Food Allergy Specialist to Speak at Martin's Point Health Education Center

Dr. Paris Mansmann of Shearwater Allergy in Yarmouth will speak at the Food Allergy Support Group meeting on October 21 at Martin's Point Health Care at Cook's Corner in Brunswick.

The free event from 7-8:30 p.m. is open to anyone who cares for someone or has themselves experienced a severe reaction to food. Registration is encouraged. Please call the Martin's Point Health Education Center at 828-2497 or 800-260-6681. Online registration is available at www.martinspoint.org.

Mansmann will discuss food allergy basics and the latest research on this difficult condition. Also, members of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Support/Information Group, including parents, will be available to provide resource materials.

More than 6 million Americans have a food allergy, and that number is growing. Statistics show that between 150 and 200 people die each year because of severe allergic reactions to food. Better education and awareness about how to manage these allergic reactions are the keys to keeping food-allergic individuals safe, according to medical experts.

The food allergy support group at Martin's Point - the only group of its kind in Maine - meets quarterly to discuss and learn more about the troubling condition, said Leigh Kirchner, a Certified Health Education Specialist at Martin's Point. "For people who have this condition, or are related to someone who experiences this severe reaction to food, this support group offers guidance in meeting their everyday challenges," she said.

Anaphylactic shock can occur within minutes of exposure to a food allergen. Symptoms, which can come on suddenly and can last a few minutes to several hours, include feeling faint, rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, nausea, hives and swelling of the lip, tongue or throat.

Someone who suffers a severe allergic reaction needs emergency medical attention. When vital organs cannot function properly, the body goes into shock. This is a life-threatening situation that must be dealt with quickly.

The best way to prevent a severe allergic reaction is to find out which substance causes it and avoid that food, chemical, drug or other substance. For example, persons who are allergic to shrimp should not eat shrimp or shrimp sauce. Also, a Medic Alert bracelet can be worn to warn of an allergy and explain what to do in case of an emergency.

People who have had anaphylaxis in the past are often prescribed a self-treat kit that contains oral Benadryl and injectable Epinephrine to help reverse the allergic reaction until emergency care can be provided. In the case of patients who experience severe reactions, persons should use their kit immediately and call 911, or have someone take them directly to an emergency room.

Sometimes use of oral agents such as antihistamines, inhaled corticosteroid and other medications can moderate a patient's response to allergies. Patients should work out a plan with their doctor so they can react immediately in case of an anaphylactic reaction.

Another option is immunotherapy, which involves gradually exposing the immune system to the toxic substance to make it less harmful. Immunotherapy is very effective for insect allergies but not for food or drug allergies.

Besides food allergies, the Martin's Point Health Education Center offers a variety of resource materials, such as publications and videos, and classes that focus on a host of other topics, ranging from weight management and smoking cessation to disease management.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point is a not-for-profit health care provider with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, N.H. Martin's Point has a staff of more than 300 health care professionals and serves 54,000 patients - including military retirees and dependents of active military personnel - under all major health plans.

Martin's Point serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, and mammography, as well as other fields. For additional information, visit online at www.martinspoint.org.

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