FOOD ALLERGIES CAN PUT SERIOUS LIMITS ON THE DAILY ACTIVITIES OF AFFECTED KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS, A NEW STUDY HAS FOUND, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. AMONG 87 FAMILIES RESEARCHERS SURVEYED, THE MAJORITY OF PARENTS SAID THAT THEIR CHILD'S FOOD ALLERGY LIMITED FAMILY SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, AND MANY FELT OVERWHELMED BY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF KEEPING THEIR CHILD FROM HAVING A SERIOUS ALLERGIC REACTION. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, STRESSED-OUT FAMILIES SHOULD NOT FEEL ALONE, DR. MARY E. BOLLINGER, THE STUDY'S LEAD AUTHOR, TOLD REUTERS HEALTH. 'IT'S NOT UNUSUAL, AND YOU'RE NOT CRAZY,' SAID BOLLINGER, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN BALTIMORE. BUT IF THE STRESS IS HARMING FAMILY LIFE, IT'S TIME TO GET HELP, SHE ADVISED. A GOOD STEP, ACCORDING TO BOLLINGER, IS TO GET NEWSLETTERS FROM THE FOOD ALLERGY & ANAPHYLAXIS NETWORK (FAAN), AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF PARENTS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN CARING FOR KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGY. FOOD ALLERGIES ARE CAUSED BY AN IMMUNE SYSTEM REACTION TO A PROTEIN IN A PARTICULAR FOOD - MOST COMMONLY EGGS, FISH, MILK, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, WHEAT OR SOY. SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING SKIN RASH, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, STOMACH CRAMPS AND NAUSEA, CAN BE TRIGGERED BY EVEN MINUTE AMOUNTS OF THE OFFENDING FOOD. --MORE 23 50 LOCAL TIME 20 50 GMT
