A myriad of particles/substances can act as allergens and trigger children's allergy symptoms. Common indoor allergens include dust mite, cockroach, pet dander and some molds, while outdoor allergens include trees, grass, weed pollen and other molds. Patients who are allergic to indoor allergens tend to be symptomatic year-round, while those who are allergic to pollens develop symptoms almost exclusively during the pollen season.
Allergies in Children
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Children who who have many siblings appear to be protected against developing allergies. In this video, Jessica Savage, MD, Clinical & Laboratory Immunologist at Brigham and Women's hospital discusses the hygiene hypothesis and allergies. -
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UCLA Health answeredSee All 2 AnswersTalk with your doctor if you think your child might have allergies. Based on what the child’s symptoms are and a physical exam, the doctor should be able to make a diagnosis. If not, he or she may refer you to an allergist for blood or allergy skin tests.
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RealAge answered
A true allergic reaction to a medication usually involves hives, wheezing, or difficulty swallowing or breathing (all can be a true emergency). Your child may have a nonallergic reaction or side effect that may include stomachache, diarrhea, or sun sensitivity. Side effects do not necessarily mean that your child should stop taking the medicine, but call your doctor right away and check if you suspect something is wrong.
Most reactions are not serious. Since kids are typically taking only one medication at a time for an acute condition (such as an ear infection), we don’t have to worry quite as much as we do for adults, who might be taking several medications at once, which can complicate things.
If your child breaks out in hives, for example, call the doctor, who’ll advise you what to do next, such as stop the medicine or switch to something else. Your doctor will note the reaction in your child’s medical record so that the medication won’t be prescribed again. Add this to your home records, too, and tell the pharmacist so the reaction is in your child’s prescription record. The chance of a reaction is worrisome, I know, but the benefits of a needed medication usually far outweigh the possible side effects.
From The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents by Jennifer Trachtenberg.
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RealAge answeredSee All 4 Answers
Allergies are an exaggerated immune response triggered by a variety of substances, from food to pets and chemicals, mold and plants. They cause such symptoms as sinus inflammation, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, skin rashes, scratchy throat, hives and difficulty breathing. Of all chronic conditions affecting children, allergies rank near the top. The good news is that your child may outgrow whatever allergy they have today!
From Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children by Jennifer Trachtenberg.
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RealAge answered
Your doctor should instigate an in-depth discussion about what might be triggering the allergic reaction. She should ask about where you were and what you were eating beforehand, depending on the type of reaction. She’ll also ask what’s different in your life right now that didn’t exist before the reaction.
Then she’ll ask you and your child to be aware of these potential triggers and make a note if your child has a reaction. If you can’t figure it out this way, an in-office radioallergosorbent test (RAST) might help. This a blood test to identify what is causing your allergies. Once you know what’s causing the allergy, the best thing to do is to avoid it.
When avoiding the trigger is not possible, she’ll suggest over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription antihistamines for seasonal allergies to prevent and tone down the overreaction your body has to the substance. The only drawback to most short-acting OTC antihistamines is that they may cause drowsiness. However, Claritin and Alavert are non-sedating and are now available without a prescription. Longer-acting antihistamines require a prescription.
Depending on the severity of your child’s allergies, she may need an allergy shot. These are given when the allergen can’t be avoided and the symptoms become unbearable.
For food allergies, your doctor should write a prescription for an Epi Pen, which is an auto-injector of epinephrine in a lightweight “pen” for allergic emergencies. Keep it in close proximity to your child at all times.
From Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children by Jennifer Trachtenberg.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredThis is a big responsibility for families and children, but fortunately there are a lot of resources available, and the awareness of food allergies is far greater than in the past. One good resource is the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) at www.foodallergy.org. They have a special section on their website dedicated to school, childcare and camp environments with strategies for keeping your allergic child safe.