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Ask Dr. Universe allergy
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How does epinephrine work? – Annabelle, 15, Missouri

Dear Annabelle,

I love a peanut butter and tuna sandwich. But when I was a kitten, my school outlawed peanuts. My classmate was super allergic to them. So, we had a rule to keep our friend safe. I packed plain tuna fish instead.

I talked about that with my friend Travis T. Denton. He studies medicinal chemistry and neuroscience at Washington State University.

He told me that epinephrine is the medicine people use for a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. It comes in an auto-injector, or EpiPen.

An autoinjector for epinephrine lying on its side. It's mostly ... <a href=» More …

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Why do people have allergies? – Hailey, 11, Washington state

Dear Hailey,

Under my lab coat, I have a splendid fur coat. That can be a problem when I work with someone who’s allergic to cats.

I asked my friend Ed Johnson about it. He teaches classes about the human body at Washington State University.

He told me that allergies happen when your immune system overreacts to a normal thing it perceives as a threat to your body. That thing can be pollen, dust, food, medicine, insect venom or something else. It can be bits of fur and shed skin called cat dander.

“The immune system evolved to protect the body,” Johnson said. … » More …

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