Airborne particles such as pollen, dust and mold spores are breathed in through the nose and mouth Insect venom is injected through stingers Foods are ingested, or swallowed. Medicines that can cause allergic reactions are injected or ingested. More than half of all allergy sufferers fails to recognize their symptoms at first, falsely believing they have a cold or the flu. An estimated 50 to 60 million Americans have allergies. About one of every five people suffer from allergies.
Allergies have a genetic component.
If only one parent has allergies, chances are one in three that each child will have an allergy. Food allergies are believed to occur in 8 percent of children younger than 3. Approximately 200 deaths per year are due to food allergy.