Allergistdoc

As we work together to navigate the complexities of food allergies, it’s important to recognize and celebrate the incredible role fathers play in this journey. 💙

I see you every week in clinic, in stores, in schools, in churches, and in our everyday lives. 💙

When you bring your kiddos to clinic, I love the way you ask me to repeat the instructions several times, wanting to ensure that you have every detail just right. 👩🏿‍⚕️

Your commitment to your child's health is nothing short of heroic. 💙

From meticulously reading labels to becoming experts in food allergy action plans, your involvement is crucial. You’re not just caregivers; you’re educators, advocates, and emotional pillars for your families. 🛡️📚

Thank you for your advocacy: Whether it's speaking with teachers, coaches, or caregivers, dads often step up to ensure their child’s needs are understood and respected.

Thank you for helping with meal planning: Many fathers are at the forefront of preparing safe, allergen-free meals, turning dietary restrictions into meals that the whole family can enjoy.

Reassuring comfort: In moments of anxiety or allergic reactions, your presence and quick thinking provide immense comfort and safety for your families. 👩🏿‍⚕️

To all the fathers out there — your dedication does not go unnoticed.

Together, we are creating a safer, more inclusive world for those with food allergies. 🌍✨

If you're a father managing your child's food allergies, know that your work is invaluable. Keep inspiring us with your dedication and care!💪🏿

🥜 Myth Buster: Is Peanut Allergy the Most Severe Food Allergen? 🥜

As an allergist, I often encounter the widespread belief that peanut allergies are more severe than other food allergies.

Let’s bust this myth!

While it’s true that peanut allergies can be severe and have gained a lot of attention, they are not alone. Other common allergens include milk, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish—each capable of triggering a potentially life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. In fact, the truth is any food can lead to severe allergic reaction.

👩🏿‍⚕️ What's Next?

Getting tested for your suspected food allergy is the first step. We first want to confirm the suspected allergen. Then, I typically propose various food treatment options with my patients, including some of my favorites like Food Sublingual Immunotherapy, among other immunotherapy strategies, when applicable.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mamas out there! 🙋🏿‍♀️

A very special shoutout to the superhero allergy moms. Your dedication never goes unnoticed! ❤️

And...To all the food allergy moms who tirelessly cook, bake, and arrange everything down to the last detail for school birthdays, Valentine's Day, and Halloween celebrations — ensuring your kiddos can safely enjoy every moment ..

I see you!

Keep up the great work! I know how hard it can be.🎉

Kudos for your advocacy in raising food allergy awareness, from organizing important meetings with school staff, coaches, friends, and family to securing a safe environment for your child. 📚

Thank you for partnering with local board-certified allergists, educating your little ones on label reading, training them on the correct use of epinephrine auto-injectors, and diligently attending immunotherapy sessions to desensitize them to their food allergens.

Your proactive approach is inspiring! 💉

I admire your dedication — it’s truly admirable and makes a real difference . 🌟

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

You deserve it!❤️

🌍 Everyone deserves an effortless breath, don't you agree? 🌬️

In honor World Asthma Day:......

I would love to share insights from my hybrid virtual and in-person allergy practice to empower parents with signs and symptoms to watch for in their kiddos.

👀 A few things to watch for.👀 -

🌬️ Persistent Coughing: Is your little one coughing often, especially at night or during playtime? Is it waking them up at night. It could be a sign of asthma.

🫁 Shortness of Breath: Notice your child having trouble catching their breath, especially during activities or even while laughing and having a great time? Asthma might be the culprit.

🎶 Wheezing Warnings: Do they ever complain about having a hard time breathing out or do you ever hear wheezing? This could indicate trouble breathing.

💔 Tight Chest Troubles: Does your kiddo complain of chest tightness or discomfort? This could be another sign to watch for.

😴 Sleep Struggles: Are nighttime coughing fits disrupting your child's sleep? Asthma symptoms often worsen after dark.

🏃‍♂️ Activity Avoidance: Is your little one avoiding physical activities? Asthma might be holding them back.

🤒 Frequent Illnesses: Do common colds seem to hit your child harder and more often? Asthma can make them more susceptible.

🤧 Trigger Troubles: Notice symptoms getting worse around triggers like allergens, cold air, or exercise? It could be asthma which is triggered by allergies and irritants. Get an allergy test!

😰 Anxiety Alerts: Does your child seem anxious or distressed during breathing difficulties? Asthma can be frightening, but knowledge is so empowering!

If you notice these symptoms, it might be helpful to speak with your Board Certified Allergist.

I hope this helps one parent !❤️💪🏿👩🏿‍⚕️

Let's talk allergy! Happy to answer Questions!

🌸🤧 May is Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month! 🌸🫁🥜

But for me, as an Allergist and Food Allergy Mama, every single day is Allergy Awareness day to me!

Did you know that over 100 million people in the US live with asthma and allergies, YET there are only approximately 7,000 Board Certified Allergists?

This means countless families lack access to the specialized care that can prevent emergency room visits from food allergy reactions, asthma flares, or eczema hospitalizations.

I'm on a mission to bridge that gap.

This month, join me in busting some allergy myths to spread awareness.

Together, we might just help our friends, families, co-workers and colleagues by sharing.

Let's go! 💪🏿🫶🏿

This may shock you.............

but, I NEVER prescribe or recommend Benadryl for my pediatric or my adult patients that have allergies.

Benadryl might seem like a quick fix for allergies, but it's not always the safest choice, especially for little ones.

Here's why:

1️⃣ Oldie but not always goodie: Benadryl is an older antihistamine in which the active ingredient "diphenhydramine" has a sedative effect. The issue is drowsiness might not be the only side effect—think restlessness, irritability, and even nausea.

2️⃣ Better options exist: Luckily, there are alternatives like Zyrtec or Allegra. These antihistamines manage your kiddo's allergies without the sedative effect, working faster and lasting longer to keep those seasonal allergies under control.

3️⃣ Not for emergencies: When it comes to severe food allergies, Benadryl isn't ever your first choice. Your epinephrine auto-injector is always the first line of choice for a severe food allergic reaction.

👉🏿Share to spread the word. You are not alone, if you are surprised that Benadryl is no longer the antihistamine of choice for allergies

🌼 Myth or Fact: Can honey cure allergies? 🍯

Let's bust this common myth together!

While honey is delicious and has many health benefits, curing allergies isn't one of them. 🚫🍃

🌸🐝 Here's the buzz: The pollen bees collect for honey primarily comes from flowers, which differs significantly from the pollen responsible for triggering allergies.

🌸🐝 The pollen that triggers allergies typically come from pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds, which bees aren't involved with.

💪🏿 What other allergy-related myths have you heard?🫶🏿

Share below! 👇🏿

🌸🤧 May is Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month! 🌸🫁🥜

But for me, as an Allergist and Food Allergy Mama, every single day is Allergy Awareness day to me!

Did you know that over 100 million people in the US live with asthma and allergies, YET there are only approximately 7,000 Board Certified Allergists?

This means countless families lack access to the specialized care that can prevent emergency room visits from food allergy reactions, asthma flares, or eczema hospitalizations.

I'm on a mission to bridge that gap.

This month, join me in busting some allergy myths to spread awareness.

Together, we might just help our friends, families, co-workers and colleagues by sharing.

Let's go! 💪🏿🫶🏿

Did you know that there are a multitude of factors that may trigger your eczema? .

Did you know that food allergies are not just limited to children? In fact, 10% of adults have food allergies, and surprisingly, nearly 48% of them are diagnosed during adulthood.

I am often asked: How do I determine if my symptoms are related to a food allergy vs. a food intolerance?

It know this can be confusing, but don't worry, we've got you covered!

Visit our blog to find out more about this intriguing topic.

Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerances | McKinney, Prosper TX A food allergy occurs when your immune system reacts to a specific food protein whereas In food intolerance, it does not even involve the immune system.

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms out there! 🙋🏿‍♀️

And a special shoutout to all of my allergy mamas.❤️

Special shout out to all my food allergy moms who go above and beyond every day, cooking, baking and making special arrangements for birthdays, Valentine's Day parties, and Halloween events at school, so that their food allergic child can participate safely in all the festivities. ❤️

We appreciate you!❤️

Thank you for teaching them to stand up against food allergy bullying and for being their constant source of comfort and protection.❤️

Your efforts not only help your child, but also contribute to a safer and engaging environment for all children.❤️

Thanks for advocating and increasing food allergy awareness by scheduling meetings with your teachers and school personnel to ensure a safe environment for your child.❤️

Thanks for partnering with your local board-certified allergist, AND for educating them about reading labels, teaching them how and when to use epinephrine auto-injectors, and keeping up with your frequent visits for immunotherapy appointments so they can be desensitized to their allergen. ❤️

We appreciate you!🙋🏿

Your dedication is truly admirable! ❤️

Truthfully this list can go on and on. Feel free to add to it!❤️

Have a wonderful Mother's day!







Happy Mother's Day Amazing Mamas!❤️

I had so much fun with CBS news this morning, talking about my favorite topic.

You guessed it.. "allergies." Thank you CBS!

I hope you all find these tips helpful.

https://www.cbs8.com/video/news/local/mornings/the-doctor-is-in-to-answer-your-allergy-questions/509-7b9c218b-76dd-45b6-972c-70a38eb809ce

The Doctor is in to answer your allergy questions Board Certified Allergist, Dr. Nana Mireku answered your questions about allergies including the difference between COVID and allergies.

Every year, I say the "pollen season is getting worse and worse" and ... IT IS!

If you are in the DFW and you are suffering with nasal congestion, itchy watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, worsening, asthma or eczema flares, it is because the DFW is one of the most challenging places to live for allergic families due to the severe pollen.😔

But...... the good news is that we have options!🥰

Make this your year to get relief for you and your kiddos!

The first step is to come in and get your allergy skin test!

We don't want to just take allergy medications without understanding your allergy triggers.

We want to understand what exactly is triggering our symptoms.

What is the underlying cause of your symptoms?🧐

After we identify the underlying cause, then we can create a personalized treatment plan for you and your family!

If you are thinking doc... but I have done absolutely EVERYTHING and over the counter allergy medications are not working, then it is time to discuss life-changing allergy treatments such as immunotherapy.

1. Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (aka Allergy Shots)
2. Sublingual Immunotherapy (aka Allergy drops)

Take the first step today and make your appointment with TexasAllergyMD!
https://www.texasallergymd.com/

I am looking forward to meeting you!🥰

Today is March 1st, National Peanut Lover's Day! (My peanut allergic kiddos would cringe at this!)

So, for peanut allergy families, like mine, you might find it hard to resonate with the excitement for National Peanut Lover's Day.

I would like to celebrate in my own way by adding some knowledge tips for my for my food allergy parents and community.

One of my patients recently asked me... "Dr. Mireku, why is it that our peanut allergic son can eat from a certain restaurant that cooks in peanut oil, even though he has severe allergies?"

Answer: The answer is that some of these peanut oils are "highly refined." Fully refined oils usually result in an almost complete removal of the peanut protein, which is the portion that is responsible for reactions.

Take home: For most peanut allergic individuals, highly refined peanut oil is usually well tolerated.

Disclaimer: These thoughts are my own. Follow the advice of your own Board Certified Allergist.

Disclaimer:
**Follow the advice of your own Board Certified Allergist**

But why doc,why?

Why is there such an epidemic of food allergies these days?

What are the risk factors that we can look out for?

My patients and families ask me this nearly on a weekly basis.

The answer is that it is complicated and multifactorial. So many difficult factors to consider.

Dr. Wood at our conference presented and summarized with one main slide.

Stay tuned for more details....

Not only are we more likely to have food allergies, but often times our food allergies are more severe.

As food allergy parents, this is very important for us to know.

To learn more about the latest Allergy CDC statistics, read more by clicking this link:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220126.htm

More facts:
Nearly 1 in 5 children (18.9%) have a seasonal allergy, 10.8% have eczema, and 5.8% have a food allergy.

Boys (20%) are more likely to have a seasonal allergy than girls (17.7%).

Children 6-11 years are most likely to have eczema (12.1%), followed by children 0-5 years (10.4%), and children 12-17 years (9.8%).

This is one of my favorite times of the year!

This is a time when 6000 of my Allergist colleagues, clinicians, innovators, and scientists meet together for 4 days in San Antonio to discuss everything that relates to the field of allergy immunology.

Many of us set time aside 2-3 times a year and more to engage in this way (virtually or in person) to contribute, teach, lead, and learn about best allergy practices to bring back to serve our patients that suffer from food allergies, asthma, eczema, seasonal allergies, drug allergies, and hives.

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It is happening!

I am beyond excited! I am looking forward to serving all of my allergy families!

You may not know this, but food allergy parents and allergic children can be overwhelmed and anxious about managing this chronic condition.

As a food allergy mama, I get this!

Anxious thoughts can overwhelm caregivers taking care of children with food allergies.

For example, some of us worry about holiday events such as Halloween, which is rapidly approaching, play dates, sleepovers, etc. Additionally, our children can feel overwhelmed by managing their food allergy.

Tips:

I have learned that a mindset shift can be an effective strategy for food allergy management for the entire family.

Acknowledge both of your concerns.

Remind your child about the other successful outings, dinners, play dates, and parties they have attended without reacting.

Develop a game plan to manage your child’s food allergy at the event.

Food Allergies are challenging, but they can be managed.

The right mindset and a supportive allergist team to surround you as you manage the ups and downs of food allergies can go a long way!

Today is Mental Heatlh Day!

I applaud all of the food allergy parents and families keeping their children safe with food allergies everyday.

You are true heroes!

World Atopic Eczema Day!
Eczema management can be a full time day and can significantly affect your quality of life! Engage with an allergist led eczema team to help you to manage this chronic condition.

This World Atopic Eczema Day, we're raising awareness of the burden of daily eczema management on people with eczema and their families.

Eczema self-care is time-consuming. As well as applying topical treatments several times a day, people who scratch a lot overnight may have to wash bedding every day to remove blood and skin flakes.

Plus, eczema can be unpredictable, meaning that plans may need to change at short notice.

Booklets on living with eczema 👉http://bit.ly/3m2az48. ℹ️

Did you know that 75% of pollen allergic individuals are allergic to ragweed?

Yes!

This pollen is killing us here in Texas right now!

If you are suffering from itchy eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, postnasal drip, it is likely due to ragweed allergy!

If your allergies are mild in nature, you may be able to control them with otc counter antihistamines.

If your allergies are moderate or persistent, then see your Board Certified Allergist.

I always chuckle at this question.

“Did you decide to become an allergist after you found out your l kids had allergic conditions or before?”

It’s like God had his plan.

The answer is that I have had horrible seasonal allergies my entire life before I had my kiddos. They affected my quality of life in so many ways. I chose to specialize in allergies because I wanted to heal myself and I was in love with the science. I am blessed to have a career that allows me to help others and keep me stimulated.

I had been practicing for about 2 years when my daughter had a full-blown anaphylaxis event that resulted in several doses of Epinephrine and an overnight stay at children’s hospital. Even as a board-certified allergist that deals with anaphylaxis regularly, it was still scary for me so I often wonder: How scary is it for families without a medical background?

This is why I am on a mission to provide access to care to one million allergic individuals in order to prevent and optimize their allergic conditions so that they can live an unrestricted life.

Join me on this mission by tagging a friend that could benefit from personalized allergy care.

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I am soooooo excited!

Looking forward to serving all of your allergy, asthma, eczema, and environmental allergy needs at my new practice in Mckinney and all North Texas surrounding areas.

More info.. coming soon.

Currently available to serve your allergy needs on my virtual allergy platform.

Click the link to schedule your virtual visit: www.allergeniq.com

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Finally!! Something to help my eosinophilic esophagitis (Eoe) patients! So excited!

The FDA has announced Dupixent as the first drug approved to treat eosinophilic esophagitis in adults and pediatric patients ages 12 and older. https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-05-20/sanofis-dupixent-wins-u-s-approval-for-bigger-use

I am so excited that my company is the awardee of the Food Allergy Prevention !

Let's improve the lives of those that have food allergies by democratizing access to quality care.

Learn more: http://ow.ly/o71B50Jexik