Introduction to Allergy

One in five Americans experiences Allergic rhinitis in lifetime. Prevalence of allergic rhinitis is even higher in pediatric population, estimated up to 40%. Children bear the greatest burden of the increasing trends in global rates of allergic disorders. School drop-outs, decreased learning ability and increased risk for metabolic syndromes, obesity, and cardiovascular disorders, all comprise to the increase in global burden of allergic disorders. With the upsloping figures of allergic rhinitis in middle and low income countries, allergic rhinitis is now considered a global health issue. Real life cases of patients with allergic rhinitis, state-of-art care and immunotherapy of allergic rhinitis are presented in the first few chapters this volume along with many other topics on pediatric allergy.