Join us this holiday season in supporting the needy families of veterans and active service members. There are several area families that are at risk for food, basic living essentials and children’s holiday toys. We are accepting cash donations or gift cards to Giant, Wawa, Target or Walmart to buy food and essentials. Call the office at 610-825-5800, extension 6 to make a cash donation. If you would like to purchase any of the items below and drop it at our Blue Bell office, please let Barbara know at bsmith@allergypc.com. Contributions are due by December 11. Thank you for your support.

The Veteran’s Families Christmas Wish List

Family 1

Male Vet

Child 1 Boy 8-10 (size 3 shoes, size medium youth clothing) likes sports

Child 2 Boy age 6 (size 6 clothing, size 12 shoe) loves art supplies

Child 3 Boy (newborn male) happy with anything or a babies r us gift card

Family 2

Male Vet

Child 1 Girl 5yr old – size 5T – 5 yr old appropriate toys

Family 3

Mom – NBA 2K18 xBox one

Child 1 Girl 4 yr old -shirts, pants 4T,

Disney’s Minnie walk and play puppy

Baby alive baby go bye bye doll

Graco room full of fun baby doll play set

Dress up clothes

Family 4

Mom 37 – gift cards for food & clothes

Child 1 Girl 9 yr old shirt M, pant 10 shoes 3 ½ (nike sneakers)

Big Doll

Project MC Square

Child 2 Girl 9 yr old shirt L, pant 12 shoes 5 (nike sneakers)

Mermaid Tail

Cooking set

Hoverboard

Morph

Big Doll

Child 3 Boy 7yr shirt M, pant 10

Nerf Gun

Lego set

Pie Face

??? trucks

Child 4 Girl 18 yr Women’s XL pants 18

Gift cards for clothes

Child 5 boy- 9 month Baby clothes/shoes and Baby toys

Family 5

Mom Vet 24 gas/grocery cards

Child 1 Girl 10mo 24 m clothing sz 4/5 shoe

Learning games

Size 4/5 diapers (Huggies lil movers/papers baby dry

Wipes (Huggies green tea and cucumber)

Family 6

88 yr old Vet & wife Toaster Oven

Food & gas gift cards

Family 7 –

Wife needs a Crock Pot

16 yr old Boy – clothes (30/34 pants, M Shirts)

Winter Coat

Socks

PS 4 games

Likes Military things

15 yr old Girl – S shirts/leggings, Size 3 jeans

Outdoor stuff

Artsy things

Kohl’s gift Card

Family 8 – 15 Veterans in group homes to prevent homelessness

Hygiene products, clothing, and non perishable food is always needed.

Dealing with any allergy in children can be a challenge, and many parents find that managing food allergies in kids is particularly troublesome. One reason for this is that there are at least trace amounts of common food allergens in many of the processed foods that line the country’s grocery store shelves. Another hurdle for parents it that, for some individuals, simply coming into contact with a food allergen can be enough to trigger symptoms. For this reason, if your child was recently diagnosed with food allergies by her allergy doctor, then it’s important to be vigilant about what your child both touches and eats.

Play-Doh and Wheat Allergies

The exact ingredients in the popular modeling toy called Play-Doh are proprietary, but the Hasbro Company does warn parents that their Play-Doh products contain wheat. For this reason, it may be a smart idea to keep this toy out of the hands of a child who has a wheat allergy or sensitivity. If your kid is a fan of Play-Doh, then don’t worry, because there are alternatives for you to try. The following are some allergy-free play dough ideas from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology:

Cornstarch Play Dough

• Cornstarch
• Baking soda
• Water
• Oil
• Food coloring

Edible Play Dough

• Powdered sugar
• Corn syrup
• Margarine
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Food coloring

Rice Play Dough

• Rice flour
• Salt
• Cream of tartar
• Water
• Oil
• Vanilla extract
• Food coloring or sparkles

Before using any of these recipes, it’s important for parents to carefully review all ingredients and ingredient labels to ensure that they meet all allergy safety criteria for their child. You can find the complete recipes for these allergy-free play doughs by clicking here.

The team of board-certified asthma doctors and allergists at Allergy & Asthma Specialists ^SM offer food allergy testing in Philadelphia, Blue Bell, King of Prussia, Jenkintown, Doylestown, Lansdale, Pottstown, and Collegeville, Pennsylvania. You can schedule your appointment by visiting us online or calling 1(800)86-COUGH.

As an allergy sufferer, you may already realize that various factors can affect your symptoms day-to-day. For example, if you’re receiving allergy treatment because of a pollen allergy, then you’re probably aware of the impact that the seasons can have on your local pollen count. What you may not realize, however, is the role that the weather can have on the pollen count and your allergies.

Pollen can cause the most trouble for allergy sufferers on days when the weather is dry and windy because it can remain airborne and travel long distances. When the weather is rainy, on the other hand, pollen in the air gets captured by the water droplets. For this reason, your local pollen count is likely to be lower on rainy days than on dry, windy ones.

If you’re looking for relief from your seasonal allergies, then consider seeing allergists at Allergy & Asthma Specialists ^SM , where state-of-the-art allergy treatment is provided. To schedule your appointment with one of our allergy doctors in Philadelphia, Blue Bell, King of Prussia, Jenkintown, Doylestown, Lansdale, Pottstown, or Collegeville, Pennsylvania, call 1(800)86-COUGH today.

Asthma medications can be life-saving, but they may also have effects that impact other areas of your health. If you’re receiving asthma treatment, then read on to learn about the link between your condition and osteoporosis.

Asthma Treatment

If you suffer from asthma, then your doctor may have prescribed an oral corticosteroid to address your symptoms. While these anti-inflammatory medications can help prevent and manage airway inflammation caused by asthma, they are also associated with several side effects, including osteoporosis. For this reason, being aware of the risk factors and preventive measures for osteoporosis can be particularly important for asthma patients who are on oral corticosteroids.

Osteoporosis Risk

Age and menopause are two of the most notable osteoporosis risk factors. Having low bone mass, low body weight, or a family history of osteoporosis also increases your risk for this condition. Caucasians and Asians are more likely to develop osteoporosis, and excessive alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, being female, and leading a sedentary lifestyle are also risk factors. Additionally, there are medications besides corticosteroids that can increase your risk for osteoporosis, such as diuretics, anticonvulsants, thyroid medicines, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists, aromatase inhibitors, and some blood thinners. If you fall into any of these categories or take any of these medications, then you may have a greater risk for developing osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis Prevention

To help protect yourself from osteoporosis, there are several steps that you can take. First, speak with your doctor to learn how much calcium you need to help ward off osteoporosis. It is also important for you to monitor your levels of vitamin D, which can affect how well your body absorbs calcium. Finally, avoid smoking, drink alcohol only in moderation, stay active, and incorporate strength training and weight-bearing exercise into your fitness routine.

The allergists and asthma doctors at Allergy & Asthma Specialists ^SM specialize in providing state of the art and comprehensive allergy and asthma treatment serving Philadelphia, Blue Bell, King of Prussia, Jenkintown, Doylestown, Lansdale, Pottstown, and Collegeville, Pennsylvania. To schedule your visit, please call 1(800)86-COUGH.