The Learning Library

Please Meet Our Guest Author Jody Gangloff-Kaufman, Ph.D. is an entomologist and a Senior Extension Associate for the New York State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program at Cornell University and a pest management industry consultant. She earned her Ph.D. at Cornell University and went on to specialize in IPM for urban and public health pests such as wasps, ticks and especially bed bugs. Located on Long Island, she has worked closely with government and non-profit agencies in the City of New York to advance the awareness about bed bugs and develop protocols, guidelines and recommendations for their treatment. Dr. Gangloff-Kaufmann served on the New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board and currently serves on the Nassau County Bed Bug Task Force. Continue reading →

How To Combat Hay Fever Symptoms Because Ragweed Season Officially Begins Now When does Ragweed strike? Ragweed season begins in mid-August and continues until the first frost. Depending on your location in North America, ragweed season can last anywhere from six to ten weeks, usually peaking in mid-September. When mid-August nights grow longer, ragweed flowers mature and begin to release their...

How To Educate Your Child's School On Allergen Avoidance An Overview Allergens & Asthma Triggers in the Classroom & What You Can Do Food Allergy & What You Can Do Allergens & Asthma Triggers on the Playground & in Gym Class & What You Can Do The Relationship of Germs to Allergies & Asthma Sending Your Child with Allergies or Asthma Off to College Conclusion:  Be Educated and Be Involved in Your Child's Care at School An Overview The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) states that more than 9 million children under the age of 18 suffer from allergies and asthma, which can account for more than 14 million missed school days and millions of dollars in medical bills and lost work days for parents. As a parent and a former teacher, I know there is a high correlation between attendance and school success. In addition, if children just plain feel bad while they are at school, that impacts their ability to concentrate. Continue reading →

Tips To Diagnose, Treat, & Prevent Sinus Infections If you have never had a sinus headache, you are very lucky. Inflammation of these holes in your head can cause painful, throbbing misery. Even your teeth can hurt. (Some of you are shouting "amen" right about now.) Usually, your sinuses are 4 pairs of cavities that make your skull lighter, insulate your skull, allow your voice to resonate, and help warm and humidify the air you breathe. They are lined with mucous and tiny hair-like cilia. The problem occurs when bacteria or fungus grows along your sinus linings, a virus or allergen invades, or a physical irregularity exists. The sinuses become irritated, inflamed, and swollen, and the pressure causes your head to feel like it is going to explode from the inside out. Let's look at some things that can help you diagnose, treat, and (best of all) avoid sinusitis. Continue reading →

What Everyone Needs To Know This Flu And Cold Season It can be very difficult to determine if your symptoms are due to allergies, the flu or a cold. Typically, allergy symptoms may include sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, headache, and watery eyes. Usually, a fever is not an allergy symptom. A cold has the same symptoms and may also include coughing, but will usually run its course in 10-14 days, while allergy symptoms can linger on and on. The symptoms of influenza (the flu) are also very similar, including fatigue, aches, and pains, and may likely, but not always, include fever. Flu is the most serious because it can result in complications such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or encephalitis, leading to hospitalization or even death. Lastly, you could also be experiencing symptoms of a COVID-related illness, which often mimics flu symptoms to varying degrees. Differences between Covid v.s. the flu are loss of taste and smell, extreme fatigue or breathlessness, and even brain fog that can be felt weeks or months later. Continue reading →

2022 Seasonal Calendar For A Healthier You WINTER CONCERNS WINTER TO-DO LIST How To Maintain Indoor Air Quality when your house is shut up tight to conserve energy. Filter the air to remove irritating airborne particles. Change your allergen reduction furnace filterif you are using a high efficiency brand like Filtrete by 3M. Change pre-filters and HEPA filters in your...

All About Babies and Allergies Do Babies Inherit Allergies? Does My Baby Have an Allergy? Does My Baby Have Allergy-Induced Asthma? Does My Baby Have Allergy-Induced Eczema? What Can I Do? Do Babies Inherit Allergies? Allergies are not inherited, but the tendency to develop allergies is passed down through the genes, so if one or both parents have allergies, there is a 50 to 75% chance the baby will develop allergies. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), if one parent (or that parent's relatives) has allergies, the child is 50% more likely to develop an allergy (although not necessarily the same allergy as the parent). If both parents have allergies, the likelihood the child will develop allergies increases to 75%. Continue reading →

Diagnosis: Cold? Allergy? Sinusitis? Do I Have A Cold, An Allergy, Or Sinusitis? It can be very difficult to tell if you are suffering from allergies, if you have a common cold, or if you have sinusitis. Sometimes it's hard for a doctor to tell. Although allergies, colds, and sinusitis have many of the same symptoms, there are a few markers that can help you tell them apart. Continue reading →

Begin In The Bedroom For the biggest bang for your buck and your time, the bedroom is the best place to begin allergy proofing. This is true simply because you spend such a large percentage of your time in your bedroom. Most people sleep 7 to 8 hours a night. Then, add the time spent watching TV, reading, or getting...

  Winter Itch: Skin Care For Cold Weather Do You Have "Winter Itch"? I used to think I was allergic to cold weather. Like clockwork, I would start itching every year when the temperature dropped. Now I realize that what I have been experiencing is known as winter itch, a condition resulting from loss of skin moisture during cold weather. If you have the urge to scratch your back on a tree trunk like Baloo, the bear in Jungle Book, you may have winter itch, too. Continue reading →