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Article: Insect Sting Allergy
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy throughAdolescence
- Author:
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2006 Thomson Gale. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Insect sting allergy
Definition
Many children experience insect
stings
every year. For most of them, these stings only cause mild
pain
and discomfort lasting for just a period of hours. Symptoms might include swelling,
itching
, and redness at the sting site. However, some children are allergic to insect stings. When they are stung by an insect to which they are allergic, their bodies produce an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which reacts with the insect venom and triggers the release of various chemicals, including histamine, that cause the allergic reaction. Stings may be life threatening for a small number of children. These severe allergic reactions may ...
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