Summary

Statistics show that up to 40 percent of children in the United States suffer from allergies and at least 10 percent suffer from asthma. That translates into almost five million American children affected by both allergies and asthma. And as Dr. Allen J. Dozor, head of one of the largest pediatric pulmonary practices in the United States, has seen among his patients, some of the most upsetting effects of allergies and asthma are the psychological wounds inflicted on a child's self-image. There is the constant protectiveness from caregivers, confusing limits and rules, headaches, obesity, shortness of breath, and sleep deprivation. In some cases these side effects, such as stress and obesity, cycle back to make the original condition worse.Dr. Dozor's plan, developed over the last twenty years, is designed to empowerbothparentsandchildren. His warmhearted but reality-based approach includesHow to give the right amount of medication for best effects and no side effects Empowering your children to manage their own condition so that they can feel safe and secure Prevention and management in school Handling emergenciesAnd much more!

Author Biography

Allen J. Dozor, M.D., is chief of pediatric pulmonology at the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center and professor of pediatrics at New York Medical College. Kate Kelly is a frequent collaborator who has written about a variety of topics ranging from health to money management

Introduction: Why This Book Is So Important to Me	p. ix
What Is Happening to Your Child?	p. 1
An Unnecessary Burden: Feeling Fair-to-Poor When Good-to-Great Is Possible	p. 3
Allergies and Asthma: The Basics	p. 15
Understanding the Causes of Allergic Reactions	p. 41
In Search of a Solution	p. 63
Consulting the Doctor: Pediatrician, Family Physician, or Specialist?	p. 65
Reaching a Diagnosis	p. 78
Identifying Food Allergies	p. 101
Allergy and Asthma Action Plan: Prevention	p. 111
Allergy Shots: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How	p. 113
Day-to-Day Prevention at Home and Beyond	p. 126
The Truth About Cats, Dogs, Birds, and Other Animal Friends	p. 147
Prevention and Management of Allergies and Asthma at School	p. 165
Preventing Allergic Reactions to Foods	p. 179
Prevention and Management Away from Home: Sleepovers, Summer Camp, Family Trips, Scuba Diving, and Mountain Climbing	p. 197
Asthma Action Plan: Medication and Treatment	p. 207
Asthma: Overview of Treatment	p. 209
Asthma Triggered by Allergens	p. 253
Asthma Triggered by Infections	p. 262
Asthma Triggered by Exercise	p. 274
Allergy Action Plan: Medication and Treatment	p. 295
Allergic Rhinitis (Nasal Allergies) and Allergic Conjunctivitis (Eye Allergies)	p. 297
Skin Allergies	p. 317
Drug and Insect Allergies	p. 335
Anaphylaxis and Emergency Management of Allergic Reactions	p. 348
Enjoying Life	p. 355
The Psychological Aspects of Managing Allergies and Asthma	p. 357
Keeping Allergies and Asthma Under Control	p. 366
Resources	p. 369
Student Asthma Action Card	p. 376
Acknowledgments	p. 379
Index	p. 381
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Excerpts

Introduction: Why This Book Is So Important to Me

Soon after I began working in medical research as part of a summer science program in high school, I knew that I loved academic medicine. Clinical research seemed a great way of combining my desire to do something "important" with the joy of learning. I devoted most summers in high school and college to cardiac and cardiovascular research, and I seemed destined for a career as an academic cardiologist. But in my pediatric residency in New York City, I learned that the number one reason children were hospitalized was respiratory disease. For three years I worked more than a hundred hours a week caring for children with difficulty breathing. I was struck by how little we really understood about common childhood illnesses such as allergies and asthma, croup, bronchitis, pneumonia, and cystic fibrosis; and how often our medications proved inadequate. I remember doing everything I could for a child and then sitting with anxious parents, all of us praying their child would get better.

It's hard to believe now, but back then there were no specialists for these most common illnesses in pediatrics -- there were no pediatric pulmonologists. When I learned that a few of the major children's hospitals in the country had small training programs, including Harvard's Children's Hospital in Boston, a lightbulb went on for me. Here was an opportunity to do something new and special and very important.

I was fortunate to have excellent pediatricians, who were really good at taking care of children with breathing problems, as role models. With their guidance, I cared for hundreds of children with asthma and watched many patients of all ages die of respiratory failure -- from two-pound babies in the neonatal ICU to teenagers and young adults with cystic fibrosis. As a resident I often stayed up all night at the bedside of a child gasping for air. I remember like it was yesterday an eight-year-old with severe croup, a disease that normally affects infants and toddlers. With croup, anxiety and fear significantly worsen respiratory distress, so I spent the night holding this boy's hand and reassuring him to keep him calm. By the time the sun came up the next morning, the medicines had taken effect. His breathing relaxed at last. I felt exhilarated; we had made it through together.

Children are so wonderful, so innocent and fresh, so trusting and appreciative. No matter how tired I was after one of those thirty-six-hour shifts, I would saunter home feeling so lucky that these children and their parents allowed me to share these special moments with them. I continue to pursue solutions for these children; and I have made my life's work caring for youngsters who suffer from all types of breathing difficulties. While much of this information is applicable to adults, my area of expertise is children. If your child with allergies or asthma is older than twenty-one, this is not the book for you.

I have written this book to empower parents not to settle for less than optimal control of their child's allergies or asthma. Parents have the right to demand more from their physicians and from the medications they prescribe. I want to convey this message to as many parents as possible so our children grow up living happy, active lives.

Allen J. Dozor, M.D.

August 2003

Excerpted from The Asthma and Allergy Action Plan for Kids: A Complete Program to Help Your Child Live a Full and Active Life by Allen J. Dozor, Kate Kelly
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.