StErMiNeiToR
09-06-2004, 22:45
ALLERGIC TO WATER: TRUE MEDICAL PHENOMENA
Today, in an exclusive interview, we will meet Heidi, a 16 year-old girl who is allergic to water. All her life Heidi has had to live without bathing, drinking, swimming, or even crying. Whenever she comes in contact with water, her skin blisters, she gets rashes, and if she were to drink a glass of water, she could die from the experience. In spite of this rare allergy (she is the only person recorded to have been born with this affliction) she and her family remain very positive.
Heidi Falconer of Great Britain, this essential element of life could kill her. Heidi is allergic to water. Her mom says, "If it's raining she just can't go out without thinking."
It's called aquagenic urticaria. Her mother Wendy says Heidi was born with the rare allergy where one small drop of water can bring out blisters, rashes, and, in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock which could lead to death.
Wendy says, "Any allergy can be life threatening. It's like people who are allergic to peanuts, that's life threatening. We're always aware of that."
That means she can't drink it, bathe in it, or even enjoy an innocent splash in the rain.. Heidi says, "I just feel that I'm missing out on a lot. Swimming and just going out in the snow and doing everything my friends can do. I just have to sit and watch."
And because water accounts for 80-percent of the human body, Heidi is in effect, allergic to herself. Her sweat, blood, saliva, and tears leave nasty marks on her skin. And imagine her mothers' heartbreak at not being able to kiss her own daughter.
Wendy says, "She hates anybody to kiss her because of the mark it leaves. Now she bends her head and we just kiss her on the head."
Because Heidi lives in the rainy English countryside, she must take certain precautions. A special raincoat keeps her dry and she always carries a doctor's note and a shot of adrenaline in case of anaphylactic shock.
Her diet consists of dry foods and she drinks only whole milk or orange juice. Which because of their chemical composition bring her no harm. She can only shower once a week for 30 seconds and even that brings on blisters. She says, "I have to get in and out, it stings."
And she's allowed just one small shot of water when she brushes her teeth. But that too can lead to a break out.
Even more troubling is that experts aren't sure what causes this allergy. Doctor Gary Rachelefsky of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says, "It's usually the release of a chemical called histamine into the skin. But we don't know why water, in this case would cause the release of histamine."
And there is no known cure. Dr. Rachelefsky says, "The cure is avoiding water. Obviously that's not an easy thing to do"
But Heidi doesn't let her allergy get the best of her. A special cream helps deter breakouts and good friends keep her spirits high. She might not be able to play outside with them, but Heidi can still dream.
She says, "I'd like to learn to swim, be able to eat ice cream and go out in the rain."
http://www.montelshow.com/show/upcoming_detail.htm?index=1
possibile o bufala?
Today, in an exclusive interview, we will meet Heidi, a 16 year-old girl who is allergic to water. All her life Heidi has had to live without bathing, drinking, swimming, or even crying. Whenever she comes in contact with water, her skin blisters, she gets rashes, and if she were to drink a glass of water, she could die from the experience. In spite of this rare allergy (she is the only person recorded to have been born with this affliction) she and her family remain very positive.
Heidi Falconer of Great Britain, this essential element of life could kill her. Heidi is allergic to water. Her mom says, "If it's raining she just can't go out without thinking."
It's called aquagenic urticaria. Her mother Wendy says Heidi was born with the rare allergy where one small drop of water can bring out blisters, rashes, and, in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock which could lead to death.
Wendy says, "Any allergy can be life threatening. It's like people who are allergic to peanuts, that's life threatening. We're always aware of that."
That means she can't drink it, bathe in it, or even enjoy an innocent splash in the rain.. Heidi says, "I just feel that I'm missing out on a lot. Swimming and just going out in the snow and doing everything my friends can do. I just have to sit and watch."
And because water accounts for 80-percent of the human body, Heidi is in effect, allergic to herself. Her sweat, blood, saliva, and tears leave nasty marks on her skin. And imagine her mothers' heartbreak at not being able to kiss her own daughter.
Wendy says, "She hates anybody to kiss her because of the mark it leaves. Now she bends her head and we just kiss her on the head."
Because Heidi lives in the rainy English countryside, she must take certain precautions. A special raincoat keeps her dry and she always carries a doctor's note and a shot of adrenaline in case of anaphylactic shock.
Her diet consists of dry foods and she drinks only whole milk or orange juice. Which because of their chemical composition bring her no harm. She can only shower once a week for 30 seconds and even that brings on blisters. She says, "I have to get in and out, it stings."
And she's allowed just one small shot of water when she brushes her teeth. But that too can lead to a break out.
Even more troubling is that experts aren't sure what causes this allergy. Doctor Gary Rachelefsky of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says, "It's usually the release of a chemical called histamine into the skin. But we don't know why water, in this case would cause the release of histamine."
And there is no known cure. Dr. Rachelefsky says, "The cure is avoiding water. Obviously that's not an easy thing to do"
But Heidi doesn't let her allergy get the best of her. A special cream helps deter breakouts and good friends keep her spirits high. She might not be able to play outside with them, but Heidi can still dream.
She says, "I'd like to learn to swim, be able to eat ice cream and go out in the rain."
http://www.montelshow.com/show/upcoming_detail.htm?index=1
possibile o bufala?