http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Article/list/2141 Feature articles regarding clinical topics of interest to mobile healthcare professionals, including travel nurses, allied health providers, and other short-term staff. 2009-11-21T12:22:10Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/New-trends-in-womens-health-A-closer-look-at-uteri/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/197955?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Forty percent of all reproductive-age women have one or more fibroid tumors, but only half of these individuals experience any symptoms. 2005-11-01T05:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Sexually-transmitted-infections-Fighting-non-viral/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/185791?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Michelle is a healthy appearing, athletic 16-year-old who presents to the clinic with a 4-day history of itching "down there" and smelly discharge. During the intake, completed while her mother was present, Michelle vehemently denied that she has ever done "anything more than make out." However, once she is alone in the examination room, the clinician is able to elicit that Michelle has recently become sexually active with her boyfriend, a senior at her school. She reports that he is her first and only sexual partner. 2005-10-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Nutritional-Digest-Great-catches-from-the-Chesapea/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/179726?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Did you ever stop and wonder: When did the first human take a look at a crab and consider it to be a potential source of nourishment or even culinary enjoyment? Some have attempted to guess: In his best-selling tome, Chesapeake, set in pre-Colonial America, author James A. Michener describes the compelling scene in which a Native American escapes his war-torn village by canoe and ventures downriver toward the expanse of what today is known as the Chesapeake Bay. The character, Pentaquod, is in search of what village elders call "the great river in which fish with hard shell coverings abound." 2005-09-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/The-trick-about-leadership-Making-it-look-easy/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/176174?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Focusing on the positive can solidify the team, underscore its success, and increase satisfaction. 2005-08-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Avian-flu-What-to-look-for-whos-at-risk/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169454?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 There's no vaccine for avian flu, but there are steps you can take to stop the spread of this dangerous virus. 2005-07-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Pain-management-Delivering-culturally-appropriate-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/165063?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 For many Americans, pain is the number one reason to visit their doctors. 2005-06-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Pulmonary-Hypertension-Surviving-an-incurable-dise/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/160869?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 PAH affects one to two individuals per million people, adding to diagnostic challenges. 2005-05-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Mentoring-Debunking-the-myths/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/154097?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Who in your practice provided an "aha" experience that allowed you to see the meaning of what was happening beyond the actual event? Do you have a quote or saying that has meaning to you, one that has influenced your behavior or thinking? From whom did you get that quote? 2005-04-01T05:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Transitioning-into-twilight-Procedural-sedation/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/150494?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Susan, a 50-year-old female, came to the outpatient GI suites for colonoscopy screening as recommended by her primary care physician. Her dad recently died from colon cancer and, although she had no symptoms, her age and family history were the impetus for testing. Susan followed all the pre-procedural instructions including the bowel prep, and had been NPO after midnight. Her nurse started an IV of 5% dextrose in water, 100cc/hr, given for two hours before the procedure. 2005-03-01T05:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Osteoporosis-The-incredible-shrinking-body/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/146103?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Consider these two women: Sally is in her mid-40s and Judy is in her 60s. Who is at greater risk of osteoporosis? Most people would assume it would be Judy simply because she is menopausal, not on estrogen therapy, and therefore at risk for bone disease. But don't let the ages fool you. Although Sally has no family history of osteoporosis and doesn't smoke or drink alcohol, she has secondary risk factors like life-long thyroid med use and a past bone fracture. 2005-02-01T05:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Sleep-Apnea-Does-your-patient-have-it/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/132590?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Individuals are considered to have sleep apnea if they have more than ten apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep. 2004-11-01T05:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Risky-Recreation-Ecstasy-in-the-ED/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/122502?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Media said it was a case of "poisoned ecstasy." After a "rave" in a medium-sized town west of Chicago in September 2003, seven young adults ranging from 13 to 20 years of age were treated at an area hospital. They had ingested white, oblong tablets with the letter E etched on top. None of the seven knew each other and the party, with numbing, loud music and all-night dancing, attracted over 100 youth. It wasn't until the hospital reported this rash of "ravers" that the press covered a story about the ecstasy tablets being laced. 2004-09-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlestandard/healthcaretraveler/382004/122502/main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/WEST-NILE-VIRUS-Fighting-the-bite/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/105165?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 West Nile Virus occurs year-long in warm climates, yet less than 1 percent is recorded before July 1. 2004-07-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlestandard/healthcaretraveler/302004/105165/Main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/C-Reactive-Protein-Predicting-cardiovascular-disea/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/98869?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Mary is a 50-year old flight attendant from Minnesota. She is being treated for high blood pressure and checks it weekly, averaging 135/85 mm Hg. Her recent total cholesterol was 220 mg/dl with a HDL cholesterol of 45 mg/dl. Despite attending a smoking cessation program, she can't quite give up the habit. After reading about a blood test that may detect heart disease, Mary inquires about it. 2004-06-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlestandard/healthcaretraveler/252004/98869/main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Subarachnoid-hemorrhage--Stabilizing-neuro-trauma/ArticleLong/Article/detail/94714?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Susan awoke in a panic, feeling as if a baseball bat had connected to her head. She cried out in pain, waking her husband, who immediately called 9-1-1. This crushing cranial pain was like none she had ever experienced. Susan began to vomit and mumbled that everything was becoming "blurry." 2004-05-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/192004/94714/image1_main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Antiretroviral-therapy--HIV/ArticleLong/Article/detail/91374?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Bill, a 28-year-old male, presents to the emergency department with fever, productive cough, and shortness of breath. A chest x-ray reveals pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). Bill says he was diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) two years ago and he doesn't know if he can continue with treatment. He is taking zidovudine/lamivudine (AZT, 3TC) plus efavirenz (Sustiva) and skips doses on a daily basis because of the side effects. One of his friends told him he should be taking atazanavir (a protease inhibitor) instead because it's a better combination. His viral load was >10,000 copies/ml and his CD4+ count is 200 cells/mm3. 2004-04-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/152004/91374/main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Laryngeal-Cancer--Hope-for-a-cure/ArticleLong/Article/detail/88066?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 All the signs were there. A sore throat and hoarseness that lasted for at least two weeks, and now some dysphagia. He was constantly touching the right side of his throat as if he could feel something, but there was no visible mass. "I'll be okay, it's just a virus," he insisted. 2004-03-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/112004/88066/laryn_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Cystic-Fibrosis---A-new-perspective/ArticleLong/Article/detail/84188?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 In 1975, If I Die at Thirty was authored by 13-year-old Peggie and her mom, Meg. Timeless and poignant, it is a delicate culmination of both sorrow and hope as a young woman and her family faced cystic fibrosis (CF). 2004-02-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/062004/84188/image1_main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/SARS-Is-the-worst-over/ArticleLong/Article/detail/81346?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Tom presented with a fever of 101°F, dry cough, and general malaise for three days. With a history of asthma, he starts to wheeze whenever he develops an upper respiratory illness. This time, however, there seems to be more shortness of breath. The nurse made no assumptions regarding his past medical history and did ask about recent travel. In Toronto for a conference last week, he notes that one of his colleagues is feeling poorly, too. Much to his surprise, the nurse placed a mask on him then donned one herself. 2004-01-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/032004/81346/SARS_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Treating-Anxiety--A-calming-influence/ArticleLong/Article/detail/75326?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Joanne, a 53-year-old salesperson from New York, was used to public speaking. It was an expectation of her job. Lately, she was experiencing a choking sensation and feelings of doom whenever she was asked to speak. 2003-11-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/462003/75326/image1_main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Hepatitis-C--unlocking-the-mystery/ArticleLong/Article/detail/72456?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 A young nurse incurred a needle-stick injury while recapping after an injection. Concerned about potential HIV exposure, she was surprised when hospital guidelines recommended additional testing. Attempting to donate blood, a soccer mom was told she couldn't after screening. Receiving a surgical blood transfusion in 1978, a 60-year-old man recently had to undergo more tests after two reports of elevated liver enzymes. A 48-year-old father, who experimented with IV drug use one time in college, just received reports of abnormal bloodwork. 2003-10-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/422003/72456/liver_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Child-abuse--travelers/ArticleLong/Article/detail/68792?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Marcie, a 20-year-old single mother found her 18-month-old son, Jimmy, in his crib screaming when she returned from work. Her boyfriend, Frank, had been looking after him but was now sitting on the couch watching TV and drinking a beer. She could not console the child despite trying to hold him, feed him a bottle, or change his diaper. This went on for over an hour and she felt confused and frightened. 2003-09-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Bioterrorism-An-Anthrax-Primer/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/65817?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 These pivotal cases occurred simultaneously and were the first diagnoses of anthrax to confound the U.S. public health system. R.H., it was later learned, suffered from cutaneous anthrax, while R.S. was infected by inhalation anthrax. Eventually, it would become known that Bacillus anthracis spores had been intentionally dispersed throughout the postal system, rattling the nation at one of its most vulnerable times. Five deaths and 22 cases later, healthcare professionals were faced with the overwhelming task of recognizing and managing potential biological and chemical threats. 2003-08-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlestandard/healthcaretraveler/322003/65817/main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Understanding-Chronic-Renal-Failure/ArticleLong/Article/detail/63024?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Mrs. Smith arrives in the emergency room from a motor vehicle accident. She is known to have a long-standing history of hypertension and non-insulin dependent Type II diabetes, but she appears to have only minor injuries-cuts, scrapes, and contusions. The elderly woman admits to being increasingly tired, without her usual appetite. Mrs. Smith also reports occasional morning nausea and nighttime itching. She attributes these symptoms to a bout of flu one month ago. Initial basic chemistry and blood count panels are remarkable for BUN (85 mg/dl), creatinine (6.5 mg/dl), hematocrit (24 percent), and hemoglobin (6)-far from laboratory values considered normal for women (10-20 mg/dl, .2-1.5 mg/dl, 40 to 45 percent, and 13-15, respectively). 2003-07-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/282003/63024/under_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Proper-Nutrition--A-Team-Approach/ArticleLong/Article/detail/60601?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Linda, a 37-year-old mother of three, works four 12-hour shifts a week as a registered nurse. Constantly on the run, she only takes time to grab something from the vending machines or to order Chinese or pizza delivery. Linda drinks a cup of coffee every morning and iced tea throughout the day. 2003-06-01T04:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/252003/60601/image1_main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Pediatrics-End-of-Life-Care/ArticleLong/Article/detail/56850?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 From a nurse's journal . . . I was caring for a 9-year-old boy with leukemia. The second round of chemotherapy had failed and I think the parents sensed the end of options was close. I had trouble establishing eye contact with them. All I could muster to say was, "I think the fentanyl is keeping him comfortable." The mom nodded silently. 2003-05-01T04:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Sleep-Deprivation/ArticleLong/Article/detail/53722?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Jean, an emergency nurse with 15 years of experience, recently relocated from Florida to California, accepting a permanent position at a high acuity medical center. Working overtime to train a replacement, selling her home, and packing until the last minute had left her sleepless and stressed. Arriving the day before she was scheduled to start her new job, Jean had little time to adjust to the different time zone, let alone the idea of working nights instead of days. As she got into her car at the end of her first 12-hour shift, Jean mused, "It certainly has been a hectic month." Driving to her apartment in the early morning light, she didn't realize she was nodding off . . . or that her car was easing over into oncoming traffic . . . 2003-04-01T05:00:00Z XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Diabetes-Management-Part-II-Concerns-for-Surgery/ArticleLong/Article/detail/48817?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 "Last time I was in the hospital for diagnostic tests," remembers Elizabeth, a 65-year-old executive with a history of cardiovascular problems, "I had to argue with the young nurse who told me that it was too early to check my sugar. As a result, my blood glucose level dropped to 44." 2003-03-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/102003/48817/main_main.jpg HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Diabetes-Management-Part-I-Issues-for-Hospitalizat/ArticleLong/Article/detail/46133?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Today, I was told that I would be admitted into the hospital for tests on my heart," says Carol, age 42. "I've had chest pains with any level of exertion. I really dread going into the hospital. Will the nurses understand my diabetes routine? Will they know how to regulate my blood sugar? Do they realize how important it is for me to eat after I take my insulin? 2003-02-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/072003/46133/main_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Periodontal-Disease-Part-II-Reducing-Disparities-t/ArticleLong/Article/detail/45885?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Mabel, age 80, has been admitted to the emergency room for malnutrition. Diagnosed with osteoporosis, this African-American woman routinely experiences tooth loss and is unable to chew most foods because her dentures no longer fit properly. 2003-01-01T05:00:00Z http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/data/articlelong/healthcaretraveler/062003/45885/PeriodontalPart2_main.jpg XML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Periodontal-Disease-Part-I-How-Oral-Health-Affects/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46399?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Ralph, a 55-year-old smoker, has a history of cardiac problems. More recently, he has complained of a sore and dry mouth.
 
 Shirley suffers from uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. When brushing her teeth, she noticed her gums were red, swollen, and bleeding. A trip to the dentist found that this 30-year-old had high levels of plaque above and below the gum line. 2002-12-01T05:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/PCOS-and-InfertilityWhat-Travelers-Need-to-Know/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46401?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Happily married two years, Mark and Grace decided they were ready to add a child to their family. Grace was concerned that becoming pregnant would not be easy since her menstrual cycles had never been completely regular. After four years of trying, the discouraged couple decided to seek infertility counseling.
 
 During an annual examination with her gynecologist, Grace broached the subject of irregular menstrual periods and her strong desire to conceive a child. Several tests later, Mark and Grace were surprised when she was diagnosed with a condition they had never heard of before - Polycystic Ovarian (or Ovary) Syndrome (PCOS). 2002-11-01T05:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/The-Long-Road-BackSurviving-Stroke/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46402?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 John, a 65-year-old, woke up one morning and couldn't walk a straight line. He had hiccups - which he hadn't had in years - and trouble swallowing. These strange symptoms progressed during the first 24 hours, then subsided. He passed them off, thinking his condition was a virus. When John described his symptoms to a nurse practitioner, she suspected stroke, performed a sensory examination, and confirmed her diagnosis. 2002-10-01T04:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Septic-Shock-A-True-Emergency/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46403?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 Paula, a typically energetic 75-year-old, had recently been diagnosed with pneumonia. Although she was prescribed an antibiotic, the elderly woman did not comply with dosing directions, skipping pills frequently once she felt better. For the last 48 hours, she experienced severe fever, chills, fatigue, tachycardia, and growing mental confusion. Upon evaluation at the emergency department (ED), Paula was found to have early stages of septic shock, brought on by sepsis, as a result of the mistreated pulmonary infection. 2002-09-01T04:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/FibromyalgiaFact-or-Fiction/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46404?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 "I didn't know I would be in this much pain at age 35," thought Amy. She had been experiencing more and more pain and muscle stiffness this past year. It especially occurred upon awakening each morning, usually after a fitful night of sleep. Irritated, Amy yelled out loud to no one in particular, "I seem to sleep all the time, yet I never feel fully rested!" 2002-08-01T04:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Angina-The-Heart-of-the-Matter/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46451?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 On her way to work, Sheila took the usual flight of stairs from the lobby to her second-floor office. What usually was an easy climb seemed to cause severe chest pain - something she had never experienced before. Her physician later diagnosed her with unstable angina. 2002-06-01T04:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/A-Primer-on-Knee-Surgery/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46453?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 James, a 64-year-old white male, has a history of debilitating osteoarthritis in his left knee, as well as type II diabetes and hypertension. He is scheduled for total knee replacement (TKR) surgery in the morning. Preoperative lab tests show white blood cells in his urine - a sign of an untreated urinary tract infection. The physician orders one gram of intravenous cefazolin to be given upon arrival in the operating room (OR). 2002-04-01T05:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Tuberculosis-and-the-Healthcare-Traveler/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46456?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 The South Carolina Department of Corrections began segregating HIV-infected inmates in 1998. All individuals were screened for tuberculosis (TB) upon admission. In August of 1999, a 34-year-old, HIV-positive inmate from this segregated group was diagnosed at a community hospital with sputum acid-fast bacilli smear-positive pulmonary TB. At the time, his CD4 lymphocyte count was extremely low and he was not receiving antiretroviral therapy. 2002-03-01T05:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Managing-Allergies/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46458?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 A four-year-old presents with a rash after eating peanuts. "Will this allergy persist into adulthood?" asks the parent. "For many individuals," responds a clinician, "allergies aren't something to 'grow out of.' Such allergic reactions can span a patient's lifetime." 2002-02-01T05:00:00Z HTML http://healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcaretraveler/Clinical+Topics/Understanding-Allergies/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/46447?contextCategoryId=2141&ref=25 It seems whenever a 6-year-old eats raw carrots or celery, she experiences erythma and itching in the oral and perioral areas. As requested by her mother, allergy tests found the patient to be allergic not only to these vegetables, but also to the aeroallergen from birch trees, which has strong cross-reactivity. 2002-01-01T05:00:00Z HTML