What are Allergies?

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is the most common form of allergy and can lead to other problems such as asthma, sinusitis, ear infections, recurrent sore throats, altered sleep, fatigue, irritability, and poor school or work performance.

Allergic rhinitis may be seasonal in some people while it occurs year-round for others. Beyond being bothersome, allergies can truly affect one’s day-to-day life and result in overall poor quality of life.

Affecting over 50 million people in the United States, allergies have a strong genetic component. If you are an allergy sufferer, it is likely that others in your family suffer too.

Allergists often treat the whole family, as research shows that if one parent has allergies, a child has a 40 percent chance of having allergies, if both parents have allergies, a child has a 70 percent chance of developing allergies.

If allergies go untreated, children are more likely to develop asthma. It is estimated that over 80 percent of children with asthma have underlying allergies.