What do you think?
Rate this book
Allergy Book
From America's most trusted name in pediatrics, a comprehensive guide to treating and preventing nasal allergies, asthma, food allergies and intolerances, and more.
Allergies are one of the most common ailments, causing children to miss school and parents to miss work. Left untreated or unresolved, stuffy noses, itchy skin, and irritated bellies can lead to chronic asthma, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, and neurological disorders.
Today's parents don't just want to treat their family's allergy symptoms; they want to eliminate allergies and prevent chronic and long-term health complications. The Sears show them how. Drs. Robert and William Sears present a science-based approach that has helped alleviate allergies in many of their patients, providing a plan not only for treatment, but also for prevention.
A family-friendly resource, The Allergy Book offers all the reassurance and accessible, practical advice that parents need to resolve their children's allergies, now and throughout their lives.
Allergies are one of the most common ailments, causing children to miss school and parents to miss work. Left untreated or unresolved, stuffy noses, itchy skin, and irritated bellies can lead to chronic asthma, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, and neurological disorders.
Today's parents don't just want to treat their family's allergy symptoms; they want to eliminate allergies and prevent chronic and long-term health complications. The Sears show them how. Drs. Robert and William Sears present a science-based approach that has helped alleviate allergies in many of their patients, providing a plan not only for treatment, but also for prevention.
A family-friendly resource, The Allergy Book offers all the reassurance and accessible, practical advice that parents need to resolve their children's allergies, now and throughout their lives.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
15 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Robert W. Sears
22 books23 followersRobert W. Sears, MD, is a father of three, board-certified in Pediatrics, and a co-author in the Sears Parenting Library. "Dr. Bob", as he likes to be called by his little patients, earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1995. He did his pediatric internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, finishing in 1998. Dr. Bob is the proud father of three active boys, Andrew, age 15, Alex, age 12, and Joshua age 6. He and his wife, Cheryl, reside in Dana Point, CA. In his spare time Dr. Bob enjoys surfing the California waves, mountain biking, playing bass guitar with his teenage son guitarist, and trying to keep up with his three children.
Dr. Bob enjoys a very unique approach to pediatrics by providing a combination of alternative and traditional medical care. He has a passion for healthy natural living and incorporates this knowledge into a style of disease treatment and prevention that you won?t find in most doctors offices. By limiting antibiotic use, using science-based natural treatment approaches whenever possible, and focusing on good nutrition and immune system health, Dr. Bob takes preventative medicine to a whole new level. His commitment to breastfeeding success for all his patients also helps babies get a right start in life.
Dr. Bob has a particular passion for helping parents understand childhood vaccines and the options open to them in choosing the safest possible vaccine schedule for their child. As the solo author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, his in-depth knowledge of vaccines and the diseases they prevent has helped parents nationwide get a better understanding of this complex and confusing issue.
Having had the privilege to help raise three active boys, Dr. Bob has grown fond of the "parenting" side of pediatrics. He especially enjoys talking to parents in his practice about the joys, and trials, of watching their little babies and toddlers thrive through the first several years of life.
Dr. Bob is committed to enjoying a slow-paced, casual atmosphere in the office, providing long checkups, giving parents the flexibility to ask for house calls at home when needed and being one of the very few Orange County pediatricians to be available after hours, overnight, and on weekends for phone calls and home visits. Because he is not contracted with any insurance companies he is able to focus his attention 100% on just being a doctor without having to worry about the business side of running an insurance-based office. His patients take care of billing their own insurance themselves and find that once they learn the process it is very easy.
Dr. Bob has appeared on the Dr. Phil show to offer advice on child behavior and parenting issues. He has also appeared on the Ellen DeGeneris show, CNN's House Calls with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the CBS Early Show, and PBS?s "A Place of Our Own".
Dr. Bob is a frequent speaker at La Leche League conferences, including Colorado, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, California/Nevada and the International LLL Conference 2007 as well as various parenting health Expos. He has written for Contemporary Pediatrics, Newsweek Japan, and dozen?s of regional parenting magazines across the nation. Dr. Bob is co-author of The Updated Baby Book, The Premature Baby Book, The Baby Sleep Book 2005 and Father's First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for your Child and an active contributor to the content of AskDrSears.com and several other parenting websites. He is also a regular contributor to Working Mother magazine.
Dr. Bob enjoys a very unique approach to pediatrics by providing a combination of alternative and traditional medical care. He has a passion for healthy natural living and incorporates this knowledge into a style of disease treatment and prevention that you won?t find in most doctors offices. By limiting antibiotic use, using science-based natural treatment approaches whenever possible, and focusing on good nutrition and immune system health, Dr. Bob takes preventative medicine to a whole new level. His commitment to breastfeeding success for all his patients also helps babies get a right start in life.
Dr. Bob has a particular passion for helping parents understand childhood vaccines and the options open to them in choosing the safest possible vaccine schedule for their child. As the solo author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, his in-depth knowledge of vaccines and the diseases they prevent has helped parents nationwide get a better understanding of this complex and confusing issue.
Having had the privilege to help raise three active boys, Dr. Bob has grown fond of the "parenting" side of pediatrics. He especially enjoys talking to parents in his practice about the joys, and trials, of watching their little babies and toddlers thrive through the first several years of life.
Dr. Bob is committed to enjoying a slow-paced, casual atmosphere in the office, providing long checkups, giving parents the flexibility to ask for house calls at home when needed and being one of the very few Orange County pediatricians to be available after hours, overnight, and on weekends for phone calls and home visits. Because he is not contracted with any insurance companies he is able to focus his attention 100% on just being a doctor without having to worry about the business side of running an insurance-based office. His patients take care of billing their own insurance themselves and find that once they learn the process it is very easy.
Dr. Bob has appeared on the Dr. Phil show to offer advice on child behavior and parenting issues. He has also appeared on the Ellen DeGeneris show, CNN's House Calls with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the CBS Early Show, and PBS?s "A Place of Our Own".
Dr. Bob is a frequent speaker at La Leche League conferences, including Colorado, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, California/Nevada and the International LLL Conference 2007 as well as various parenting health Expos. He has written for Contemporary Pediatrics, Newsweek Japan, and dozen?s of regional parenting magazines across the nation. Dr. Bob is co-author of The Updated Baby Book, The Premature Baby Book, The Baby Sleep Book 2005 and Father's First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for your Child and an active contributor to the content of AskDrSears.com and several other parenting websites. He is also a regular contributor to Working Mother magazine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 23, 2019
I've had allergy issues my whole life, asthma as a baby, and eczema since I was a teenager. For the past year or so I've struggled with my esophagus sometimes becoming so narrow food or water becomes stuck until I can force it up. It's not so great. I have an endoscopy scheduled in a few weeks to confirm my doctor's suspicion that this eosinophilic esophagitis, which is caused by food allergies. I did not realize all of these things were connected, along with my autoimmune issues, until I read this book. I'm glad I read the whole thing, instead of just the chapter on EOE. At first glance I thought this book was just for parents on how to help their children with these things, but there is information on how to test for, prevent and manage these condition for all age groups. I know the next steps to take if my biopsy confirms EOE. Definitely glad I picked this one up.
February 2, 2017
This book had incredible information and they simplified really technical medical jargon in a very easy to understand way.
We've implemented a few of the suggestions from the book and have had noticeable progress with my sons asthma and allergy and asthma issues. Chapter 13 with its many tips on reducing allergy and asthma triggers was especially helpful.
It's the first book I have read on the subject so I don't have anything to compare it to but it is helping us help our son breathe better through diet and reducing triggers.
We've implemented a few of the suggestions from the book and have had noticeable progress with my sons asthma and allergy and asthma issues. Chapter 13 with its many tips on reducing allergy and asthma triggers was especially helpful.
It's the first book I have read on the subject so I don't have anything to compare it to but it is helping us help our son breathe better through diet and reducing triggers.
Read
July 21, 2016I was recently diagnosed with about thirty different food allergies and this book was very informative and made common sense.
August 21, 2023
I was surprised by the amount of information in this book. I felt there was a lot of valuable research done, but most of it was for kids. I would like to see a book like this with more information for adults.
Did you know there was such a thing called nature deficit disorder?? According to the authors, "Children and adults who don't spend enough time outdoors have more stress, more behavioral problems, and more mood and learning disorders." I think it is time I stop writing, you stop reading, and we all head outside 😉 Seriously, I found it fascinating.
Did you know there was such a thing called nature deficit disorder?? According to the authors, "Children and adults who don't spend enough time outdoors have more stress, more behavioral problems, and more mood and learning disorders." I think it is time I stop writing, you stop reading, and we all head outside 😉 Seriously, I found it fascinating.
March 17, 2019
As an adult with no children, I found myself skipping a lot of the infant/child-specific content. I have been under an allergist’s care for most of my life, most of the information wasn’t new to me but there were a few things that made me think and consider some adjustments. Overall, a good read and easy to skip over irrelevant child-specific info.
September 3, 2018
As a seasoned allergy mom, I didn’t expect to derive a ton of benefit from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wealth of information, easy-to-understand explanations, and practical suggestions for improving life with allergies.
May 31, 2017
Excellent info.
February 8, 2020
It had some real good information and then stuff I totally disagree with, so unfortunately I don’t recommend it.
November 3, 2024
This book gave me so much information that after several years, no other doctor we've come into has offered.
January 3, 2025
Great introductory book on different allergies and their mechanisms, as well as ways to cure/reduce them. I can see myself coming back to this book when I start a family.
July 3, 2016
Who knew that there was so much to learn about allergies? For readers who are plagued with allergies of any kind – whether to pollen, dust, mold, pets, food, or even insects – "The Allergy Book" by Dr. Robert Sears and Dr. William Sears is an absolute must-read.
Start off by learning what actually happens in the body during an allergic reaction, and then learn more specifically about allergy testing, common medications used to treat allergies, nasal and eye allergies, asthma, and more. Don’t just treat your eczema topically; use the advice in this book to hunt down the causes, and then make changes in your life to make it better for real.
Food allergies got you down? Learn the ways to pinpoint a food allergy, whether through straight testing or through elimination diets, and then get advice on how to effectively keep those foods out of your life. Read about how an allergy to cow’s milk is much more common than most people realize, and how gluten sensitivity is more than just a fad. There is an entire chapter devoted to anaphylaxis, which points out just how rare it is, while still providing all of the necessary information for anyone who is at risk. Learn more about how allergy shots may eventually help someone with an allergy leave that issue behind forever.
What’s great about this book is that the Sears doctors cover each type of allergy in depth, and they focus on more than just medication to help keep things under control. And as in some of the other books in their popular parenting series, the doctors buck convention in a few sections, such as by suggesting that raw (unpasteurized) milk might be a “better, healthier way to go, and that it can be a safe alternative for families who are sensitive or allergic [to conventional milk],” or by their whole-hearted embrace of the leaky gut theory as a contributing factor to many allergy-related problems.
Many readers will appreciate the fact that this book does not just advise readers to see their doctors to fix their problems, but instead offers real-life solutions for helping to keep allergies under control, whether through the use of air filters, suggestions like replacing carpeting with hardwood floors, or by advocating a healthy, clean-eating diet as an important part of keeping the immune system in balance. They even go so far as to mention more specific diets, such as GAPS or paleolithic, as being potentially helpful for those who suffer from severe allergies.
Like the rest of the books written by the Sears doctors, "The Allergy Book" maintains a friendly, conversational tone throughout; readers will feel like they’re having a chat with a lifelong family physician. Even the most clinical of sections, the beginning chapter on immunology, is written in such a way as to be understandable by just about anybody. There is so much important information packed into this book, information that is valuable for everyone, not just those with acknowledged allergies. Parents of really young children, or people who haven’t yet had any kids, may be curious about ways they can reduce their offspring’s risk of developing allergies, and family members of all ages can benefit from the “Prescription for Optimum Immune Health” detailed in the last chapter of the book. "The Allergy Book" is one of those books that everyone should take a look at.
Review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.
Start off by learning what actually happens in the body during an allergic reaction, and then learn more specifically about allergy testing, common medications used to treat allergies, nasal and eye allergies, asthma, and more. Don’t just treat your eczema topically; use the advice in this book to hunt down the causes, and then make changes in your life to make it better for real.
Food allergies got you down? Learn the ways to pinpoint a food allergy, whether through straight testing or through elimination diets, and then get advice on how to effectively keep those foods out of your life. Read about how an allergy to cow’s milk is much more common than most people realize, and how gluten sensitivity is more than just a fad. There is an entire chapter devoted to anaphylaxis, which points out just how rare it is, while still providing all of the necessary information for anyone who is at risk. Learn more about how allergy shots may eventually help someone with an allergy leave that issue behind forever.
What’s great about this book is that the Sears doctors cover each type of allergy in depth, and they focus on more than just medication to help keep things under control. And as in some of the other books in their popular parenting series, the doctors buck convention in a few sections, such as by suggesting that raw (unpasteurized) milk might be a “better, healthier way to go, and that it can be a safe alternative for families who are sensitive or allergic [to conventional milk],” or by their whole-hearted embrace of the leaky gut theory as a contributing factor to many allergy-related problems.
Many readers will appreciate the fact that this book does not just advise readers to see their doctors to fix their problems, but instead offers real-life solutions for helping to keep allergies under control, whether through the use of air filters, suggestions like replacing carpeting with hardwood floors, or by advocating a healthy, clean-eating diet as an important part of keeping the immune system in balance. They even go so far as to mention more specific diets, such as GAPS or paleolithic, as being potentially helpful for those who suffer from severe allergies.
Like the rest of the books written by the Sears doctors, "The Allergy Book" maintains a friendly, conversational tone throughout; readers will feel like they’re having a chat with a lifelong family physician. Even the most clinical of sections, the beginning chapter on immunology, is written in such a way as to be understandable by just about anybody. There is so much important information packed into this book, information that is valuable for everyone, not just those with acknowledged allergies. Parents of really young children, or people who haven’t yet had any kids, may be curious about ways they can reduce their offspring’s risk of developing allergies, and family members of all ages can benefit from the “Prescription for Optimum Immune Health” detailed in the last chapter of the book. "The Allergy Book" is one of those books that everyone should take a look at.
Review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.
August 15, 2015
As with most medical books, and books for parents, read this with a critical eye and a grain of salt. I appreciated that any advice or research findings were presented along with the amount and type of support - mostly anecdotal sometimes, backed by multiple studies others.
Allergies are confusing and the authors admitted as much. As a parent of kids with food allergies and sensitivities, although not the most severe, I found this book encouraging. The opening chapter explaining the technical description of an allergy response in the body was great!
Allergies are confusing and the authors admitted as much. As a parent of kids with food allergies and sensitivities, although not the most severe, I found this book encouraging. The opening chapter explaining the technical description of an allergy response in the body was great!
December 18, 2016
I far preferred The Allergy-Free Baby and Toddler Book: The Parent-Friendly Guide to Coping with Food Allergies in Young Children by Charlotte Muquit, Adam Fox.
I've read several allergy books and didn't find this one particularly useful for our circumstances. In saying that, this book focuses on IgE mediated allergic responses (considered an immediate response) and seems to ignore non-IgE mediated allergies (delayed response) which is what my daughter has been diagnosed with for soy.
I've read several allergy books and didn't find this one particularly useful for our circumstances. In saying that, this book focuses on IgE mediated allergic responses (considered an immediate response) and seems to ignore non-IgE mediated allergies (delayed response) which is what my daughter has been diagnosed with for soy.
July 24, 2015
I have recommended this book to many people. Up to date information on testing, research results, and why food in America is so different from food in the rest of the world that our bodies can't process it. I have read and researched allergy's for decades and this is the best written and most informative I have ever seen. It explains symptoms that might show for infants through adulthood.
May 9, 2016
I downloaded this quite by accident. A timely error as our asthmatic daughter was hospitalized with her chronic asthma. I feel I have a much better understanding of her condition and how best to treat it. A very informative book.
November 10, 2016
Where are the sources?
Although I love the Searses, And think they certainly are to be trusted, I can't find this book a good one without a list of references. They refer to studies, but what studies? This is the kindle version, maybe the paperback is better...
Although I love the Searses, And think they certainly are to be trusted, I can't find this book a good one without a list of references. They refer to studies, but what studies? This is the kindle version, maybe the paperback is better...
September 29, 2015
A great resource for anyone who suffers from allergies and related problems such as eczema and asthma. The authors combine the best solutions from many methods and sources.
September 30, 2015
ion air filter is ended, and carpet removed according to this book.
February 7, 2016
This book is a great overview of how allergies work and some of the things that can cause those allergies. But it is just that - an overview. A detailed overview.
May 15, 2016
Touches the surface and offers suggestions adequately for allergies. Emphasis is on childhood allergies.
November 24, 2015
Chapter 11 was probably the most informative.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews