Common Questions About Allergies

What is an allergy?

An allergy is an exaggerated physical response to an ordinarily harmless substance such as pollen, certain foods or drugs, or to insect stings.

What causes allergies?

Allergies result from a misfiring of the immune system, which normally helps the body to fight off harmful viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. In an allergic reaction, the immune system perceives pollen, food or other allergens as a threat to health. The immune system defends against the invaders by creating antibodies that set off symptoms every time the allergenic substance enters your body or, in the case of a contact allergic reaction, touches your skin.

Do children outgrow allergies?

Food allergies to milk can be outgrown. On the other hand, children tend to keep allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish into adulthood. If children do outgrow allergies it is often by age 3. Other allergy symptoms may improve as a child gets older, but new ones may develop.

Should I move to another part of the country to escape the hay-fever season?

Probably not. You could escape your current hay-fever symptoms by moving to another area, but you could develop an allergy to a plant native to your new surroundings. Moving usually is not a practical solution to a pollen allergy.

Are allergies inherited?

Yes. If one of your parents has a respiratory allergy like hay fever, you have a 30 percent to 50 percent chance of developing one, though not necessarily the same allergy. If both your parents have respiratory allergies, there's a 60 percent to 80 percent likelihood that you will also develop an allergy.

Can breast-feeding prevent allergies?

There's no proof that breastfeeding protects the children of allergic parents from developing allergies at some point later in life, but it could delay the onset of the allergies. Delaying the introduction of solid foods can further prolong the allergy-free period in babies who inherit a tendency toward allergy.

What is an anaphylactic reaction?

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction - usually to foods, drugs or insect venom. The reaction can cause dizziness, breathing problems, an asthma attack, hives, a sudden drop in blood pressure or unconsciousness. If not treated promptly and correctly, an anaphylactic reaction can be fatal. People at risk for these reactions should carry an emergency kit containing the drug epinephrine for use at the first sign of symptoms. Ask your doctor for more information.