Allergies shouldn't keep you at home

By SANDRA HOFFMAN

African safaris? Jungle tours in Thailand? The closest most allergy-sufferers and asthmatics get to experiencing such exotic holidays is reading the brochures.

Many stay well away from long-haul holidays for fear of falling ill far from home. But if they plan carefully, even allergy-sufferers can travel to exotic destinations, say medical experts.

"Travel and holidays are part of our quality of life, so people should not make do without them," says Hartwig Lauter, chairman of the German Allergy and Asthma Association.

He says fear of the risks of long-haul holidays is usually based on a lack of information. There is no real reason for staying at home. If you are well informed about how to deal with your allergy you can try anything.

But Lauter says it is important to remember that medical care is not the same in different parts of the world and sometimes there might be communication difficulties with local medical services.

To avoid difficulties, allergy-sufferers should stock up with the medicines they might need on their way, including daily medication and items needed in emergencies for allergic shocks.

Even people who do not suffer allergies should never travel without antihistamine ointment for insect bites. A doctor can advise what to take on a trip, as well as how to store, carry and use medications properly.

With careful planning, you can even do your allergy some good on holiday. A summer Mediterranean holiday is ideal for someone allergic to pollen because the blossom period is past by then, says Josef Wenning, a general practitioner and dermatologist who is president of the German association of doctors specialising in allergy treatment.

Sufferers should find out as much as they can about the pollen-count calendar of their destination before setting out, he says. In general, coastal regions are beneficial to allergy-sufferers.

People allergic to animal hair or dust mites should also find out from their tour operator whether the apartment they are hiring is "animal-free," otherwise a holiday can quickly end in a hospital bed, Wenning says.

Anyone needing inoculations for their destination should be cautious. Protein-based vaccines can often cause heavy allergic reactions.

Yet for many long-haul destinations, protection against hepatitis or yellow fever is unavoidable. Anyone who does not take well to the inoculations, might have to forego these destinations.

Many allergy-sufferers notice an immediate improvement in their condition within the first few days of their holiday. This does not mean they can quickly forget about taking their routine anti-allergy medication.

Wolf Nuernburg, a senior doctor in Kuehlingsborn in northern Germany says it is important to keep taking the tablets otherwise a condition might suddenly deteriorate, especially for asthmatics.

Care should also be taken with food allergies. Being experimental can have serious consequences.

"Particular care needs to be taken with raw fish, seafood, dishes with unidentifiable ingredients and local spices," says Nuernburg.

Allergies caused by a combination of materials or foods are also problematic. People who suffer allergic reactions to latex are also likely to react to bananas, avocados or figs. People plagued by grass-pollen allergies usually cannot eat peanuts or soya products.

Apart from these few precautions, no one should allow their holiday to be dictated by their allergy.

"Very few allergies are life-endangering. Most are simply a burden," says dermatologist Wenning.

To avoid complications in serious cases, such as an allergic reaction to a medicine, it would be a good idea to have an allergy passport translated into the language of your destination before you travel.

It would also be wise to have a tried and tested homeopathic alternative therapy included on it.

It also makes sense to learn a few key words in the language of your holiday destination. At least then you can tell the Japanese waiter that you would rather do without the soy sauce, on health grounds.

- NZPA