Allergies
Allergies-What are they
and what impact do they have on education?
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Some
studies have shown that allergies can have a negative impact on attention span
and learning among students.
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Allergies
can also increase anxiety, cause family conflict, and contribute to a poor
self-image.
v Allergies can also lead to lost
school days and loss of any attendance-related funding.
What is an allergy?
You have an allergy when your body overreacts to a
substance like tree pollen that is normally harmless.
What symptoms would you see if you had an allergy?
Watery, itchy eyes; running nose; sneezing; itching;
wheezing; upset stomach; and rashes and hives.
Why do you have the symptoms?
Although allergens are harmless to the normal human body,
in the allergic individual they trigger an immune response. Typically, the
allergen activates a whole series of reactions inside the body that lead to the
release of histamine and other substances that ultimately cause all the common
allergy symptoms.
What are the main triggers?
The
triggers that affect you may be completely different from those that affect
someone else, but here are some very common allergy triggers:
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Pollen,
from trees in the spring and weeds in the fall
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Dust
mitesÑtiny creatures that live on dust particles
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Mold
spores
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Pet
danderÑtiny flakes of hair and skin from pets
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Smoke
and air pollution
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Household
chemicals
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Many
foods- common ones include peanut, tree nut, and dairy products
v Bee and flying insect stings
Does awareness about the
allergy help you with management?
Yes it does. Students with allergies can do their best to
avoid substances that seem to make their allergies worse. They can also seek
medical help and take medications that will help their allergies.
Are other conditions related to allergies?
Yes. There
are several, and some can be serious.
1.
Asthma:
People with asthma are subject to repeated and serious episodes of difficult
breathing. Their airways become constricted, and they feel a tightness and
extreme difficulty with breathing. Asthma can even be life threatening, and
most people with asthma take medication to help control it.
2.
Otitis
media with effusion. This is an inflamed condition of the middle ear with a
buildup of fluids. The allergy can cause a blockage of the drainage channels
that leads to the fluid build-up. This can significantly impact a students ability to hear throughout the school year.
3.
Sinusitis.
This is an inflammation of the bone cavities in the face. Fluids build up and
sometimes drain into the nose and throat.
4.
Sleep
apnea. A person with sleep apnea periodically stops breathing while asleep.
Usually, they begin to breathe again spontaneously, but the condition can be
very dangerous.
5.
Nasal
polyps. These are build-ups of soft tissue in the passages behind your nose,
and they can interfere seriously with the free passage of air. They can be
caused by sinusitis.
Can medicines help?
People have used medications for years to help control
their allergy symptoms. One side effect of certain medications to which people
object is drowsiness. Recently, newer types of medications have been developed
that do not cause drowsiness. Parents should discuss options of medication managment with their physician to address specific treatment of symptoms while minimizing the impact of secondary effects on the student in the educational setting.