NCJ Number
50454
Date Published
1978
Length
25 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER DESCRIBES THE ROLE OF NEUROALLERGY AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO LEARNING AND PERCEPTUAL PROBLEMS, SCHOOL FAILURE, AND DELINQUENCY. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT APPROACHES ARE OUTLINED.
Abstract
NEUROALLERGIES ARE CONSIDERED A COMMON CAUSE OF PERCEPTUAL PROBLEMS LEADING TO LEARNING DISABILITIES. PERSONS POSSESSING THESE DISABILITIES THEN ENCOUNTER ADVERSE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, AND THE INTERACTION RESULTS IN THE CREATION OF HOSTILE PERSONALITIES, SCHOOL FAILURES WHO LEAVE SCHOOL AND COMMIT ANTISOCIAL ACTS, AND PERSONS WITH MALADAPTIVE COPING MECHANISMS. THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF NEUROALLERGY ARE HAY FEVER, ASTHMA, ECZEMA, AND HIVES WHICH LEAVE PEOPLE FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE AND SLUGGISH AND OFTEN UNABLE TO FUNCTION AT THEIR USUAL MENTAL LEVELS. OTHER PERCEPTUAL ALTERATIONS OCCUR WITH GASTROINTESTINAL ALLERGIES, REACTIONS TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES, AND ADDICTIONS TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. BECAUSE ALLERGIES AFFECT THE ENTIRE NERVOUS SYSTEM, DOCTORS ASKED TO DIAGNOSE BEHAVIOR OR LEARNING PROBLEMS SHOULD INCLUDE ALLERGY TESTING AS PART OF THEIR PROTOCOL. AN EOSINOPHILS COUNT, (A TYPE OF WHITE BLOOD CELL INDICATIVE OF ALLERGY) IS SUGGESTED. THOROUGH TESTING FOR THE SOURCE OF ALLERGENS REQUIRES SKIN TESTS, URINE TESTS, INHALENT TESTS, AND A 4-DAY FAST FROM SUSPECTED FOODS. DESENSITIZATION TREATMENTS OR ELIMINATION OF THE ALLERGEN ARE RECOMMENDED. TWO CHARTS PRESENT THE BIOCHEMICAL APPROACHES TO DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT AND HOW NEUROALLERGY CONTRIBUTES TO THE CREATION OF SOCIAL MISFITS. A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL CASE HISTORIES AND A LIST OF ALLERGY SYMPTOMS ARE PRESENTED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (GLR)