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Allergic rhinitis is the most common childhood ailment caused by allergies. Symptoms include a runny and itchy nose, sneezing, postnasal drip and nasal congestion blockage. A child with allergies may also have itchy, watery, red eyes and chronic ear problems.
Allergies are the most common cause of chronic nasal congestion a stuffy nose in children. If the congestion and mouth-breathing are left untreated, they can affect the growth of teeth and the bones of the face. Early treatment of the allergies causing the nasal congestion may prevent these problems.
Allergies lead to inflammation in the ear and may cause fluid accumulation that can promote ear infections and decreased hearing. A baby whose hearing is impaired for any reason while learning to talk may develop poor speech. Anyone with these symptoms should see an allergist for possible testing and treatment. As many as 6 million children in the United States have some form of food allergy.
If a new mother is breast-feeding, some especially sensitive babies can have allergic reactions to foods their mothers eat. Babies can be tested for allergies.
The most common allergies in children are to peanuts and milk ; other frequently seen triggers include eggs, fish, shellfish crab, lobster, crayfish and shrimp , soy, tree nuts for example, pecans, cashews and walnuts and wheat. The most severe reactions are typically to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish — all allergies that can last a lifetime. Children often outgrow allergies to milk, eggs, soy and wheat. All parents of a child with a food allergy should be aware of the possibility of anaphylaxis — a potentially life-threatening reaction that impairs breathing, causes a sudden drop in blood pressure and can send a body into shock.
For that reason, most children with food allergies are prescribed epinephrine adrenaline , administered with an auto-injector as soon as symptoms develop. Do you suspect your child has an allergy?
The symptoms could be a sign of a serious issue. Find an allergist today.
Member Sign-in Enter terms. Less often, allergens can cause breathing problems like wheezing and shortness of breath asthma. Some allergens, such as foods, are a problem all year long. But others might bother people only during certain seasons.
He has several serious food allergies, and while the host was kind enough to provide some allergy-friendly pizza he could eat, it was hard for him to be surrounded by other kids who were all eating something else. Many people outgrow food allergies. I suggest trying this technique with older kids and teenagers. Luckily, many kids outgrow allergies to milk, eggs, wheat, and soy. Do you suspect your child has an allergy? Your answers will provide clues about what you might be allergic to, and your doctor may ask you to stay away from a pet or stop eating a certain food to see if your symptoms go away. Sometimes those two roles seem completely intertwined and aligned.
For instance, you might be allergic to pollen from trees, which is present in the air only in the spring. People may be born with a genetic say: Many allergies are hereditary say: People can develop allergies when they are babies, children, teens, or adults, although allergies often decrease in older people. Many people outgrow food allergies. Other allergies can last your whole life, although they may be less severe or more severe at different points in your life. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between a cold and an allergy because the symptoms can be similar.
If your cold symptoms last more than 2 weeks, you probably have an allergy instead of a cold. There are other differences between colds and allergies you can look for. With allergies, your nose and eyes itch. The mucus, the stuff that comes from your nose or that you cough up, is different, too. With allergies, it's clear like water. With a cold, it's usually yellowish and thick.
If you sneeze and itch a lot, wheeze, or often get sick after eating a certain food, your doctor may want to check you for allergies. He or she will ask you a lot of questions about your health, about the animals and plants in your home, and about the foods you eat. Your answers will provide clues about what you might be allergic to, and your doctor may ask you to stay away from a pet or stop eating a certain food to see if your symptoms go away.
Your doctor may send you to an allergist say: AL - ur-jist , a special doctor who helps people who have allergies. An allergist may give you a scratch test to see if a tiny bit of an allergen will cause a reaction on your skin. You'll feel a quick pinch when the doctor makes the scratch or scratches. If you're allergic, one or more spots will become bumpy, itchy, and red — like a mosquito bite. Some doctors also might test a kid's blood to look for IgE, a substance called an antibody say: AN-tie-bah-dee that signals an allergic reaction. If you have large amounts of this antibody in your blood, you are probably allergic to the allergen.
Your doctor will probably suggest ways to stay away from the allergen or prescribe a medicine for you to try.
Allergy medicine can be pills, liquids, or even sprays for your nose. If your allergies aren't too bad or if you can avoid the allergen completely, you might not need to take medicine — staying away from the allergen might be enough to control your allergy. If your symptoms don't get better by staying away from allergens and taking medicines, an allergist might recommend allergy shots.
These shots make your immune system less sensitive to the allergens and can make you feel better. Unfortunately, shots and most medicines don't help with food allergies.