Can't breathe? Can't sleep? Can't concentrate? Headaches? Always tired? Itching? Sneezing? Snoring? Nose running? Dark rings under the eyes? Bad breath? Dry mouth? Embarrassed and self-conscious? Bad behaviour and learning difficulties?
One of the many who have fallen victim to these chronic hayfever symptoms, and had to battle on regardless, is WA's paediatric allergist and immunologist Susan Prescott.
In her new book, The Allergy Epidemic - A Mystery of Modern Life, she describes her first memory of her "unbearable" hayfever, saying growing up in WA's Wheatbelt she was among the allergy epidemic's first big wave.
Now based at Princess Margaret Hospital and the University of WA and considered a leading expert in the field of early immune development, she also makes the warning that its debilitation, health impact and cost to the community is still greatly underestimated.
"As a child, my teachers were always telling me to close my mouth and 'stop catching flies'," she says in her book.
"But they didn't seem to understand that I could not breathe any other way. At least not in the pollen season. Or around cats. Or dust. Sometimes it was almost unbearable."
Prescott's hayfever has improved with age and advancements in medication. She still uses a steroid nasal spray during her "trouble patch" which is in spring.
Knowing first hand the impact of the allergy and having spent decades treating WA children, and leading international allergy research, Prescott's book is a bid to understand why allergy rates worldwide continue to soar.
It covers a wide range of complex issues in an easy-to-understand format.
Topics include: Why is allergic disease increasing so rapidly, especially in young infants? What are the environmental factors? What is going wrong with the immune system and can we prevent it? What are the current treatment options for allergies? What is epigenetics? Where is the research headed?
Published by UWA Publishing, it is available from this month, with all the author's proceeds going towards allergy research.
Find Dr Susan Prescott's book "The Allergy Epidemic - A Mystery of Modern Life" on your Healthy Shelf today.
One of the many who have fallen victim to these chronic hayfever symptoms, and had to battle on regardless, is WA's paediatric allergist and immunologist Susan Prescott.
In her new book, The Allergy Epidemic - A Mystery of Modern Life, she describes her first memory of her "unbearable" hayfever, saying growing up in WA's Wheatbelt she was among the allergy epidemic's first big wave.
Now based at Princess Margaret Hospital and the University of WA and considered a leading expert in the field of early immune development, she also makes the warning that its debilitation, health impact and cost to the community is still greatly underestimated.
"As a child, my teachers were always telling me to close my mouth and 'stop catching flies'," she says in her book.
"But they didn't seem to understand that I could not breathe any other way. At least not in the pollen season. Or around cats. Or dust. Sometimes it was almost unbearable."
Prescott's hayfever has improved with age and advancements in medication. She still uses a steroid nasal spray during her "trouble patch" which is in spring.
Knowing first hand the impact of the allergy and having spent decades treating WA children, and leading international allergy research, Prescott's book is a bid to understand why allergy rates worldwide continue to soar.
It covers a wide range of complex issues in an easy-to-understand format.
Topics include: Why is allergic disease increasing so rapidly, especially in young infants? What are the environmental factors? What is going wrong with the immune system and can we prevent it? What are the current treatment options for allergies? What is epigenetics? Where is the research headed?
Published by UWA Publishing, it is available from this month, with all the author's proceeds going towards allergy research.
Find Dr Susan Prescott's book "The Allergy Epidemic - A Mystery of Modern Life" on your Healthy Shelf today.
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