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Allergic reactions

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Prevention:

• Avoid triggers such as foods and medications that have caused an allergic reaction, even a mild one, in the past. This includes detailed questioning about ingredients when eating away from home. Ingredient labels should also be carefully examined.
• If you have a child who is allergic to certain foods, introduce one new food at a time so you can recognize an allergic reaction.
• A medical ID tag should be worn by people who know that they have serious allergic reactions.
• If you have a history of a serious allergic reactions, carry emergency medications (such as diphenihydramine and injectable epinephrine or a bee sting kit) according to your health care provider’s instructions.
• Do not use your injectable epinephrine on anyone else. They may have a condition (such as a heart problem) that could be affected by this drug.

• Review Date: 5/3/2006
• Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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