Allergies Affect ADHD
Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) may worsen with a seasonal allergy.
That's the word from doctors at
Long Island College Hospital in New York City, who presented their
findings this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy
of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Denver.
The study involved 20 children
between the ages of 5 and 18, all of whom had been diagnosed with
ADHD. But only two had been evaluated for allergy problems, even
though all had a family history of allergies.
The researchers screened the children
for allergic rhinitis, using not only a focused personal and family
history, but also blood and other types of allergy testing for
mold, cockroaches, dogs, cats, feathers, ragweed, trees and grass.
The results? Eight of the children
(40 percent) were diagnosed with asthma or atopic dermatitis;
three (23 percent) with allergic rhinitis, and nine (69 percent)
had at least one positive allergy test. Fifteen of the 20 also
had a history of at least two allergic symptoms.
Based on those findings, the researchers
concluded that a high percentage of children with ADHD may also
harbor allergies and some of the behavioral patterns observed
in ADHD might come from sleep problems caused by allergy symptoms
-- particularly nasal obstruction.
The authors suggest all children
diagnosed with ADHD should also be tested for seasonal and environmental
allergies and that treatment might improve their overall behavior
The study was just one highlight
among some important new findings that were presented at the six-day
conference, which ended Wednesday. Here are some more:
In two separate studies, experts
report the best treatment for allergy problems linked to the pollen
of flowers, trees, grass and weeds may indeed come from Mother
Researchers at Mashad University
of Medical Sciences in Iran found a derivative of the French pine
nut known as pycnogenol possessed both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
properties -- both of which might be helpful to allergy patients.
Their randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 26
asthma patients revealed that those who took pycnogenals had dramatically
lower blood levels of immune factors and other inflammatory biochemicals
linked to asthma.
And in a study of patients with
a grass allergy, British researchers from Ninewells Hospital and
Medical School found an herb known as Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
blocked mast cell sensitization, which helps stop the cascade
of biochemicals that would otherwise evoke an allergic response.
The placebo-controlled, double-blind study involved 20 patients
who used the herb for two weeks during the prime grass pollen
Drugless Treatment of Environmental
If you're looking to control allergies
to things such as dust, pollen and airborne mold spores, you might
want to rip a page from Michael Jackson's eccentric health book
by donning a paper dust mask.
In what is being called the first
medical study of pollen filters, researchers at the Woodcock Institute
of Medical Research in Australia say the inexpensive paper filters,
which fit over the mouth and nose, dramatically reduce exposure
to airborne allergens. The study involved 70 adults with fall
allergies who wore either a paper pollen filter or a mock filter
for two hours in a park where exposure to airborne pollens was
Over the two-hour period, the pollen
filters dramatically reduced major symptoms such as sniffles,
runny nose, number of sneezes, itchy, watery eyes and itchy throat.
Nose blowing, nasal blockage and nasal mucous was also decreased
in the group wearing the filters. The authors say this shows pollen
filters may be an effective way of managing seasonal allergies,
particularly during peak pollen seasons.
Microwave an Apple a Day, Keep
the Allergist Away
Doctors at Gregoro Maranon Hospital
in Madrid, Spain, say that simply placing your apple in a microwave
oven for 2 minutes could significantly reduce allergens associated
with the fruit. Although doctors have long known that heating
fruits can either reduce allergies or create new ones, there was
virtually no evidence of the effects of microwaving.
In this test of just four patients
with significant apple allergies, results were 100 percent --
all four were able to tolerate the microwaved apples with ease.
The researchers suggest that microwaving fruit should be considered
as a way to reduce allergens in those who have this food sensitivity
-- but not without checking with your doctor first. If your fruit
allergy is severe, even microwaving may not help you.
Teary-Eyed Over the Change of
As if hot flashes, insomnia and
hair in all the wrong places aren't quite enough for women to
deal with at midlife, new research shows there could be one more
quirk in the perimenopausal agenda.
The problem is swollen, tearing,
itchy red eyes -- symptoms that, while they seem like an allergy,
could be caused by the fluctuations in reproductive hormones occurring
in women at midlife. In studies conducted at the New Jersey Medical
School, researchers found that while 12 of 12 menopausal and perimenopausal
women complained of these allergy-like eye symptoms, the use of
antihistamines, the drug commonly used to relieve symptoms, failed
to provide relief for all but two of them. Moreover, the majority
of those who had skin testing for allergies were not found
to have an allergic problem.
After testing hormone levels and
taking a menstrual history, researchers concluded the women's
"allergic-like" eye problems appear to be associated
with the changes is estrogen and progesterone that occur just
before and during menopause. The solution? Right now there doesn't
appear to be one, except to avoid any products that appear to
be making the problem worse, such as mascara, eye shadow or even
To learn more about allergies,
visit The American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Reference Source 101