By Ruth Barker, Healthy Shelf partner.
This is a vibrant book, easily read and brimming with enthusiasm. Dr Susan Prescott is an allergist of international renown now heading the Allergy Clinic at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth.
Dr Prescott details from where her interest was generated, how much she was mentored and how much she has learnt along the way. As a result, the history of allergies as we know them is illustrated along with a discussion of where we, the modern world, are headed. The main lesson, this reviewer learnt, is not to blame any one individual, i.e. ourselves the parent.
The mechanism pathway that the body travels is described – with charts and diagrams – to teach us what happens during acute and chronic attacks.
The second half of the book goes into the more common allergies: hay fever, asthma, gluten, nuts and more. Some simple, practical measures to relieve signs and symptoms are detailed if appropriate, as well as some hospital protocols.
I found this a useful book. I now don’t get upset that my doctor doesn’t always know how to help me. According to Dr Prescott, most general practitioners received only a skerrick of education in the field when they were at university and have had to pick up any knowledge they have as they go – along with every other condition presented to a GP about which they need to remain current.
I am happy to recommend this book. Dr Prescott doesn’t tell me of a cure for either my child or I, but she does provide knowledge and knowledge is power: the power to understand problems better and the power to make more informed decisions. This, in my book, is a good thing.
Healthy Shelf is proud to be a supplier of The Allergy Epidemic: A mystery of modern life by Dr Susan Prescott.
All author’s proceeds from the sale of this book will go directly into allergy research.
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