Precautions. Allergy injections are not entirely risk free, and should never be given at home or by individuals who lack experience. These should always be given under medical supervision. After an allergy shot is given, the child should be kept under medical observation for about thirty minutes, as most reactions occur in this time frame. [...]

Jim Carry was a typical American teenager; he was an average student, who enjoyed sports and was beginning to take an interest in girls. His diet, however, left much to be desired. He would fill up on snacks and down endless glasses of an artificially flavored and colored grape drink. Over a period of more [...]

These are drugs which suppress inflammation but are not corticosteroids (see Section 5). They work by reducing the quantities of prostaglandins (p28) produced by the body. Their main use is in rheumatoid arthritis where they can reduce the pain and swelling in the joints. The NSAID that everyone knows is aspirin, which belongs to a [...]

Foods containing salicylates Avoiding foods containing salicylates is unlikely to be of benefit in most cases. But if you show a pronounced reaction to aspirin, yet are still not well after avoiding aspirin, a low-salicylate diet maybe worth trying. For further information see p55 and p323. The following foods are high in salicylates: Most herbs, [...]

These are some of the physical signs of nutritional deficiencies. Bear in mind that all the signs or symptoms below can be caused by other medical conditions. If you have any of these symptoms you should consult your doctor before taking a nutritional supplement. Sign or symptom: Cracks at corners of mouth • Recurrent mouth [...]

From a parent’s point-of-view, it is important to be honest about family problems, to yourself, to your partner, and to others. Seeking help from a professional counsellor, when things begin to go wrong, may help to avert more serious problems. Try to insulate children from arguments and rows, and to protect them from tense and [...]

Classical allergic disorders, such as hay-fever, perennial rhinitis, asthma and urticaria, tend to ‘run in the family’: parents who suffer from them are much more likely than others to produce children with allergies. And if both parents have allergic problems then the children have an even higher chance of being affected. Not that the child [...]

Wool and synthetic fibres are the most common causes of allergy and sensitivity to fibres. Cotton, silk and linen are much less likely to cause reactions. Fibres most commonly cause breathing, nasal and skin symptoms, though other allergic symptoms, such as headaches, joint pain and gut pain, are also recorded. Synthetic fibres and polycotton mixes [...]

There is a range-of environmental illnesses that can respond to treatment for allergy, food intolerance and chemical sensitivity, and some doctors of environmental medicine include them in their practice, the principal ones being: • sensitivity to electro-magnetism • seasonal affective disorder (SAD) • occupational sensitivity (such as reactions to VDU use) • sick building syndrome [...]

A significant proportion (50-80 per cent) of cases of hyperactivity can respond to identifying allergy, food and chemical sensitivity, and to avoidance measures. Not all respond, in part because it is very difficult to avoid everything you need to if a child has indeed multiple sensitivities, and in part because it can be difficult to [...]