'allergies' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe a person's physical reaction to something they are allergic to. For example, "She had to carry around an epi-pen because of her severe allergies."
Monika, a student at Keele University, developed allergies while living in a damp, mouldy house with poor insulation and a slug-infested bathroom.
"The slow introduction of allergenic foods, such as peanut paste (not peanuts themselves), eggs and milk at this time may reduce risk of allergies because there seems to be a window of opportunity for tolerance," she says.
Meanwhile, children – and adults, of course – with peanut allergies should be vigilant about what they eat, especially in takeaways and food prepared by other people.
But Asthma UK strongly recommends that people with asthma and allergies don't take it as there have been reports of severe, and occasionally fatal, asthma and allergic attacks.
A new study from Sense About Science finds that while one third of parents claim that their children have allergies, only 5% actually do.
Aside from obvious health reasons, this is galling because there's nothing glamorous or fun about genuine food allergies – I always think when I see nut allergy warnings on school forms that these children must have a horrible time.
Nice says there is no gold standard test to diagnose asthma and that doctors mainly do it on the basis of a thorough history – asking patients about symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and breathing problems, as well as whether they have allergies or eczema.
A family history of asthma or allergies can also increase the likelihood of having it.
Conversely, real allergies are sometimes trivialised and cases of anaphylaxis (potentially lethal allergic reactions) have spiked, partly, it's thought, because of rising general cynicism about allergies.
This appeals to fussy eaters and those with allergies.
BROADLY speaking, East Asians and Westerners suffer the same types of food allergies in about the same proportions.
