantly suppressing their immune system.

In October 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that Pfizer’s blockbuster antihistamine frug “Zyrtec” had gained a supplemental U.S. approval for use in children as young as 6 months old. Zyrtec (cetirizine hydrochloride), which is currently indicated to relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis – nasal inflammation – and to treat itching and hives in adults and in children age 2 and older, has been cleared for those 2 indications in children 6 months and older.

Allergies Causes:

Allergies are relatively common. Both genetics and environmental factors play a role.

The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances, such as bacteria and viruses. It also reacts to foreign substances called allergens, which are generally harmless and in most people do not cause a problem.

But in a person with allergies, the immune response is oversensitive. When it recognizes an allergen, it releases chemicals such as histamines. which fight off the allergen. This causes itching, swelling, mucus production, muscle spasms, hives, rashes, and other symptoms, which vary from person to person.

Common allergens include pollen, mold, pet dander, and dust. Food and drug allergies are common. Allergic reactions can also be caused by insect bites, jewelry, cosmetics, spices, and other substances.

Some people have allergy-like reactions to hot or cold temperatures, sunlight, or other environmental triggers. Sometimes, friction (rubbing or roughly stroking the skin) will cause symptoms.

A specific allergy is not usually passed down through families (inherited). However, if both your parents have allergies, you are likely to have allergies. The chance is greater if your mother has allergies.

Allergies may make certain medical conditions such as sinus problems, eczema, and asthma worse.