Voice: Having an allergy can make your life very miserable. You sneeze, your eyes become red and sore, and your skin becomes itchy. Doctors can give pills or injections to ease allergic reactions, but these often make the patient sleepy. There is no doubt about it. Allergy sufferers are not happy people when their allergy kicks in.
Here are three people who suffer from various allergies. Listen to what they say and then answer the questions.
Clare: Hello, I’m Clare. I’ve suffered from an allergy to dogs since I was about five years old. I don’t know why it started. My allergy just came out of the blue. When there is a dog anywhere near me, I can’t breathe and I start to sneeze violently.
I am so sensitive that I can tell if a person owns a dog by the taste that I get in my mouth. I get this taste then I start to sneeze. And that’s just if the person I am talking to has been near a dog! There doesn’t have to be an actual dog near me to set me off.
When I was a kid, I couldn’t stop rubbing my eyes and blowing my nose, so my mum took me to the doctor’s. I was diagnosed with a chronic allergy to dogs and cats. But cats don’t make me feel as bad as dogs.
I have to take two tablets every morning, and use a nasal spray. Some people think I’m exaggerating when I tell them what happens to me if there is a dog anywhere around. But believe me, being sensitive to dogs is terrible. It sometimes makes me feel very ill and miserable.
I think I will suffer from this for the rest of my life unless doctors come up with a cure soon. And the really sad thing is that I really like dogs! I’d love to have one. But there is no chance of that ever happening, I’m afraid.
Tommy: Hi, I’m Tommy, and I’m allergic to pollen. In spring and summer I am the most miserable person imaginable! There is no way I can take a walk in a park or a hike in the countryside. If I visit a friend’s home and there are flowers in a vase, they have to take them out of the room. My eyes swell, and I sneeze violently.
Some people are allergic to just some types of pollen, but with me it’s the whole lot. I take pills in spring and summer, and I use a nasal spray and eye drops. These make me feel a bit better, but they aren’t a complete cure. I just have to keep out of the way or flowers and grasses and trees.
Jenny: Hello. My name’s Jenny. I am severely allergic to cats. I’m okay with dogs. Dogs don’t affect me at all. But cats are terrible. I discovered I was allergic when I was about seven years old.
My parents bought me a kitten. Suddenly, I began to suffer from what seemed like head colds, and I got white patches on my skin. At first we didn’t associate all this with the kitten, but after my doctor tested me, we had to find the kitten a new home. And would you believe I am allergic to elephants? Once when I was on holiday in Thailand we went to an elephant camp.
Well, all hell broke loose! I couldn’t stop sneezing and I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t have my nasal spray or pills with me so I had to sit in the coach until it all calmed down. So, I’m afraid that I will never own a cat or an elephant as a pet!