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1.      What are the signs and symptoms of penicillin allergy?   People who are allergic may have any of the following symptoms within an hour of taking the drug:   Hives (red welts) Swelling, commonly of the lips, eyes, tongue, hands, or feet. Shortness of breath or wheezing In severe reactions, fainting can occur 2.      Who should be tested for penicillin allergy?   Anyone who has a history of an allergic reaction to penicillin is a candidate for testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone with a history of penicillin allergy be evaluated and, if necessary, tested before being prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics. 3.      Why should I be tested for penicillin now if I do not need to take the antibiotic immediately?    Penicillin is a commonly used antibiotic with a variety of applications. For certain infections, it is the most effective antibiotic available. Demonstrating the absence of allergy now could be very helpful to you in the future when the need might suddenly arise – such as during an emergency or surgery. 95% of people labeled allergic turn out to have negative testing and can take penicillin again without problems.   Simply avoiding penicillin may sound simple, but there are risks:   • You may be prescribed other antibiotics which don’t work as well for the infection you have.   • These other antibiotics tend to cause more adverse reactions, such as kidney injury, diarrhea, or further infections with drug-resistant bacteria. 4.      How is penicillin allergy testing done?   Allergy skin tests are performed most commonly on either the forearm or back. If the skin test is negative, an oral challenge to penicillin is performed in the office on the same day. During a challenge, the patient takes penicillin in the physician’s office while under observation.    5.   How should I prepare for penicillin skin testing?   You should discontinue antihistamines 5 days prior to testing as they may affect the test results.  6.      Is penicillin allergy testing safe?   Yes. Skin testing to penicillin is a safe procedure. The test, if positive, will cause itching,...

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Your FAAC Providers care about your health and encourage you to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 vaccines are safe   ·   COVID-19 vaccines were developed using science that has been around for decades. ·  COVID-19 vaccines are not experimental. They went through all the required stages of clinical trials. Extensive testing and monitoring have shown that these vaccines are safe and effective. ·  COVID-19 vaccines have received and continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history COVID-19 vaccines are effective   ·    COVID 19-vaccines are effective. They can keep you from getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. ·   COVID-19 vaccines also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19. ·   Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Delta Variant The Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than earlier forms of the virus that causes COVID-19. It might cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated people.     ·   Vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, including against this variant. ·  Fully vaccinated people with breakthrough infections from this variant appear to be infectious for a shorter period. ·  Get vaccinated and wear masks indoors in public spaces to reduce the spread of this variant. Immune Compromised?  We recommend the COVID-19 Booster Vaccine.   If you have already had the COVID-19 Vaccine and have a compromised immune system, you can now get a third shot to boost your protection from COVID-19.  We strongly recommend you receive the COVID-19 Booster Vaccine.  If you would like to schedule your COVID-19 Booster at FAAC, please send us a message through your patient portal.  If you go elsewhere for the COVID-19 Booster and are told you need a prescription, please advise us through your patient portal, and we will assist you.   Do We Recommend COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens  - Yes we do!   Children 12 years and older can receive the Pfizer Vaccine. COVID-19 in children is usually milder than in adults; however, some kids can get very sick...

WHY SHOULD I RECEIVE A VACCINE AGAINST COVID-19? Protection! For yourself, your family, your friends, and your co-workers. A COVID-19 vaccination will help keep you from getting COVID-19 or keep you from becoming seriously ill if you get COVID-19. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination is the pathway towards stopping the pandemic. FOR MOST PEOPLE, THE BENEFITS OF THE VACCINE OUTWEIGH THE RISKS.   AM I A CANDIDATE TO GET A VACCINE AGAINST COVID-19? YES!  A COVID-19 vaccine is available for anyone who is 12 years of age and older. The only contraindication is a history of a severe allergic reaction to any of the vaccine components, including sensitivity to PEG (polyethylene glycol).  If you are concerned that you may have an allergy to PEG or the vaccine, please schedule PEG testing and a consultation with your FAAC Provider.   HOW DO I KNOW THE COVID-19 VACCINE IS SAFE? Experience.  To date, almost 5 billion people worldwide have safely received a COVID-19 vaccination. Safety has been demonstrated across a broad range of the population, including different ages, races, ethnicities, and those with different medical conditions.   DOES FAMILY ALLERGY & ASTHMA CARE ADMINISTER COVID-19 VACCINES IN THE OFFICE? Family Allergy & Asthma Care is a registered site for COVID-19 vaccination administration.  We run a vaccine clinic about every two weeks.  If you would like to receive your COVID-19 vaccination at FAAC, please call the office to schedule. (972-539-0086).    CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 3 VACCINES AVAILABLE IN THE US, WHICH VACCINE SHOULD I TAKE? The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (mRNA vaccines) are similar and are equally safe and effective. They both require two vaccinations to be considered fully vaccinated. The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine is administered 18-23 days after the first vaccination, and the second dose of the Moderna vaccine is administered 28 days after the first vaccination. The Pfizer vaccination is currently the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for people ages 12 and older.  The Moderna is currently approved for people 18 and older.  The Johnson and Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is currently administered as a single dose and indicated for...

It is back to school time! I know we are all wondering what this new school year will bring in terms of schooling and managing food allergies during the Covid-19 pandemic. There is always a flurry of things that we need to do to keep our children safe, for those who have children with food allergies. Here list a list of friendly Back to School reminders for you and your family. Consult your Allergist: If you have not done this already, it is NEVER too late. Pick up the phone and contact your Board Certified Allergist. Your allergist will: a) Refill your Allergy Medications (Epinephrine Auto-injectors) b) Provide you with your annual Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Plan for you to distribute to all caregivers (schools, nurses, etc.). The purpose of this Food Allergy Plan is that we want school personnel to know your child’s allergies, signs, and symptoms of an allergic reaction, knowledgeable on how and when to use an epi-pen. c) Provide further information and direction on the management of your current food allergies. Partnership with School Personnel: Call and set up a meeting with your school personnel. The goal of this meeting would be for the school to learn more about your child and their needs regarding food allergies. Secondly, it would provide you and your family an opportunity to familiarize yourself with your school’s food allergy policies. You can discuss whether a 504 plan is right for you and your family. A 504 plan is a type of plan written by the school in collaboration with a student and his family with the ultimate goal of providing a safe education with concomitant food allergies. Food Allergy Policies: Be knowledgeable on how your school manages allergic reactions. All medications should be kept in a secure place so that staff delegated and trained to use epinephrine can use them quickly. The medications also need to be easily accessible.  It is important that teachers, nurses, cafeteria staff, coaches, etc., can recognize the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. When your child is wearing a mask, it might be difficult...

Family Allergy & Allergy Care is a Top 3 Finalist for Best Allergy Center in the Medical/Health category. Voting takes place JULY 21 - AUGUST 18. Winners are announced August 27. Cast your vote now for Best of Denton County 2021 at https://bestofdentoncounty.com/medical-health/ Best of Denton County allows residents from the county to nominate their favorite local businesses by voting online over the course of one month. After the nomination period is over, the three businesses with the most nominations for each category are then placed on the ballot for voting. From there, the community votes for their favorite.

Dr. Hudelson is a Top 3 Finalist for Best Allergist in the Medical/Health category. Voting takes place JULY 21 - AUGUST 18. Winners are announced August 27. Cast your vote now for Best of Denton County 2021 at https://bestofdentoncounty.com/medical-health/ Best of Denton County allows residents from the county to nominate their favorite local businesses by voting online over the course of one month. After the nomination period is over, the three businesses with the most nominations for each category are then placed on the ballot for voting. From there, the community votes for their favorite.

Chances are you or someone you know has a penicillin allergy. Penicillin and its derivatives are the most common cause of drug-induced anaphylaxis, accounting for some 500 deaths per year in the United States. However, 10 times as many people think that they have a penicillin allergy. Did you know for every 100 people with a penicillin allergy diagnosis, only 10 people are truly allergic to Penicillin. Let’s dive in! Penicillin allergy is over-reported. Here are some statistics: 10% of the population report having a Penicillin allergy, but many of those are misdiagnosed. Only 1% of the population truly has the allergy. Penicillin allergy is often not for life. 80% of Penicillin allergic people lose their allergy after 10 years. What is Penicillin allergy? Penicillin allergy occurs when your body’s immune system has an abnormal, hypersensitivity reaction to the antibiotic, mistakenly attacking Penicillin as if it were harmful to the body. Symptoms typically occur within 1-2 hours of the first dose of a new antibiotic course and can range from mild to severe, including anaphylactic. Symptoms may include hives and skin itching, skin swelling, wheezing, cough, shortness of breath, throat tightness, feeling faint, fast heart rate. An allergic reaction is a learned response occurring after the body has been exposed to the antibiotic in the past. Therefore, an allergic reaction does not happen the first time a person takes the antibiotic. Often people will be surprised by the allergic reaction because they have had the drug in the past and seemed to tolerate it. Prior exposure to Penicillin may not seem obvious because of exposure from trace amounts in our food or water source, which may have triggered the body’s hypersensitivity. While anyone can have an allergic reaction, risk factors include: Questionable or doubtful penicillin allergy history: Many adults recall that their parents told them they had an allergic reaction as a child. The major of those adults are not allergic. It is easy to determine if an allergy is still present after consultation by an allergist. Also, any antibiotic can cause stomach upset, but that is not an...

June 18-19 our providers attended the 2021 National FAST meeting held in Dallas, TX. FAST stands for Food Allergy Support Team. FAST is a non-profit organization supporting food allergy specialists who specialize in oral immunotherapy (OIT), a breakthrough treatment for people with food allergies. All of the providers at Family Allergy and Asthma CARE are members of FAST. Here’s an excerpt from the FAST website (www.fastoit.org): FAST believes that it takes a combination of expertise, experience, and dedication to solve complex health issues. Treating severe food allergy requires all three, and it shows in the results we are getting. OIT is available for the major food allergens, peanut, tree nut, milk, egg, wheat, sesame seed, and others on a case-by-case basis. The initial phase of the treatment program takes 6-12 months, followed by daily consumption of a maintenance ‘dose’ of the food. Tens of thousands of patients across the country have chosen to proceed with OIT because they benefit from the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment. Practices who utilize OIT to treat their patients with food allergies gathered and shared their data and the latest information on the safest and most effective ways to perform OIT. One of the most exciting things we reviewed was the advantages and tolerability of infants and toddlers with food allergies who utilize OIT to manage and improve their quality of life. Dr. Hudelson, Dr. Fitzgerald, and Dr. Mireku are extremely gratified to provide OIT services for our patients. Learn more and get started today! Visit foodallergynorthtexas.org.