Asthma and Allergies

National Asthma and Allergy Awareness month

Asthma affects just under 26 million Americans.

Allergies affect 50 million Americans.

May is the peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers so that is why the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America declares May to be Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.

So what is asthma?

Asthma is a lung disease that makes the sufferer have difficulty breathing at times.

Sufferers come in contact with an irritant that causes the airways to become narrower.

Symptoms include coughing, wheezing (a whistling sound upon breathing), a tightness in their chest and shortness of breathe.

What is an allergy?

When a sufferer comes in contact with something like a cat or grass (something that non sufferers do not react to) they develop symptoms indicating an allergy. Some of these symptoms are: itchy nose, itchy or watery eyes, stuffy nose, itchy feeling in top of mouth, hives. Some symptoms are severe and dangerous. An anaphylactic (anna-fih-LACK-tic) reaction can include selling of the tongue, throat or both, hives difficulty breathing, vomiting.

Food can be allergic for people.

Do you know that one in thirteen (1 in 13) kids has a food allergy?

Visit http://community.kidswithfoodallergies.org

For more information visit:

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?ID=5&Sub=105&Cont=457

Another great resource is the American Lung Association at http://www.lung.org/#