Weed allergies high in southwest GA
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Itchy, irritated eyes and runny noses are common this time of year.
South Georgia allergists offices are full with patients. Allergists say the problem is a combination of smoke from the swamp fire, farmers burning off their fields, and nature’s irritants.
It can be something as simple as this area outside the allergists office where ragweed or pig weed may be growing, but right now with many farmers burning off fields allergists say it’s hard to avoid a lot of irritants in the air.
Smoke. It’s an all too common sight in south Georgia as many begin to clear the debris fall leaves behind.
“Just trying to clean up some of the yard debris. The yard has a lot of leaves on it,” said Tony Riggins of Albany.
While it isn’t bothering Tony Riggins.
“Just a little bit, I don’t mind it, I can take it,” said Riggins.
That’s not the case for everyone.
“Aaahhh,” said a young patient as he stuck out his tongue.
It’s sent many directly to the doctor’s office with red, irritated eyes, sniffling, in search of relief.
“When you’re burning woods and agricultural products the irritants that come out of that smoke can include the oils from Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac and that is a very strong irritant to the airways,” said Nancy McKemie, PA-C Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Georgia.
As a large swamp fire in Clinch County continued to spread smoke and farmers continue to clear fields, it’s especially tough for those with respiratory illnesses including COPD or asthma.
“With those people we always recommend that they use their inhalers properly, they may need to increase their use of their rescue inhalers,” said McKemie.
Staying indoors is best, for others it can be a simple over the counter fix.
“Salt water irrigation is good, salt water nose spray. If you’re sneezing, runny nose, eye irritation there are antihistamine over the counter that are recommended,” said McKemie.
With leaves still falling from the trees and fields still to be cleared and some harvests still coming in, it may be some time before those affected by the irritants are seeing clearly again.
Allergists say pig weed levels are high, especially since farmers are clearing cotton fields now, where pigweed likes to grow, spreading the seeds as they cut the plants. If you do need to be out in the yard, doctors say limit your exposure and consider using a mask.
Throughout the entire month of November the weed count in Albany and southwest Georgia has remained high, while mold and grass counts have been low.
How to Make Hectic Holiday Travel Safe for Kids With Nut Allergies
MAYWOOD, Ill. – No matter the mode of transportation, holiday travel holds special challenges for parents. Either you’re stuck in an enormous security line at an airport filled with cranky people or hearing the constant stream of “Are we there yet?” from the back seat of the car. It’s enough to make a Scrooge out of even the most Tiny Tim of us. For many families adding to the chaos is the reality that their child has a dangerous nut allergy.
“The best thing to do is plan ahead. Though you can’t plan for everything, being prepared will help keep your child safe and limit your holiday stress. We all know we have enough of it anyway,” said Dr. Sean Cahill, associate of professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
One of the most important tips is to keep your child’s hands and the surfaces your child touches as clean as possible. Research is showing that dangerous allergic reactions are not caused by inhaled airborne nut particles. Instead, a reaction occurs when a child touches a surface that has been exposed to a nut and then ingests the particles.
“Also remember a peanut allergy is not limited to peanuts. Some people with a peanut allergy are allergic to numerous types of nuts and seeds, and nut allergies are often seen in kids with other food allergies, like eggs, or in kids with asthma and eczema,” Cahill said.
Here are a few more tips:
* Pack snacks. Whether in a car or airport, you never know what will be available. Having your own snacks will help eliminate the guessing game concerning which foods are safe for your child to eat.
* Know your restaurants. Make sure you know how food at restaurants is prepared. For instance, though many fast-food chains cook their food in vegetable oil, there are a few that use peanut oil. Also, all pans, dishes and utensils that were used in preparing food with nuts must be thoroughly cleaned.
* In case of an emergency, be sure you have an EpiPen close at hand and antihistamine medications with you.
Tips for Air Travel:
Peanuts are the snack of choice for many airlines. As a result, the seats often contain traces of nuts.
* Bring sanitizing wipes. Before your children sits in their plane seats, wipe down all solid surfaces, including arm rests and tray tables, with sanitizing wipes to limit contact with nut residue.
* Put your child in a shirt and pants that cover the arms and legs. This will limit the amount of nut residue that will touch a child’s skin.
* You may need a note from your doctor. With increased security at airports this holiday season, be sure to bring a note from your doctor explaining the importance of having an EpiPen on hand.
Nut-allergy dangers don’t end when you arrive at your destination. It also is important to make sure you are prepared for where you are staying, especially if it’s with family.
“Holidays already are stressful for the person hosting, so be thoughtful and proactive in making sure the home is safe for your child,” Cahill said.
He suggests:
* Make contact early. When you know you will be staying at a person’s home, explain to them early on the severity of a nut allergy and how they can help you keep your child safe.
* Be specific. Give your hosts a list of specific items that could endanger your child and ask if the items can be removed. If not, ask your hosts to put the items out of reach or to lock them away.
* Do your own nut-proofing. If you have a small child, ask your host if you can take a look around to ensure your child won’t have access to nuts.
* Offer to help. As a way of helping your host and to make it less stressful, offer to bring nut-free snacks, make nut-free dishes for the dinner or purchase the groceries to create dishes that are safe for your child. Also make sure your child knows which dishes are safe or prepare your child’s plate.
“It’s also important to remind relatives that if they have eaten a product with nuts they should wash their hands and brush their teeth before hugging or kissing a child with a nut allergy,” Cahill said.
Are You Allergic to Your Cell Phone?
Just when you increased your cellular phone usage limits, do you know that more exposure to your mobile phone handset can be associated with skin allergies to the phone itself?
Well yes, if you have been “sensitized” to the metal nickel — a study found about 40 to 50 percent of all manufacturers use this metal in parts of the cell phone — then repeated and prolonged exposure to your phone can be associated with a facial, often itchy rash.
During a presentation on skin allergies, at a recent meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Luz Fonacier, an allergist and dermatologist who discussed this condition said, “Increased use of cell phones has led to prolonged exposure to nickel in phones.”
It has been reported that nickel allergy can affect almost one in five women — more likely due to exposure in jewelry — and about three percent of men. Other common sources of nickel include products such as watches, coins, jewelry and buckles.
In fact, during 2008 the British Association of Dermatologists issued an alert to advise more about nickel allergy, as a surge in facial rashes were observed in the UK among other countries that were felt to be associated with cell phone usage.
Fonacier suggested the following options if you believe you suffer with skin rashes as a result of exposure to nickel, if present, in your cell phone:
1. Go for a hands free device to reduce face to phone contact
2. Try using a phone “cover”
3. Buy a “nickel spot-test” kit to determine if a phone is laden with nickel
4. Utilize the speaker phone option, whenever possible
The best way to protect you if you have a suspicion you may have a skin allergy to nickel? See an experienced allergist. Click here to find one near you at the ACAAI’s allergist finder
