Talking Allergies

THis is a follow-up to my post about an anaphylaxis reaction that I had last week, which can be found here:
http://www.allergicliving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1526&highlight=
Turns out, I'm severely allergic to chalk and the class that I had before anaphylaxis set in is a chalk heaven.
I noticed that no one's posted on chalk allergies and I thought that it would be a great topic to kick start.
I'm going into teaching so this kinda concerned me at first. But a lot of schools have white boards now as a direct result of teacher's and students developing nasty allergies to chalk dust.
Luckily for me, my course will be moved to a location with a white board as soon as possible, thanks to the students with disabilities service office at the UofA!
So, let's open this puppy up! Have you experienced chalk allergies? Symptoms? Severity?
I'll write more detail tommorow about what I experienced (i'm too sleepy now).

Caroline

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Anaphylaxis to fish, nut, peanuts, soy, birch, and grass.
OAS

I was in my daughter's classroom in September. I lasted about 2 minutes before I started sneezing over and over. I assumed it was from all the dust in the room...most likely from chalk. I don't remember being like that as a child though. Luckily, my daughter is not allergic to dust...hopefully, she won't develop an allergy to it.

I have a problem with chalk because of my corn allergy. Chalk is made from/with corn. I also work in the school system, but not as a teacher. I try to avoid any contact with chalk and/or brushes. My reactions are skin related.

I'd like to change my vote from no to yes, but nothing serious please.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Just read your other post. Just goes to show that you have to be a real detective with all of this stuff!

And it is great that the white boards are everywhere now. Most teachers really seem to prefer them.

I have not been exposed to chalk recently, but just to let you know about another source of calcium sulfate...drywall. Hubby is kindly re-doing a wall at my Mom's house. I was helping and was resting a piece of drywall on my foot about a year ago. My foot started itching like crazy (was wearing sandals). Dreading yet another allergic reaction I asked him, "What's in drywall?" He replied, "Don't know...calcium carbonate?" (Of course, I looked up drywall on the internet when I got home...calcium sulfate!)

I starting itching all over, so I quickly popped downstairs for a shower and Benadryl. I was sneezing terribly by this time. Hubby had to wash well, too. Slept downstairs that night, as the room he was working on was upstairs. The next morning, I went upstairs to see his progress, and started reacting immediately, so I had to leave again. Showered again, Benadryl, etc.... Hubby had to shower and change clothes before I could ride home with him (2 hr drive). Mom had to wash his other clothes at her house, so I wouldn't react. He returned several weekends without me to finish up.

I know this makes no sense at all, but I seem to be reacting to several types of sulfur. Have always had a problem with sulfa drugs, then sulfites, now sulfates. Even yellow dyes (sulfur-derived). I have a chem degree (so does Hubby), so I understand sulfates and sulfites. But my body doesn't seem to get it.

Be careful with wines and such... it can get worse slowly.

Take care,
Daisy

Thanks Daisy!

Wow! I didn't realize drywall had the same stuff as chalk, it makes sense though. And i've ALWAYS reacted around construction. unfinished basements and the like are torture! My folks thought it was the insulation (that pink fluffy stuff). my grandpa used to make his a house a living construction zone and I never liked going there cause i was always uncomfortable.

Wow, I'll watch myself around construiction sites now! thanks!

Caroline

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Anaphylaxis to fish, nut, peanuts, soy, birch, and grass.
OAS

I'm a math professor (we're very "old school" and like our chalkboards more than most academics) and do know of several people that have to wear gloves when they teach with chalk. I was having breathing difficulties for awhile (not allergy related) and really wondered about chalk--not only do I teach with it, but I rock climb and we chalk our hands continually (I wouldn't have been able to go to the climbing gym any more!).

(P.S. it took MASSIVE detective work to figure out that my breathing problems were affected by hormones--I have a lot trouble catching my breath in the week before my period and the whole first month of pregnancy. I'd already figured it out by the time I was pregnant and mentioned it to my OB and he said it was common--too bad my GP didn't know that, as it would've saved me some x-rays and a lot of money in lung tests.)

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Baby boy with allergies to sesame, egg, dairy, legumes (soy, peanut, peas so far), sunflower. The jury is still out on citrus.

I couldn't figure out how to vote---but I know someone who is allergic to chalk---in school, she had to use a chalk holder, but she didn't avoid it completely.

I have been wondering about this with my youngest.

Is there an allergy test (SPT) for chalk?

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma