As recently as 30 years ago, only 5% of children and 3% of adults had asthma in this country. The prevalence of asthma has risen to as high as 14% in pre-adolescent boys and 10% in pre-adolescent girls, and between 8-10% of adults. The rise in asthma is due to a number of factors. More tightly insulated homes, use of alternative heating sources, increased numbers of pets and increased use of carpeting, as well as day care/babysitting services (secondary to allergen exposure) has increased the prevalence of asthma tremendously.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) appears to have been trigger to allergies and asthma in children and adults since its heavy use, starting in the late 1960's.

Asthma is an illness in which the airways become inflamed which results in increased airway sensitivity, increased mucous production, swelling of the lining of the airways and eventually spasm of the bronchial muscles surrounding the breathing tubes. Ninety percent of children over the age of two (about approximately 50% under the age of 2) and adults of any age have allergy as one of the major triggers for asthma. Other major triggers include viral upper respiratory infections, inside/outside air pollution, gastroesophageal reflux of stomach acid, stress, and nose and sinus problems (keeping one's nasal airway clear will decrease the number of asthma symptoms). Asthma is often manifested as bouts of bronchitis, chest colds, "every time I have a cold it goes to my chest," and similar symptoms which often occur both in the Winter months as well as the Summer months. Actually asthma symptoms are more common in the Fall and Winter months because of the increased numbers of viral infections as well as increased indoor allergen exposures and molds (indoors and outdoors).

This office is expert in the diagnosis and treatment of food allergies and intolerances. Dr. Shampain and Lisa Musician, registered dietitian, are able to evaluate skin, gastrointestinal, respiratory and other symptoms of food allergies. We effectively screen for food allergies by skin testing, patch testing and blood allergy tests and then are able to use specific diets and either open or placebo-controlled challenges to determine whether people are actually clinically allergic to foods or not. You will be asked to keep food records for 7 to 10 days prior to your first appointment with the Dietitian. During this first meeting your food records will be reviewed in relation to your nutritional goals or the type of diet the doctor has prescribed. Your food preferences, tolerances, exercise habits, lifestyle, medication, health and dieting history will be evaluated. An appropriate meal plan will be developed and you will be instructed how to restructure your eating habits to make healthy food choices. Recommendations will be made on how frequently you should return to monitor your progress, adjust your meal plan, obtain more information and assistance with your nutritional concerns. This is a very scientific and well-studied approach to food allergy. Our goal is to have you eat as many different foods as possible and eliminate only those foods to which you are definitely allergic/sensitive.

Exciting treatments are now becoming available to decrease food allergies including oral tolerance induction and early introduction of foods for infants and toddlers to prevent the development of food allergies.

Hives and eczema (atopic dermatitis) are often caused by inhalant, food and drug allergies. After taking a good clinical history, performing appropriate allergy tests and institution of allergy immunotherapy, appropriate medication use and avoidance procedures, these often annoying and disabling conditions can be helped. There is increasing eveidence that eczema triggers nose and lung allergies (allergic rhinitis and asthma).

In the Northeastern part of the United States, five major stinging insects cause local swelling or hives, or more serious reactions including a drop in blood pressure or cardiovascular problems. The five stinging insects are Yellow Jacket, Honeybee, Wasp, Whitefaced and Yellowfaced Hornets. We generally recommend testing of patients to see if they are allergic to stinging insects if they have had a systemic reaction (hives, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure or cardiac abnormalities) after a sting. Generally testing is not recommended for even very large local reactions. Approximately 20% of the population has allergic antibodies made against insects even if they have never had a reaction; therefore, routine testing is not recommended. However, when testing is done and someone is found to have positive allergy skin tests, desensitization to insects via immunotherapy (venom injections) is between 98-100% effective in blocking sting reactions at least two stings at a time. It is the most effective form of therapy that any allergist can offer a patient.

PLEASE NOTE: If one has had a systemic reaction to Vernom sting(s), the treatment is desensitization, not just an emergency epinephrine kit.