Our soon-to-be First Family faces a personal struggle that millions of other American families face every day: Their daughter suffers from allergies.

An estimated 10-15 percent of people with allergies in the U.S. are allergic to dogs or cats. And about two million people who have cat allergies apparently live with at least one cat in their households. For many pet allergy sufferers, the importance of keeping their pet outweighs the difficulties present due to their allergies. 

The major pet allergens are produced in glands in the skin and can easily get into the animal’s fur, hair and saliva as well.  These chemicals can cause an allergic reaction if an individual is allergen-sensitive.  There are a variety of allergy symptoms including itchiness of the eyes, nose and throat, as well cough, asthma and hives.

If you have pet allergies, consider the following proven survival tips:

• Create an “allergy free” bedroom (where we spend about one third of each day).
• Use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner in the bedroom.
• Purchase allergen mattress and pillow covers which may help to prevent pet hair brought into the bedroom from getting into the bedding.
• Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and/or a double-bag filter to better catch pet allergens.
• Some studies indicate weekly bathing of a pet may substantially reduce the level of pet allergens in the fur (speak with your vet about any specific suggestions on best ways to do this).
• Learn which prescription or OTC allergy medications are helpful if you have pet-allergic symptoms.
• Allergy injections for pet allergies can be helpful in reducing symptoms if avoidance measures are not successful.
• One study found that it’s easier to transfer pet allergens form person-to-person when wearing wool rather than cotton.
• Washable wall covering, wood and linoleum flooring is easier to clean and remove adherent pet allergens than other surfaces. 
• Ask a non-allergic friend or family member when animal grooming is required.  It is best to do this on non-carpeted flooring. 
• Avoid the area around the cat’s litter box if you suffer with cat allergies.
• Wash your hands after handling a pet to keep from transferring the allergens to your eyes and nose.

LIVE SMART WITH YOUR PETS!  

Check out more tips about pet allergies from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at their consumer friendly website at: http://www.aaaai.org/patients/just4kids/pet_allergies.asp

Dr. Clifford W. Bassett is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Long Island College Hospital and on the faculty of NYU School of Medicine. He is the current vice chair for public education committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. No information in this blog is intended as medical advice to any reader or intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition.

A recent survey of 12,000 general practice physicians found that 60 percent of them feel they’re overworked, are planning on quitting or cutting back their hours, and that they would not recommend medicine as a career.

I get it — I too feel tired and overworked — but I would not go as far as to say that I don’t recommend medicine as a career. Medicine, to me, is an art. I just wish I could practice it with less bureaucracy. One of the most common complaints I get from physicians, nurses and general medical personnel, is the tremendous amount of paperwork that is required in today’s heavily regulated industry. Many people would argue that physicians brought this upon themselves, that all this regulation was necessary to make sure safety standards grew and that patients’ bill of rights were protected.

So I asked some of my friends in the healthcare field: “Would President-elect Obama bring good news for our healthcare system?” And the most frequent answer I got was, “We don’t know.”

I believe some of my peers feel that there are so many priorities for our new government, healthcare may take a backseat.

So then I asked them, “How would you advise our new president-elect with regard to some of the doctor dissatisfaction survey results?”

Here’s a compilation of their wish list:

1. Malpractice reform

2. Significantly reduce the cost of medical education

3. Educate the consumer to create realistic expectations on what the healthcare system can provide

4. Decrease bureaucracy

Let’s face it, there are many choices President-elect Obama can make. But unfortunately, with the state of the economy being a top priority, his resources are limited and his agenda is yet to be seen. So I guess as physicians, we just have to continue to create innovative ways to save the American healthcare system. But one thing is for sure — I still dream of my little girl being a doctor one day.

The other day I was asked if I expected an increase in the number of babies that I will be delivering in 2009 and I said “Absolutely, I expect an Obama baby boom.”

Now this is a topic that I know a lot about. Pregnancies come in cycles. I mean let’s face it, some pregnancies are accidental, some pregnancies are planned. But the trend has always been that life-changing events tend to bring people together. And you know what happens when we bring people together―nine months later, we have a blessed child.

I don’t know what it is about these life-changing events―maybe fear or euphoria is the most attractive indicator―but nonetheless, as someone who runs a hospital that delivers more than 6,000 babies a year, I have a pretty good idea when we can expect our birth rates to go up.

Now let’s talk about those life-changing events. Politics in and of itself does not make a very sexy scenario to plan a pregnancy. But I can go as far back as 1961 with the election of John F. Kennedy to tell you that following his election cycle, we saw an increase in births. The last four Republican presidents have also seen a spike in the birth rate during their presidencies. So if the trend continues, I do expect president-elect Obama to give us a significant increase in the national birth rate.

However, I think that this Obama baby boom might be more significant than others. The reason? There are two key factors president-elect Obama is bringing to the table that we have not seen on a national level in many years. Number one: Obama has such a positive optimism in some of the changes he has offered, which have resonated in the psyche of many Americans. And two: One of the top priorities on president-elect Obama’s agenda that he would like to try to accomplish in the early phases of his presidency is healthcare reform.

So I hope that president-elect Obama sets his sights on women’s healthcare with a focus on giving women the access to prenatal care that they truly deserve. Yes, this is going to be “change that you can believe in.”