Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
Allergy and asthma are among the most common heath problems, with more than 50 million people afflicted with asthma, seasonal hay fever, or other allergy-related conditions each year.
Allergies can affect anyone. Generally, allergies are more common in children, however, a first-time occurrence can happen at any age, or recur after many years of remission.
There is a tendency for allergies to occur in families, although the exact genetic factors that cause it are not yet understood.
Food allergies are seen in 8 percent of children under age six.
According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, if only one parent has allergies, there is a fifty percent chance that each child will have an allergy. If both parents have allergies, it is much more likely (75 percent) that their children will have allergies.
According to the latest available statistics from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, allergic problems in the US are the sixth leading common cause of chronic disease.
About 20.5 million people in the US have been diagnosed with asthma, with at least 6.2 million of them children under the age of 18.
Asthma is the third ranking cause of childhood hospitalizations under the age of 15.
Disclaimer:
This information is not intended to substitute or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your child's physician. The content provided on this page is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your child's physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition.
Last reviewed on 12/29/2006
www.chkd.org/allergy/index.htm