Friday, May 25, 2012

Research Paper on Allergies

Research Paper on Allergies

1 Allergy. General information 
Itching in the mouth, difficulty swallowing and breathing? Moreover, there is some kind of rash on the child’s body? Nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain, in addition to all that? Quite terrifying symptoms…What are they actually? Most likely this is a food allergy. And this is the time when parents, teachers, the school administration, as well as the peers are to be particularly attentive towards the child’s specific needs.

Food allergies can be characterized by the adverse response of the human immune system to a food protein [Article on Food Allergy]. Some scientists state that food allergies are more common in the economically developed countries due to the lack of baby’s early exposure to dirt and germs. Besides, the modern society’s over-use of antibiotics and baby skin-care lotions that are manufactured with addition of peanut oil (one of the most common allergens) may cause the development of food allergies in a very early age [Article on Food Allergy].

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Unfortunately, most allergies start during the first year of a child’s life and if not treated properly, may last a lifetime and grow into a severe asthma or in some cases, may even become fatal. Surprisingly enough food allergies cause roughly 30,000 emergency room visits and 100 to 200 deaths per year in the United States alone [Food Allergy Facts and Statistics].

2 Peanut allergy and its symptoms
Just a single peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a Reese’s peanut butter cup as a snack for a child whose immune system determines the organism’s particular reaction to one of the most common allergens, peanuts, may cause to the start of one of the most serious allergies which is estimated to be involved in as many as 80% of fatal or near fatal allergic reactions every year. According to a web-recourse, in the United States alone, 1.5 million people have a peanut allergy, and this rate is climbing, as it is in other First World countries[What Causes a Peanut Allergy?].

A number of governmental organizations, as well as non-profits hold various campaigns in order to raise people’s awareness on behalf of all those affected by food allergies. Both students and teachers are to be aware that there are a lot of people, right here in the classroom, sitting right there beside you, suffering from a peanut or any other allergy. ‘Peanut free classrooms’ and anti-bullying rules at schools are just two examples of how the society can show respect towards the child’s sensitive issue [Food Allergic Children and Schools].

Interesting enough, the research has shown that young children are more likely to develop peanut allergies than adults. According to the article on the causes of peanut allergy, if a child is not exposed to peanuts before the age of four, it is highly probable that he or she will not develop an allergy at all[What Causes a Peanut Allergy?].

3 How egg allergy affects children
Let’s go further through a child’s potential menu. Eggs—natural source of protein, choline, vitamins A, D and E, seem to be very nutritious but at the same time this product may cause a reaction in the body that will lead to an egg allergy.

Most kids with egg allergy have some of the reactions listed above, but a few may have a very strong reaction called anaphylaxis. This severe allergic reaction causes swelling of the mouth, throat, and airways leading to the lungs, resulting in breathing difficulty. In addition, there is a dangerous drop in blood pressure, which can make a child dizzy or pass out, and may quickly lead to shock [Egg Allergy].

And how does an egg allergy start? According to an article on the Wikipedia, most people who are allergic to hen's eggs have antibodies which react to one of four proteins in the egg white. These proteins are named ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme; ovomucoid, also called Gal d 1, is the most common target of immune system attack.[5] The egg yolk contains several potential antigens: livetin, apovitillin, and vosvetin.

Some research on lysozyme and ovotransferrin suggests that, perhaps, one of the causes of the allergy is from the chelating capacity of the proteins with metals, especially those of heavy metals. However, little scientific information is available currently on the direct relationships of the heavy metals in hen eggs and egg allergy [Article on Egg Allergy].

Surprisingly enough, is the fact that a person may only react to a protein in egg whites or the one in the yolk, only, or sometimes both. There is a small number of people whose allergy to eggs might develop allergy to chicken or poultry [Health's Disease and Condition].

With no doubt, the lifestyle of the child affected with this particular kind of allergy, will undergo dramatic changes, both inside and inside the classroom. Of course, the easiest thing for both children and adults affected by a food allergy is to avoid this particular food. Therefore, it is very important to look at the label of a product before purchasing it, and making sure that the food the child eats at a restaurant or a classmate’s home is egg free. Besides, when preparing food at home, egg alternatives should be used.

The positive side of this particular type of allergy is the fact that the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that most children outgrow egg allergy by the age of five. Though the practice shows that some people remain allergic for a lifetime [Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America].

4 Dairy products allergies and their effects on children and adults 
Some ice cream or a milkshake as a dessert after a meal are the other hazards that may affect children in most turbulent ways… According to the statistics, the most common food allergy in early childhood is cow milk allergy. It affects somewhere between 2% and 3% of infants in developed countries, but approximately 85-90% of affected children lose clinical reactivity to milk once they surpass 3 years of age Between 13% and 20% of children allergic to milk are also allergic to beef [Beef allergy in children with cow's milk allergy,2002].

The three components of cow's milk that cause dietary reactions are casein protein, whey protein, and lactose sugar. Casein and whey are considered more likely to cause true allergies, while lactose causes a well-known intolerance in many adults (and some children) due to the body's lack of an enzyme known as lactase. Dairy allergies may appear with a wide variety of symptoms, including hives (urticaria), eczema, chronic congestion, and diarrhea. Lactose intolerance, like many other dietary intolerances, causes gastrointestinal symptoms, such as bloating, cramping, and diarrhea [Dairy Allergies].

Avoiding milk in a diet is a very difficult thing to do for both children and adults. Nevertheless, reading the product’s label first before the purchase and using soy-based foods to substitute milk, will be helpful in living a fully balanced life.

5 Natural remedy for allergies. Conclusion
As an old saying goes, what cannot be cured, must be endured. And the society, with the family at the first place, together with the classmates, teachers, and in case of adults facing various implications of allergies—colleagues, all together are to respect the feelings of a person living with allergies.

As for the children’s allergies, teachers and the school administration are to tolerate and take all possible measures in approaching the needs of each child need individually and help them to endure what in some cases cannot be cured.

Strangely enough, breastfeeding, a gift given to mothers by nature, is what lets every woman to be the first one to help her own child. Breast milk is a unique substance that is able to build up the person’s immune system for the lifetime, as nothing else can. According to numerous studies and research, breast milk prevents, and in some cases, delays allergies in hifg risk children.

Why not chose what the nature has given us to avoid allergies, rather than, later on in life, be spending a huge amount of money on what the international pharmaceutical companies and medical centers are offering for allergies treatment?. The choice is ours.
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