Latex Allergies
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stethoscopes, erasers, and pacifiers may contain latex, a common allergy found in the general public and health care workers. However, the amount of latex exposure needed to produce sensitization or an allergic reaction is unknown.
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| *Studies indicate that 8-12 percent of health-care workers regularly exposed to latex are sensitized, compared with 1-6 percent of the general population. |
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Studies indicate that 8-12 percent of health-care workers regularly exposed to latex are sensitized, compared with 1-6 percent of the general population.
Mild reactions to latex include skin redness, rash, hives, or itching. More severe reactions may involve respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, scratchy throat, and asthma. Rarely, shock may occur, but a life-threatening reaction is seldom the first sign of latex allergy.
The MedicAlert® Service provides:
Body Worn ID and Membership Card: Each Emblem is, engraved with a Member's personal ID number, key medical facts, and the hotline to the 24-Hour Emergency Response Center. Members also receive a Member Card.
Family Notification Service: So you're not alone in an emergency.
Live 24-Hour Response Center: MedicAlert will relay key medical facts 24/7 to emergency personnel, so the Member receives faster and safer treatment, and avoids harmful or fatal reactions.
Secure Storage and Online Access: Set-up, review and maintenance of a Member's Personal Health Record (PHR), which may be securely accessed and updated online, by phone, fax or mail at any time.
Member Privacy: MedicAlert never shares or sells Member information.
| What are Latex Allergies? |
Latex allergy is also associated with allergies to certain foods especially avocado, potato, banana, tomato, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, and papaya. If you have latex allergy, consult your physician regarding these precautions: avoiding contact with latex gloves and products as well as areas where you may inhale latex power, informing employers and health personnel that you have latex allergy, and wearing a medical alert bracelet.*
In an emergency, it is vital that responders immediately know your allergies and other medical conditions. A MedicAlert® membership will inform emergency personnel of your latex allergy, so that you receive safer treatment during operations or surgeries.
"I have latex allergies and for many years have had trouble convincing doctors and dentists of that fact. Now that I have a MedicAlert emblem, there is no question. Contact with airborne latex sends me into an anaphylactic shock. Recently, I walked into a room full of balloons and had to be taken to the emergency room. The doctor there said he wished every patient had a complete record when coming into the ER."
- Amber P.
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