5 things to know about children allergies!

Allergies affect us all a little bit differently. Perhaps you grew up with an allergy, or maybe discovered some along the way. Early detection of allergies in children is always best, as it helps you, are parents, prepare for the situation and understand exactly what is happening with your child. There’s nothing worse than seeing your child sick or suffer from a reaction without knowing what’s causing it. That’s why it is so important for you to know more about pediatric allergic rhinitis and other symptoms. The more you know about children allergies, the better off you can treat your child and be there for them, should they ever experience an allergic reaction.

What is Pediatric Allergic Rhinitis?

The symptoms attached to this are likely familiar to you. When suffering from it, there is an inflammation of the mucous membrane within the nose. This leads to a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing and even a post-nasal drip. These kind of symptoms are some of the most common allergic reactions. If your child begins to suffer from these symptoms and yet it is not cold and flu season, or they don’t have any other displays of a cold, there’s a good chance they are suffering an allergic reaction. These kinds of reactions are common when allergic to pets (such as cats), or if there’s a mind allergy to certain foods.

In more extreme cases, pediatric allergic rhinitis may also lead to some coughing, itching and headaches. Your child may suffer from puffy, itchy or watery eyes as the mucus membranes do run through the eyes.

These symptoms are also common during allergy season, when pollen and dust are present. When your child first displays these kinds of symptoms it is highly recommended to come in and have an allergy test performed. This way, it’s possible to not only determine whether or not the symptoms are caused by an allergy, but what the allergy may be.

One in 13 Children Have Food Allergies

Food allergies are a growing commonality. It occurs when the immune system sees a specific food as a threat and responds to the new danger. In many cases, it is possible to slowly expose the body to certain foods over a long period of time in order to reduce, or completely eliminate the symptom. The most common food allergies children experience revolve around peanuts, milk, eggs, tree nuts (like walnuts), wheat, soy, fish and shellfish (shrimp, lobster and crab).

Allergies to soy, milk and eggs are some of the more common allergies children may outgrow. However, allergies to peanuts, shellfish, tree nuts and fish are allergies, according to Kids With Food Allergies (2017) are less likely to grow out of.

Steps in Avoiding Reactions

Both you and your child want to avoid allergic reactions. No matter how much your child might want to enjoy the ice cream or scrambled eggs, if there is an allergy to these foods the reactions can vary from mild to life threatening. This is why it is important for your child to be tested for allergies in order to see what foods bring the highest level of risk. After discovering how certain foods affect your child, it is then necessary to take steps in order to avoid reactions.

The top priority for avoiding allergies, if food based, are reading labels. Knowing how to read food labels is important. Most foods indicate whether or not there are peanuts, soy, milk, eggs or other common allergy based foods within the product. However, whenever buying a new kind of food it is always important to read the ingredients. When at restaurants, it’s necessary to ask about what ingredients are used in foods. Restaurants are required to provide these answers when regards to allergies.

For allergies connected to dust, dander and pollen, maintaining a clean house is important, as is regular dusting and vacuuming. Changing out the filters within the vacuum helps prevent dirt from being kicked back into the air. It’s also important to invest in high-quality air filters for the home’s HVAC system.

Above everything else, the best way to avoid reactions is to educate your child on how to manage their allergies. The younger you start with your child, the earlier they will grasp the concept of allergies. It is also important to teach your child how to use the epinephrine auto injector if they are having an allergic reaction.

Know Your Child’s Allergies

You would do anything for your child. You want to keep them safe and pain free, which is why understanding their allergies is very important. That is why you need to have your child tested early on for allergies, especially if they show signs of pediatric allergic rhinitis or other common symptoms of allergies.