LATEX ALLERGY AND RISK Having a latex allergy means your body reacts when anything containing latex comes in contact with it. Contact can come by touching or breathing in particles.

You need to be aware of the signs of latex allergy. If you are allergic, you can prevent most problems by protecting yourself from contact.

Repeated contact with latex can increase the chance of getting a latex allergy and can worsen the reaction.

Many items contain latex

There are many places, including medical settings, where you can come into contact with hundreds of products made with latex. Only products used as medical supplies are required by law to be labeled as "latex-free" or "containing latex". The following is only a partial list.

Common items made with latex:

Band-Aids	Elastic in clothing	Paints
Bandages	Elastic in diapers	Rubber bands
Balloons	Erasers	Rubber gloves
Baby bottle nipples	Hot water bottles	Rubber toys
Condoms	"Koosh" balls	Rubber on shoes
Pacifiers	Art Supplies

More detailed lists and latex allergy information may be found at various website addresses, including the following:

More detailed lists and latex allergy information may be found at various website addresses, including the following:

www.sbaa.org,
www.latexallergyresources.org,
www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/latexallergy/index.html
www.latex-allergy.org

Wear some form of medical identification if you are allergic to latex and follow instructions given to you by your nurse or doctor at all times. This may include taking medication.

Signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction
A response to latex may occur right away or not happen for hours after contact with an object. Sometimes it is hard to know which object caused it. The following may be symptoms of a latex allergy. It is very important to respond to these symptoms.
Seek medical help immediately if the person has difficulty breathing, complains of chest pains, or seems in general distress.

Food and Latex Allergy

There is a strong cross-reaction between some food allergies and latex allergy.
Food sensitivity or allergy may exist before the onset of latex allergy. It may develop at the same time or after the latex allergy.
Existing or potential food allergies should be considered in any person with an allergic reaction to latex.

Cross-Reactive Foods
Certain foods are more likely than others to cause this reaction. These are called cross-reactive foods.
On the next page, there is a list of these foods. Persons allergic or sensitive to latex may react to all, some, or none of the cross-reactive foods.
Foods in the High Association list on the next page have a greater chance of cross-reactions than those in the Moderate or Low groups.

Food Allergy
Existing or potential food allergies should be considered in any person with an allergic reaction to latex.
Just as with latex, people who are sensitive to certain foods may have a greater risk of developing an allergy the more they come in contact with those foods.
Skin tests can sometimes help to identify food allergies. Report all food allergies at every medical visit.

LATEX AND FOOD ALLERGIES: THE PROTEIN CONNECTION

People with latex allergy/sensitivity often have cross-reactions to certain foods. The immune system may react to these foods as if they contained latex because of the similarity in their protein structure to the protein structure of natural rubber latex.

These 'cross-reactive' foods and their degree of association include:

High Association	Moderate Association	Low or Undetermined
Banana	Apple	Pear - Peach
Avocado	Carrot	Cherry - Pineapple
Kiwi	Celery	Strawberry - Grape
Chestnut	Tomato	Hazelnut - Walnut
	Papaya	Fig - Peanut
	Potato	Rye - Wheat
	Melon	Apricot - Nectarine
		Fruit - Plum
		Passion Soybean - Milk

Permission to use and adapt the material for this packet given to Cathy Tallen, BMH by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 11/01