Here’s What People With Allergies Should Know About Covid Vaccines By Katherine J. Wu, The New York Times – 12/18/2020 Allergic reactions reported in two health workers who received a dose of Pfizer’s vaccine in Alaska this week have reignited concerns that people with a history of extreme immune flare-ups might not be good candidates for Continue Reading
By Allergy & Asthma Specialists – 7/30/2018 Just wanted to share with you a great website you may find helpful if you have children with food allergies. Specifically, with school beginning soon, here is the link to some great school and classroom information you can share with your child’s school. Click here for classroom allergy tips. Continue Reading
By A. Pawlowski, NBC News – 7/17/2018 The mother of a teen girl who died of a severe reaction to her peanut allergy after accidentally eating a cookie containing peanut butter is warning others to be vigilant about food packaging and labels. The family blames a folded-back cookie box wrapper for hiding the presence of the ingredient, leading Continue Reading
By Lee Tolliver, The Virginian-Pilot – 4/16/2018 The white car isn’t so white right now. Neither is the red or blue one. In fact, just about everything these days has a powdery coating of yellow-green. Must be spring. Pollen counts were at their peak last week and they’ll stay that way for several more weeks, Continue Reading
By Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times – 2/15/2018 Bridget Starbuck says everyone in the small town of Stockton, Kan., where she lives knows her boys have severe food allergies. So there was no benign explanation for what happened at a high-school basketball game a few weeks ago, when an older child walked up Continue Reading
By Tara Parker-Pope & Rachel Rabkin Peachman, The New York Times – 8/22/2016 A steep increase in the price of the EpiPen, a lifesaving injection device for people with severe allergies, has sparked outrage among consumers and lawmakers who worry that parents won’t be able to afford the pens for children heading back to school. With a Continue Reading
Food Allergy Diagnosis – January 2016 There has been a lot of information in the media recently about food allergies. Most of coverage was generated by a report that was commissioned by the federal government and found that many poorly done food allergy tests and misdiagnoses have lead to countless misleading results. A misdiagnosis done Continue Reading
(Featuring Dr. Gary Moss) After a winter that saw more snow than most years, Hampton Roads seemed more than ready to welcome spring – even that yellow pollen that collects on cars, sidewalks, creekbeds and of course, lungs. So like clockwork, rather than the cold, people are now grumbling about the allergies that accompany spring. Continue Reading
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A mild winter may have cut us a break on colds and flu, but it’s making up for it with an early punch of spring allergy woes. Allergists report the annual onslaught of sniffling, sneezing, stuffy patients is well under way, a few weeks earlier than usual. Pediatric allergist Cynthia Kelly said she started seeing Continue Reading
All children’s deaths are tragic, but some are absurdly so. First-grader Ammaria Johnson had just returned to her Virginia grade school after the Christmas holiday and inadvertently ate a peanut at recess. Feeling sick, Ammaria went to a teacher who rushed her to the school clinic, where someone called 911. By the time the ambulance Continue Reading
By Cindy Butler Focke, The Virginian-Pilot – 10/22/2011 It’s nothing to sneeze at: Most of Hampton Roads and parts of northeastern North Carolina have been named among “the most challenging places to live with fall allergies” in a study released by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Retired teacher Pat Ever-hart isn’t surprised. The Continue Reading
About our Food Allergy Doctors Since 1951 the food allergy doctors at Allergy & Asthma Specialists have been successfully treating children in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and throughout Hampton Roads who suffer from a food allergy or severe food allergies caused by peanuts, milk, shellfish and other foods.
Reuters – 6/20/2011 NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – One in 12 children in the United States may have a food allergy, with more than a third of those having severe allergies, according to a study. The study, published in Pediatrics, also showed that allergies were more common in minority children. “What I hope this paper Continue Reading
By Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America – 3/1/2011 There is no place free from asthma triggers, and some cities are more challenging places to live than others. For the second year in a row, Richmond, VA, has been named the “Asthma Capital” in the research and ranking by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of Continue Reading
Sharing memories 86-YEAR-OLD FINDS JOY IN ALL THINGS NORFOLK (includes Marianne Perry of Allergy & Asthma Specialists) By Cherise M. Newsome, The Virginian-Pilot – 1/30/2011 You’d have to look pretty hard for a resident who knows and loves Norfolk better than Margaret Nixon. Nixon, 86, is a Maury High alumna who lives in Fairmount Park, Continue Reading
Understanding Food Allergies Find out what you need to know to stay well in this age of intolerance By Richard Laliberte, Woman’s Day – 1/1/2011 Original article here. Your child’s classroom has become a nut-free zone. Airlines seem to treat peanut packets as if they were weapons. Your husband’s uncle can’t come for the holidays Continue Reading
Local pain and swelling Local pain and swelling are expected after a bee sting and not a cause for concern. Also large local reactions, while painful, are not dangerous as long as they do not involve the airway. Neither of these two reactions identifies patients at increased risk for anaphylactic reactions to bee stings other Continue Reading
Typically, these medicines take up to a week to reach full efficacy, so allergy doctors should encourage their patients to give them a good trial. Your patients may also exhibit some “steroid phobia,” so you will need to explain to them that these medicines are extremely safe. Antihistamines will help most of the allergic symptoms Continue Reading
If you suffer from spring allergies each year and would like to take the next step in controlling them this year, we encourage you to consider immunotherapy, where we gradually build your tolerance to grass pollen so you’ll be less sensitive to it when spring arrives. At Allergy & Asthma Specialists, we have successfully treated Continue Reading
Of course, many patients will attribute their poor exercise tolerance to their age, their weight, or their sedentary lifestyle, and certainly these contribute significantly to their underlying condition. Asthma needs to be included in the differential diagnosis (along with heart disease). Once you suspect asthma, pulmonary function testing (spirometry) by an asthma doctor can Continue Reading
Pollen allergy may be identified by seasonal symptoms which are worse outside during a pollen season (Trees begin pollinating in early spring, and persist through June. In this area Grass pollens spike in April, but can persist in lower levels into the autumn. Weeds begin pollinating in late summer through early autumn). Closing the windows Continue Reading
It is also important to remember that acute viral or bacterial infections are often associated with urticaria, which may lead to the erroneous diagnosis of an allergy to antibiotics. Chronic urticaria – hives lasting more than 6 weeks – is associated with a long list of possible etiologies, and is much more difficult to treat. Continue Reading
Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only scary things your children might encounter this Halloween. For parents of kids with food allergies, Halloween treats—from candy to cookies—can be frightening too. Common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg are often ingredients in Halloween treats. Some kids may experience a rash or red, itchy skin, Continue Reading
The seminar covered: • How to recognize Exercise Induced Asthma and what to do. • Activities that put student-athletes at greater risk for developing asthma. • Approximately 70% of asthmatics suffer from allergies. • Treating allergies results in improved asthma control. • Albuterol may become weight-based because of our child obesity problem. • The consequences Continue Reading
We are proud of the fact that more and more doctors, and more and more patients are referring people to us for their allergy and asthma health care. As a result, in order to properly care for all of our patients, our doctor’s schedules will change slightly effective Jan. 3, 2013 as follows: Dr. Gregory Continue Reading
Some even develop tolerances to peanuts. Oral Allergy Syndrome is an interesting subclass of Food Allergies in which patients develop mild oral and perioral pruritis, tingling, and angioedema to certain raw fruits and vegetables because the fruits and vegetables share allergenic proteins with unrelated plant pollens. For instance, patients with birch pollen allergy may develop Continue Reading
IEE is an active area of research. In numerous studies, foods have been shown to be causative in EE. Thus far, it is believed that EE is the result of both Type 1 (immediate) and Type 4 (delayed) hypersensitivity to food. While inhaled corticosteroids and perhaps other anti-inflammatory agents have been shown by allergy doctors Continue Reading
The holidays bring travel and fun, but they also bring a whole host of potential allergy and asthma problems. Here are a few tips to make sure you have more fun than misery during this holiday season: Fireplaces. Although nothing beats a good fire during the holiday, the smoke and soot it produces can trigger Continue Reading
A community partnership between Virginia Beach City Public Schools and Allergy & Asthma Specialists is helping educate PE Teachers and nurses at all grade levels about Exercise Induced Asthma and mimic Exercise Induced Asthma. The in-service training consisted of six seminars at various Virginia Beach public schools from August – October. The seminars were conducted Continue Reading
Dr. Gary Moss of Allergy & Asthma Specialists was the featured speaker May 26, 2011 at a Food Allergy Association of Virginia Beach symposium in the Virginia Beach Central Library. Dr. Moss, who served as President of the Asthma and Allergy Society of Virginia from 2008-2010, talked to local restaurateurs, chefs, wait staff, as well Continue Reading
If you’re a kid with food allergies, you know how careful you have to be. It’s hard to tell your friends when they need step away until they wash their hands, and for some kids it’s not always fun to be the only one at a birthday party who doesn’t get to eat the same Continue Reading
The allergists at Allergy & Asthma Specialists are delighted to inform you that the FDA has approved the PRE-PEN® penicillin skin test and, once again, we can accurately determine if you are or are not penicillin allergic. Allergy to penicillin and related antibiotics, such as Augmentin, is the most commonly reported drug allergy in the Continue Reading
If you live in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Hampton Roads, and may be suffering from food allergies or suspect you may have been misdiagnosed, please call us at any of our 3 locations listed below. Our Allergists are here to help you. About Allergy & Asthma Specialists For more than six decades Continue Reading
If you or your child may be suffering from allergies, please call us at any of our 3 locations listed below. We are here to help you. About Allergy & Asthma Specialists For more than six decades the allergists and immunologist at Allergy & Asthma Specialists have been successfully treating adults and children in Continue Reading
Regular cleaning can help reduce allergy and asthma triggers in your home (such as mold, pet dander, cockroaches and dust mites). But you may want to pause before you reach for that spray bottle. The use of harsh chemicals may trigger asthma symptoms, and dust that is disturbed when cleaning can trigger both asthma and Continue Reading
Given the high incidences, it is safe to assume that nearly every extended family in the U.S. has at least one member with allergies or asthma. In fact, chances are we all know someone who is currently suffering from symptoms of allergic rhinitis. This chronic condition affects between 10 and 30 percent of all adults, Continue Reading
Between dodging vampires in haunted houses and listening to tales of terror, Halloween can be a scary time of make-believe for children in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and throughout Hampton Roads. But for children with food allergies, Halloween can be a real, horrifying experience. Following are some Halloween safety tips from the food allergy Continue Reading
Allergic Rhinitis is an inflammation of the mucus membranes of the nose/upper respiratory tract, and is induced by a variety of substances known as allergens. Seasonal allergens include tree, grass, and ragweed pollens. Perennial allergens include dust, dust mites, cockroaches, cats and dogs. If you have allergies, these allergens will cause sneezing; itchy nose, roof Continue Reading
As more and more families enjoy camping, we’d like to provide you with a fun way to help your children identify allergy and asthma triggers that might be lurking at your campsite. Please click here for a better understanding of your campsite and how it can lead to allergy or asthma flare ups. If you Continue Reading
Many of our patients in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and throughout Hampton Roads are surprised by the fact that in many cases asthma is caused or aggravated by allergies. This happens because both conditions are associated with inflammation. Inflammation in the lower airways (i.e. asthma) triggers inflammation and additional symptoms in the nose/eyes. However, Continue Reading
By Allergy & Asthma Specialists – 4/6/2015 As you already know, everything outdoors is covered with different types of pollen. Many adults and children can expect to suffer from itchy, watery, red eyes and an itchy, sneezy, runny nose for the next several months. Hampton Roads is a great place to raise a family, but Continue Reading
The diagnosis of Food Allergies, and Peanut Allergy in particular, is not always straightforward. Food allergies are often missed in children with severe eczema. This is unfortunate, since simple diet controls often lead to significant improvement to this terrible condition. For patients who are at risk for anaphylaxis, the most severe form of food allergy, Continue Reading
Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. These airways, or bronchial tubes, allow air to come in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma your airways are always inflamed. They become even more swollen and the muscles around the airways can tighten when something triggers your symptoms. This makes Continue Reading
As the increased humidity of spring and summer starts to take its toll on people who suffer from asthma, Allergy & Asthma Specialists would like to provide you with the following tips to help ensure your health is as good as possible: • Increased humidity outdoors can result in increased humidity indoors. Indoor humidity promotes Continue Reading
By NBC Nightly News– 7/2/2014 An estimated 15 million people in the United States have a food allergy of some sort, and according to the journal “Pediatrics,” 5.9 million of them are children. Now researchers are working on a way to desensitize patients who suffer from some of the most common allergens in the U.S.: Continue Reading
By Allergy & Asthma Specialists – 6/15/2014 With school out and an increase of fun events on the horizon in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and throughout Hampton Roads, we encourage you to review the following food allergy tips from our food allergy doctors and also share them with your children: • Pack smart – Continue Reading
In general terms, asthma is characterized by airway narrowing, inflammation, and a tendency for the airways to react to a variety of stimuli. These stimuli include: • allergens (i.e. dust, pollen, danders) • irritants (i.e. perfume, cigarette smoke, cleaning supplies) • infections • exercise • emotion (stress, laughter) As asthma doctors are finding out, asthma Continue Reading
WINTER IS BEHIND US, but not its effects. Early-blooming trees have been waiting for warmer days, and an explosion of pent-up pollen could soon be coming our way By Brady Dennis and Ariana Eunjung Cha, The Washington Post – 4/4/2014 Goodbye, polar vortex. Hello, pollen vortex. It turns out that this brutally cold, miserably long, Continue Reading
By Maria Cheng, Associated Press – 1/29/2014 (AP) — An experimental therapy that fed children with peanut allergies small amounts of peanut flour has helped more than 80 percent of them safely eat a handful of the previously worrisome nuts. Although experts say the results of the carefully monitored study are encouraging, they warn it Continue Reading
By Megan Brown, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology – 11/6/2013 Outside air pollutants are a known trigger of asthma, the most common chronic disease in children according to the World Health Organization, but whether these pollutants actually cause new cases of asthma is still being investigated. Research from the 2013 Annual Meeting of Continue Reading
By Allergy & Asthma Specialists – 4/9/2013 Pollen counts are already high, and the mild and wet winter we just experienced will only make things worse in the coming weeks. Many adults and children can expect to suffer from itchy, watery, red eyes and an stuffy, itchy, runny nose for the next several months. Hampton Continue Reading
Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only scary things your children might encounter this Halloween. For parents of kids with food allergies, Halloween treats—from candy to cookies—can be frightening too. Common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg are often ingredients in Halloween treats. Some kids may experience a rash or red, itchy skin, Continue Reading
By Madonna Behen, Parade magazine – 8/17/2013 1. Create an action plan. Studies indicate that up to 25 percent of first-time allergic reactions occur in school. If food allergy guidelines are already in place at your child’s school, then your plan might simply list the foods to which he’s allergic; any possible signs of a Continue Reading
By Allergy & Asthma Specialists – August 2013 Despite the medical advances in diagnosing and treating asthma, the number of people with asthma continues to grow in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton Roads and throughout the United States. Following are some U.S. asthma statistics from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology that pinpoint Continue Reading
By Melanie Thernstrom, The New York Times – 3/7/2013 For nine years, the greatest challenge Kim Yates Grosso faced each day was keeping her daughter Tessa safe. Tessa was so severely allergic to milk, wheat, eggs, nuts, shellfish and assorted other foods that as a toddler she went into anaphylactic shock when milk fell on Continue Reading
The Virginian-Pilot and evening news programs recently featured a story about an increase in skin and food allergies. The story says the increase could be due to households being too clean, and parents paying closer attention to rashes. What it doesn’t mention is that the growing increase could also be due to a food allergy Continue Reading
The seminar covered: • How to recognize Exercise Induced Asthma and what to do. • Activities that put student-athletes at greater risk for developing asthma. • Approximately 70% of asthmatics suffer from allergies. • Treating allergies results in improved asthma control. • Albuterol may become weight-based because of our child obesity problem. • The consequences Continue Reading
Reuters – 6/20/2011 NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – One in 12 children in the United States may have a food allergy, with more than a third of those having severe allergies, according to a study. The study, published in Pediatrics, also showed that allergies were more common in minority children. “What I hope this paper Continue Reading
December 2010 Many women have a problem with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, which consists of recurrent or persistent vaginal candida infections that are unresponsive to standard therapies. To make matters worse, once every therapy offered fails, most of these women stop reporting vaginal infections to their doctors. Fortunately, a number of studies have demonstrated that C. Continue Reading
By Todd Neale, MedPage Today – 11/29/2010 Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner Pediatricians can play an important role in helping to manage food allergies in schools, according to a clinical report from the American Academy of Continue Reading
By Marianne Canter, April 2010 Member, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology • Question: Is there a cure? • Answer: No, but a personalized approach to treatment can ease symptoms. From 2000 to 2005, the cost of treating allergic rhinitis almost doubled from $6.1 billion (in 2005 dollars) to $11.2 billion. More than half Continue Reading