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Food Allergy Awareness Week May 13-17
There are an estimated 15 million Americans with food allergies, and almost 8% of U.S. children are affected by this potentially deadly disease—that’s about two per classroom. A recent CDC study showed that food allergies are on the rise. Diagnoses jumped 18% between 1997 and 2007 without any clear reason why.
Though almost any food can cause an allergic reaction, eight foods account for about 90% of all reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. Even trace amounts of an allergen can cause a reaction, which can range from a mild response like an itchy mouth to anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially deadly reaction.
There is no cure for food allergies, but an accurate diagnosis is the first step in managing this serious condition. More research is needed, but connecting with people that share similar concerns is helpful.
About a third of kids with food allergies report that they’ve been bullied because of their allergies. Food allergy bullying can be physically dangerous, and is associated with distress and a lower quality of life in children and their parents. Watch the It's Not a Joke PSA.
For more information about food allergy bullying and tips on how to talk to your kids about it, go to foodallergy.org/its-not-a-joke.
This week, let’s raise awareness about food allergies. and the challenges our family and friends with food allergies face on a daily basis.
Take a moment to talk with your kids about food allergies and their seriousness. You might even want to try taking Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta’s 1st Annual Food Allergy Challenge by avoiding one or more of the eight major allergens this week.
New Treatment Option for Allergies
The physicians of AAAC are pleased to announce an additional treatment option for management of your allergies. Sublingual Immunotherapy, SLIT, is a desensitization treatment in which patients’ self-administer allergen drops under their tongue on a daily basis. Although not as effective as allergy shots, medical research done both in Europe and the United States has found that SLIT therapy is quite safe and effective at building a patient’s tolerance to allergic triggers and ultimately improving symptoms.
SLIT may be an option for certain types of allergy patients. SLIT is not yet approved by the FDA, therefore at this time, insurance companies are not reimbursing for this form of immunotherapy. Please contact our office if you have additional questions or make an appointment to see your allergist to review your management plan to see if you may be a candidate for this new treatment.
Sign Up for Our New Patient Newsletter
Subscribe to our new Allergy Update newsletter, and you'll get practice news, updates on the latest allergy and asthma research, and more.
Visit Our New Patient Portal
Have you heard? Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic has a new Patient Portal. Through the portal you can:
- Schedule appointments
- Receive Appointment Reminders
- Order prescription refills
- Send and receive messages from clinic staff
- Update your patient information
- View your personal health records
To start using the Patient Portal, call 770-953-3331 and provide us with a personal (non-work) email address.
Employees of the Quarter
For over 40 years, AAAC has been the premier allergy practice in Atlanta for one reason – our physicians and our wonderful staff. We would like to recognize our Employees of the Quarter:
Nursing Staff:- Mary Rose Sagum - Clinic Manager/Sandy Springs
- Robin Smith – Nurse/Hamilton Mill
- Mattie Bryant – Nurse/Fayetteville
Front Desk Staff:- Mary Ann Walton – Sandy Springs
- Drenda McCier – Riverdale
Other Staff:- Paula Moore – Patient Accounts Supervisor
- Dewey Knight - Courier
Congratulations and thank you!