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Allergy & Asthma Issues: Winter 2009/2010

Allergies Make Travel Planning Essential

Most people don't think twice about traveling during the winter months - whether it's a trip to Grandma's for the holidays or a vacation get-away. Yet, when family members have food allergies, travel planning often requires significant effort to minimize the risks.

In a study conducted by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and reported in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI: March, 2009), more than 90% of food allergic families surveyed have packed their own food, 53% have requested special airplane accommodations and 65% carried extra medical documentation. In addition, 90% of those surveyed have not traveled beyond the U.S., citing issues involving medical care and because unfamiliar foods could trigger reactions.

"For families with food allergic members, leaving home means traveling with a lot of potential anxiety," according to one of the authors of the study, allergist/immunologist Scott Sicherer, MD, FAAAAI. "It can be like living in a minefield."

Other allergies can also take a toll on traveling. People with pet allergies must cope on planes and in the homes of relatives and friends with furry pets. Dust mites are particularly fond of staying in hotels and skiing in Colorado is great, unless you suffer from exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Proper planning can ease some of the stress and help avoid a medical emergency. The AAAAI recommends the following:

  • Plan ahead. If you are traveling by air, train or boat, you may need to go through security. Keep medications in their original packaging. Carry your medications with you, or a lost suitcase could become a health crisis.
  • Anticipate problems and hidden allergens. If you have asthma, be sure it is under control before you travel. If you have food allergies, let people at your destination know before you get there. Take precautions and always have your rescue medicines available.
  • Continue taking your medications on schedule. Your allergies don't take a break just because you are on vacation. In fact, traveling may mean you are exposed to different (and more) triggers than normal. Keep your allergist's phone number and other emergency contact information on-hand.
For more helpful tips, visit http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/travelingwithallergies.stm.

 

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