Children allergies

For the adult, understanding allergies, identifying allergens and reducing symptoms with the family doctor’s help are often matters of common sense. But when it comes to babies and small children – who can’t always say what the problem is – parents become very concerned when their child becomes sick with no obvious cause. The problem may well be an unidentified allergic reaction.

Allergies are a leading cause of poor health in children. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is a common childhood problem.

Sometimes heredity can play a big role in determining whether a child has an allergy. If one parent suffers from allergies, then the chance of the child developing them is said to be between 30% and 50%. When both parents have allergies, then the chance for the child increases to between 60% and 80%.
Some families can trace a history of allergic disease back several generations. However, children who have no known family history can still develop allergies.

Allergies are a leading cause of poor health in children.

What are some common allergens of children?

To develop an allergy, a child must first be exposed to a substance ¬that the body later reacts to as an allergen. The single most common allergy among infants and children is to cow’s milk protein. This normally occurs during the child’s first year. The first allergens, other than foods, that may affect children are the indoor allergens, such as pets, household dust mites and molds. a child gets older and spends more time outdoors, the chance for seasonal allergies increases because there’s more exposure to such outside allergens as tree pollen, weeds and grasses. Food allergies in children can cause many problems, which include crying, colic, vomiting. Diarrhea rashes, eczema and cold-like respiratory congestion.

Children with allergies usually have certain physical signs. One is a bluish-brownish discoloration around both eyes, which is referred to as “allergic shiners.” There may be puffiness beneath the eyes, and the eyes themselves may appear irritated and red. The ears and cheeks may flush. The child may rub the nose, sniffle, sneeze and breathe through the mouth. The child may also have recurrent sore throats, chronic nasal congestion and chronic ear infections.