Allergy
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
An allergy is when someone cannot have a certain thing enter his or her body without getting sick. The person's body attacks that thing the same way it attacks bacteria, or germs. We say the person is allergic to that thing. A person can be allergic to food, to certain substances like latex, to insect stings, or to invisible particles floating through the air. These particles can come from plants(pollen), pets(fur), or dust(dust mites).
[change] Allergic reactions
When people come in contact with something they are allergic to, there can be many different reactions. Their eyes may become very itchy, and their noses may become drippy or stuffy. They may cough and sneeze. They may develop a rash called hives. Their faces may swell up. If it is a food allergy, the person may get an upset stomach. Sometimes a person's esophagus, or throat, may swell up so much that the person can no longer breathe. This is called anaphylaxis. When this happens, a doctor must give the person a medicine called epinephrine to make the swelling go down. Some people with allergies to very common things, like bee stings or fish, carry this medicine with them so it can be used quickly in an emergency. The device they use to inject the medicine is called an EpiPen.
[change] Common allergies
Some common food allergies are:
- Nuts, especially peanuts
- Fish or shellfish
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Soy products
- Wheat
Some common environmental allergies are:
[change] References
- Are you aware of your allergic symptoms?. Retrieved on 28 November 2008, 2007.