Allergies are fairly common, affecting more than 60 million Americans, or about 1 in 5 people. When people experience an allergic reaction to something, their immune system thinks the substance - for instance, food, dust, pollen, or medicines - is harmful to the body. In response, it sends off a false alarm in the form of an allergic reaction, which may occur in the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, or intestinal tract. Milder reactions come in the form of slightly itchy eyes, a runny nose, itchy throat, or other uncomfortable symptoms. Severe allergic reactions, on the other hand, can be life threatening. Although there is no medication that can cure allergies, there are many effective treatments available to control them.
This accessible new guide provides all the information teens need to understand allergies and their impact on daily life. Loaded with helpful sidebars, appendixes, and real-life cases, this straightforward resource is sure to be useful for teens coping with allergies.
