The poison ivy plant is a vine which climbs on trees, hedges, or stone walls and has a leaf composed of three leaflets, two of which are opposite each other. The leaf is about three inches long, and its edges are either smooth or have notches. The plant is green in summer and turns red in the fall. In May and June it bears small clusters of greenish-white flowers which turn into white berries (not poisonous to eat) the size of a raisin during the fall. Its flowers and fruit clusters may remain on its branches after the leaves have fallen.

The poison sumac plant is a coarse woody shrub (which is known as swamp sumac) that never assumes the vine-like form of poison ivy. Its leaves are divided into from seven to thirteen pairs of leaflets, with a single leaflet at the end of the stem.

Poison oak (otherwise known as oak-leaf ivy) is a low-growing shrub which has slender, upright branches that bear leaflets similar to those of the oak tree and fruits similar to those of the poison ivy plant.

An unseen oil which coats the leaves of all of these plants may stick to the hands, shoes, or clothes of the person who touches them and may remain there for many months (strongly enough to revive the dermatitis). Smoke from a burning poison ivy plant may carry enough of this oil to cause irritation in the nose or eyes of a person standing in the vicinity of the fire.

The symptoms of poison ivy dermatitis are a slight redness in the skin followed by a mild itch which slowly increases in intensity. The redness may turn into tiny watery blisters after a few hours. These may burst, ooze, dribble over the skin, and become infected. The oozing material, however, does not spread the disease to other parts of the body or to other people. The blisters take about two weeks to heal without any medication.

Treatment of poison ivy dermatitis consists of washing the affected skin immediately with soap and water (to stop the oil from reaching the deep layers of the skin). If blisters have already formed, dressings of normal saline should be applied. If the blisters have become infected, the application should be tepid soaks of 1:10 Burrow’s solution. Antihistamines may also be used if local applications fail to bring relief. In severe cases, the only treatment that may help is prednisone taken by mouth.

A child should be taught the following:

a.     To identify poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak leaves

b.     That he should immediately wash the area that has touched the plants with soap and water

ñ     That poison ivy dermatitis may occur at any time during the year by contact with twigs of the dormant plant, but that the danger is greatest in spring and summer when the oil of the plant is abundant and lively

d.     That poison ivy dermatitis is not necessarily an allergic disease and that any child may get it

e.     That he may get poison ivy dermatitis by touching clothes or animals that have been contaminated with it, by inhaling the smoke of the burning plant, or by eating the buds of the plant

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Some of the typical symptoms of food intolerance can also be caused by simply breathing too deeply. When we breathe we take oxygen into the body and expel the waste gas, carbon dioxide, or C02. Our normal breathing pattern keeps oxygen and carbon dioxide at a level to which our bodies are well adjusted. But we have to have some spare capacity in case we want to run for the bus or climb Everest (where the air is less oxygen-rich). So we have the ability to breathe faster or take deeper breaths, as required.

The problem, in those who hyperventilate, is that they have got info the habit of breathing faster all the time. Yet they are unaware of doing this. The level of C02 in their blood falls below the normal level, and this alters the pH (acidity-alkalinity) of the blood, producing a wide range of mental and physical symptoms. The type of symptoms produced by hyperventilation are shown in Table 2.

The importance of hyperventilation depends very much on your point of view. Some of those who are dismissive of food intolerance, see hyperventilation as a widespread cause of vague, multiple symptoms. They claim that large numbers of those who are diagnosed as food-intolerant are actually hyperventilators. The belief that they are ‘allergic’ to a particular food or environmental chemical makes these patients hyperventilate when they encounter it -breathing more deeply is a natural reaction to fear or anxiety. The hyperventilation brings on the symptoms, but the patient perceives them as a consequence of the food or chemical – so the pattern of behaviour is reinforced.

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When it comes to clothing, shoes and other apparel, allergic people are better off with natural fibres and materials than with synthetics. Cotton is about the best all-around fabric -affordable, durable and attractive. Watch out for permanent-press, wash-and-wear or other types of wrinkle proofing – they usually contain formaldehyde, a common cause of grief for people with sensitive skin. Same for cotton that’s been sized – coated with starch, glues, vegetable gums and (would you believe it?) shellac to give fabric a stiff, polished or glazed finish. Cotton clothes that are usually sized are organdy, pique, costume fabric, some sheets and mosquito netting. Sanforizing and mercerizing do not leave any chemical residue on cloth and are usually safe.

Linen and silk are rarely allergenic – and not necessarily too costly, if you shop carefully.

Nothing beats wool for warmth and good looks. Allergy to natural, unprocessed wool is extremely rare. Itching from wool is caused more by mechanical irritation than allergy. Layering wool clothes over cotton undergarments or a scarf can reduce itching.

If you react to wool no matter how soft or fluffy it is, chances are you’re actually allergic to either the dye or shrink-proof chemicals in the fabric, or to its dry-cleaning treatment. If you are truly allergic to wool or can’t find untreated wool, substitute thick cotton sweaters, all-cotton corduroy pants, chamois cloth or suede. Try to wear those fabrics in layers. Mohair is also relatively non-allergenic.

For some reason, truly wool-sensitive people seem to tolerate coats made of Persian lamb, a great find at thrift shops. (By the way, people allergic to cat hair may not tolerate fur coats made of wildcat, ocelot or leopard – even if they can afford them.)

Synthetic cloth and apparel should not be part of your wardrobe if you have temperamental skin. They’re treated with all manner of chemicals. And synthetics may be doubly irritating since they do not ‘breathe’ or absorb perspiration. The most familiar synthetic fibres are polyester, acetate, acrylic, nylon, rayon, rubber, spandex, triacetate and metallic’s, although they go by various trade names. Stick to the natural fibres mentioned earlier. They are available in most larger department stores and specialty boutiques.

Dyes, contrary to popular belief, are not a common cause of clothing allergy. The problem is more likely to be with one of the finishes we mentioned earlier, or with a laundry additive. But when dyes are in fact the problem, it’s the darker, more concentrated colors (notably black and dark blue) that contain allergenic chemicals. Some people who react to dark-toned stockings, for example, find they can wear lighter shades with no difficulty. And the dyes that are used in synthetics tend to cause allergy more than the dyes used in natural fibres, cotton, linen or wool. So you see, allergy to one dye does not imply allergy to all dyes. And that variation also explains why so many people can comfortably wear natural fibres but not synthetics.

Although modern dyes are considerably colorfast, clothing dyes can be loosened by perspiration. You may find you can wear that bright pink T-shirt around the house with no reaction, but you itch like crazy if you wear it while playing golf in 90-degree heat.

Dry cleaning processes use any of various potent solvents – alcohol, petrol, kerosene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, acetone, benzene, naphtha, turpentine or ether. Air out dry-cleaned clothing and blankets thoroughly before wearing them. Sensitive people may have to wait up to three weeks to give fumes plenty of time to dissipate. If you still react, buy only clothing and blankets that are washable, laundering them yourself with Woolite or some other mild, fine-fabric detergent.

When the culprit is formaldehyde, no amount of washing will get rid of the problem. Sometimes you can actually smell the formaldehyde (sometimes called formalin) when ironing a garment or pulling clothes from storage. We spoke to one woman in Dallas who was so sensitive to formaldehyde that she couldn’t take more than a few minutes to shop for apparel -rummaging through racks of formaldehyde-laced garments and trying on one dress after another triggered her symptoms. Because formaldehyde is used chiefly in synthetics or to make cottons wrinkle resistant, you can avoid the chemical by sticking to untreated, all-cotton fabrics.

Don’t forget that shoes and accessories could be allergenic, too. If your feet give you trouble, they’ll heal faster – and stay healed – if you wear all-cotton socks and change them at least once during the day, especially in warm weather. (If possible, change your shoes, too.) By all means, change your running shoes or sneakers after working out or participating in sports. And never wear tight boots, especially for long periods.

Occasionally, a person who is allergic to the chemicals used to tan leather will have to invest in custom-made vegetable-dyed shoes. The problem can be partially avoided, however, by wearing canvas shoes in the summertime.

Watch out for synthetic belts, hats, gloves, handbags, watch-bands, suspenders, bras, girdles and garter belts. Rubber-sensitive individuals may have no choice but to wear spandex, a non-rubber stretchable fibre, in bras, girdles and support hose. Look for chemical-free brands such as Lycra, by DuPont (sold by Warner, among others).

Suspenders, zips and other fasteners usually contain nickel, a very common cause of skin allergy. That problem can be remedied by coating fasteners with clear nail lacquer or placing cloth between the thigh and garter.

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