Raise the awareness of allergies

World-leading researcher to speak at Allergy New Zealand’s AGM

Professor Innes Asher will be the keynote speaker at Allergy New Zealand’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday 14 August.

Professor Asher, from the University of Auckland’s Department of Paediatrics, was recently awarded the Liley Medal for her research into the prevalence of asthma and allergic disease in children worldwide.

Professor Asher’s presentation will be from 7.30pm – 8.30pm, at the Jubilee Hall, 545 Parnell Road, Newmarket, Auckland and is open to the public for a gold coin donation, as well as to members. It will be followed by a light supper, and the Annual General Meeting.

Professor Asher leads the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), a major worldwide research programme, with key coordination from New Zealand, studying asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema.

Her research has studied almost half a million school children in 56 countries to determine whether the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema had changed.

In addition to providing new evidence that environmental factors determine prevalence of asthma and allergic disease, the study has produced an effective research model which can monitor public health internationally and engage researchers worldwide.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Allergy New Zealand on 09 623 3912 or email allergy@allergy.org.nz

Metro magazine labels allergy show goers as hypochondriacs

Allergy New Zealand supporter David Squires brought to our attention this in the July issue of Metro magazine (incidentally a magazine that did a fantastic article on food allergies a couple of years ago):

"The Things We Won’t Be Covering

Gluten-Free Food And Allergy Show (ASB Showgrounds, July 5-6). A room full of hypochondriacs? Pass."

David sent them this response:

"So the people attending the Gluten-Free Food and Allergy Show (‘The Things We Won’t Be Covering’, July issue) are a bunch of hypochondriacs, huh?

Well, I’m pretty sure my mother, diagnosed with coeliac disease in her early twenties after suffering sickness for most of her teens, was not imagining her symptoms.

Neither is my three-year-old son, diagnosed with an allergy to nuts, who must carry an EpiPen with him just in case.

And neither was my friend from high school, Grant Freeman, when he died after eating at a restaurant staffed by people who didn’t fully understand his nut allergy.

You see, when people don’t take it seriously, the risks are high. Treating allergy sufferers as ‘hypochondriacs’ is 19th century healthcare, Metro – quite an out-of-date attitude for such a progressive publication!"

New Anaphylaxis/Allergy Action plans

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology & Allergy has just launched revised action plans that can be downloaded and printed from the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au.

The new colour-coded action plans feature a few changes, so when you need a new plan for your emergency kit, school, preschool, workplace or home ask your doctor or specialist to complete the one that applies to you. Of particular note is the addition of an allergic reaction plan for patients who have not been prescribed an EpiPen but should have a plan displayed nonetheless.

The main changes are as follows:

Anaphylaxis Action Plan (personal) to be completed a doctor

• addition to the list of signs of mild to moderate allergic reaction = tingling mouth
• instructions for patient positioning in anaphylaxis
• emergency phone numbers for Australia (000) and NZ (111) on the one plan
• instructions for administering further doses of EpiPen
• addition of reminder for patients to be observed in hospital for at least 4 hours

Addition of an Anaphylaxis Action Plan (personal) for Insect Sting to be completed by a doctor

• as above plus;
• addition to the list of severe symptoms (anaphylaxis) = abdominal pain/vomiting

Addition of an Allergic Reaction Action Plan (personal) for patients who have not been prescribed an EpiPen to be completed by a doctor

• instructions to call for ambulance when there are signs of anaphylaxis