The Allergy Fix

Gr 7 Up—Presented in 14 short chapters, this program covers children's allergy research internationally. Children who suffer from allergies to peanuts and milk are followed as desensitization is attempted in clinics by administering small doses of the allergenic food in a controlled environment. Some doses are given orally and some through a patch on the child's back. Various theories are discussed for the increase in food allergies in the past 20 years. Rural Amish children have far fewer allergies than their urban counterparts, so the exposure to dairy cows and farm produce may build immune system resistance. In Germany, children from more polluted areas had fewer allergic symptoms than those from a cleaner environment. One researcher proposes the theory that indoor kids who have little exposure to sunshine (and therefore lack vitamin D) are prone to allergies. Another possible explanation is that children who had taken antibiotics during their first year are more likely to have these allergies; perhaps the bacteria killed by the antibiotics help develop the immune system. Another study found that Jewish children in Israel, who eat peanuts at a younger age, had one-tenth the food allergies as English Jewish children with similar genetic makeup. Most of the inquiries presented demonstrate that controlled exposure can reduce intolerance with the objective to find a cure, but control of reactions to foods is a welcome step. This program may be helpful in schools where children suffer from food allergies, especially for parent education. High school physiology and biology classes may find this a valuable supplement to curriculum.—Ann Weber, Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, CA