I’m P. Nutty and guess what - today must be your lucky day! You get to have none other than an expert like ME teach you a little about the weird and wacky world of ALLERGIES.
I know what you’re thinking… I don’t look like your average expert (I’m slightly cooler looking) but trust me… I know lots about ALLERGIES.
As a matter of fact, someone as, ahem, popular and famous as me gets asked tons questions all the time, so in order to make things easier for myself figured I’d take the time to make a list of…
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What are allergies and what causes them?
Um. Okay. Let me just think about this for a minute… I don’t want to make a mistake on my first… Wait a second! That’s it…A MISTAKE!
That’s what causes an allergy. An allergy is what happens when your body or more specifically, your immune system, makes a MISTAKE and treats something that is supposed to be harmless to you as though it is something that is really bad for you.
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What is the immune system and how does it work?
I’m sure you’ve heard of important parts that exist inside of your body like your heart… or your brain that help keep you alive and healthy. But did you know that you also have a whole team inside of your body called the IMMUNE SYSTEM whose job it is to PROTECT you from any “BAD GUYS” that enter your body like yucky, gross bacteria or germs?Hey, it’s kinda like your body’s own Superhero Station! Well, when the BAD GUYS (bacteria or germs) enter your body, your IMMUNE SYSTEM, (AKA, Superhero Station) sends out SuperHero Agents (called antibodies) to attack and destroy them.
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So what’s the problem?
The problem is that for some kids, the ones who experience allergies, your IMMUNE SYSTEM(aka, Superhero Station) mistakes what is supposed to be a GOOD GUY (say like me for example) for one of the BAD GUYS (like parasites and germs).I know what you’re thinking. How could something as wonderful and perfect as your body make such a mistake and confuse a harmless(yet quite handsome) peanut like myself for… bacteria?!!
What can I say… YOU’RE ONLY HUMAN!
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Then what?
Well, believing that I’m one of the BAD GUYS the SuperHero agents (antibodies) rush to defend you by releasing STRONG CHEMICAL WEAPONS within your body called histamines and that’ s what causes those yucky symptoms like swollen eyes, hives, coughing, difficulty breathing and lots more.In a nutshell (no pun intended) your allergies are pretty much the result of a simple case of mistaken identity.
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Hey, what kind of allergies are there anyway?
Good question. Your body can make that silly mistake that we mentioned above to just about ANYTHING that enters your body through your nose, mouth or skin. Every single person is different and so are their allergies however the most commons allergies are…FOOD ALLERGIES, DUST ALLERGIES,OUTDOOR ALLERGIES, BUG ALLERGIES, LATEX ALLERGIES, ANIMAL ALLERGIES, CHEMICAL ALLERGIES MEDICINE ALLERGIES & MOLD ALLERGIES,
And no… being allergic to homework is not on this list!
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What kind of food allergies are there?
You can be allergic to just about any kind of food but the most common foods allergies are… drumroll please…
PEANUTS* TREE NUTS * DAIRY * EGGS (that’s me)* SOY*
WHEAT * FISH * SHELLFISH * and on the rise… SESAME
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What kind of symptoms do allergies cause?
By now you’re probably starting to realize what a wacky world allergies can be. Well it gets even wackier. Every kid can react differently to whatever it is that they are allergic to. For some kids, it’s just a matter of watery eyes and for others, their allergic reaction are so serious that they can experience something called Anaphylaxis which is a really serious reaction where... well let's just say your whole body goes kinda nuts and you may even have to get treated at a hospital!
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Help! What should I do if I have an allergy?
Run like the wind…
Okay I’m just kidding. Well, maybe not.
Right now there’s no real cure for allergies so your best bet is to do the following.
STAY AWAY FROM WHATEVER MAKES YOU ALLERGIC!
If you have food allergies then…
Don’t trade food with your friends
Don’t eat food if you don't know what's in it.
Read all food labels.
Read all food labels.
Read all food labels.If you can’t understand them,, make sure that someone who can, does. Your family and other grown ups are probably really good at helping you with this.
GO SEE AN ALLERGIST!
What’s an allergist? An allergist is a really smart doctor who is a real expert on allergies and can help you a lot. I’m kinda like an expert but let’s face it, I’m also kinda just a peanut too, so make sure you get some real help.
An allergist can test you to see what allergies you have, check to see if the symptoms to your allergy are getting worse or better and give you a prescription for medicine to help make your symptoms go away.
CARRY MEDICINE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES!
Hey that smart person I just mentioned, your allergist, well he or she can let you know about what kind of medicine you can take when you are having an allergic reaction or even to help you avoid having an allergic reaction.
For example:
– a shot of epinephrine (Epi–Pen®or Twinject®)
– Benadryl,
– an inhaler, etc…LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT YOUR ALLERGIES
Hey there’s nothing to be embarrassed about! Millions of kids all around the world have allergies – It’s practically like, cool! As a matter of fact, it would be really smart to wear something that lets other people know what you’re allergic to– like an AllerMates® necklace or wristband. That way people like your teachers and friends can help you stay away from whatever it is you’re allergic to.
