title: Trends in allergic conditions among children: United States, 1997-2011.
abstract: Allergic conditions are among the most common medical conditions affecting children in the United States (1-5). An allergic condition is a hypersensitivity disorder in which the immune system reacts to substances in the environment that are normally considered harmless (6,7). Food or digestive allergies, skin allergies (such as eczema), and respiratory allergies (such as hay fever) are the most common allergies among children. Allergies can affect a child's physical and emotional health and can interfere with daily activities, such as sleep, play, and attending school (8,9). A severe allergic reaction with rapid onset, anaphylaxis, can be life threatening. Foods represent the most common cause of anaphylaxis among children and adolescents (10,11). Early detection and appropriate interventions can help to decrease the negative impact of allergies on quality of life (6). This report presents recent trends in the prevalence of allergies and differences by selected sociodemographic characteristics for children under age 18 years.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: LaJeana D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Howie
authors.forename: Lara J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Akinbami
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015995:Prevalence; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data