Good to Know – Allergy Information

There is a direct correlation between the increase in air pollution and the increase in allergy sufferers. Today, every third person suffers from allergies. A good example is hay fever. Did you know that hay fever is based on a major misunderstanding made by the human immune system? That hay fever has nothing to do with hay? That the susceptibility to allergies can be a hereditary risk?

Hay Fever

The medical definition of hay fever is “the allergic reaction caused by the pollens of specific seasonal plants”. The term allergy has its origin in the Greek language and combines “allos” (meaning other) and “orgon” (meaning work). The term allergy was coined by a Viennese pediatrician named Clemens von Piquet. He had observed that patients who had been treated with a diphtheria serum from horses, displayed systems not related to diphtheria. The body had “other worked” – it had experienced an allergic reaction.

The Wrong Decision
This is what happens with hay fever: The allergy sufferer’s defense system protects against pollen which is neither dangerous nor harmful to the majority of people. But, the defense systems make a bad decision. It thinks that it is threatened and fights the pollen with all available resources.

Pollen Takes the Lead
Every fifth Middle-European suffers from allergies. These allergies include hay fever, eczema and asthma. The causes of allergies include pollen, with a clear lead by 50%, followed by animal hair (25%). This means that today, every tenth Middle-European suffers from hay fever

One Big Happy Family
An interesting observation in Germany shows that before the change of events in the eastern part of the country, fewer children suffered from hay fever there than in the West. Today, there is little difference between the two. Experts attribute this back to the fact that earlier, children in the East attended day care centers where their immune systems were continually working to fight off infections and created a defense system again potential allergens. This defense has probably carried over into later life. This is similar to the situation of children raised in large families who are often faced with more infectious hurdles yet suffer allergies much less often than children from small families.

Fall Babies Have it Easier
Who gets hay fever? Environment, particularly during the first year of life, plays a deciding role. The second most important factor is heredity. The probability of becoming a hay fever sufferer is eight times higher when both parents have allergies. It is interesting to note that the time of year when a child is born can also be significant. Children born in the Spring have a much higher risk of hay fever than children born in the Fall. And, it is often the case that children develop allergies to the exact pollen that is present at the time of their birth.

Prevention
Several major studies have unanimously confirmed that preventative measures, when taken early, can prevent or delay the onset of allergies. This is particularly true for children and incidences of high-risk children contracting allergies during the first three to five years of life can be reduced by half.
Here are some simple, low-cost preventive measures that are effective and generally advisable for most children.

Know your allergy risks: Have your physician establish your family’s allergy history
Diet for your newborn: Only mother’s milk during the first four to six months; or include only hypoallergenic baby formula in the diet. When possible, supplementary food should only be introduced at the end of the fourth to sixth month.
Diet for the Expectant Mother: Follow a well-balanced, vitamin-packed diet. Avoid special diets while pregnant or nursing.
Environmental factors: Eliminate, reduce, or avoid; tobacco smoke, animal hair, dust mites, spores and pollen.

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Good to Know – Allergy Information