Allergies can be caused by a number of different things.  Common allergens are tree, grass, or weed pollens, latex, molds, dust mites, animal fur or dander, medicines, foods, feathers, bee stings, or pests.  An allergic reaction is when the immune system overreacts. 

The immune system’s job is to fight off danger, germs, bacteria, or viruses.  When an allergen comes into your system, and you have an allergic reaction, that is your immune system thinking most of the time harmless allergen is dangerous. 

Kids can be allergic to anything, and any child can have an allergy.  Usually most people’s allergies start in childhood and then continue through adulthood.  Allergies can go into remission for years, and then become present again.  Children who have never shown any signs of allergies can also develop them spontaneously as well. 

Most of the time children will not present with allergies until after the age of 2.  This is because for most allergies you have to be exposed to the allergen before you know if you are allergic or not.  Your child before 2 has not been properly exposed to everything to know if they have a true allergy.  

One of the most common allergies in children is seasonal allergies.  Seasonal allergies happen at certain times of the year, when different pollen counts are high.  In the spring time the flower and tree pollen is at its highest.  In the summer the grass pollen is the highest.  Weed and mold spores are highest in the fall.  Seasonal allergies will usually present in children before they are 20 years old.  

 

Symptoms

Allergic reactions can occur in the skin, eyes, lining of stomach, nose, sinuses, throat, and lungs.  All of these places have the immune system present to fight off any harmful substances.  So it is normal to get symptoms in any of these places when dealing with allergies. 

Symptoms for allergies are chronic and last more than a week or two.  Symptoms can easily be mistaken for a cold.  Rarely will your child have a fever with an allergy.  So if they have a fever, most likely something else is going on.  Sometimes an easy way to see if your child is fighting allergies or a common cold, is to see if they get the same symptoms at the same time every year. 

Symptoms can include stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose that is thin, clear and persistent, postnasal drip, or a dry and crusty nose.  Itchy ears, red itchy watery eyes, itchy throat, wheezing, or a cough are all common symptoms as well. 

Less common symptoms that can still occur are hives, rash, headache, fatigue, or nausea.  Your child may also have dark circles under their eyes.  Allergy symptoms can increase ear and sinus infections in your child.  They can also exacerbate asthma symptoms. 

Children who suffer from allergies may also suffer from lack of sleep.  

 

Diagnosis

Talking with your child’s pediatrician can help diagnose your child’s allergies.  Depending on your child’s symptoms and if there is a pattern of them being sick at the same time every year your pediatrician may be able to diagnose their allergies. 

In some cases you doctor may refer you to an allergy specialist.  An allergy doctor will want to either do a skin prick test, or a blood test to see what kind of allergies your child may have. 

To get exact allergens a skin prick test is the best diagnosing tool.  These pricks are usually done on the forearm or the back of the child.  A tiny prick is made in their skin, then a liquid containing an allergen is placed on the spot.  After about 15 minutes the doctor will check the spot to see if there was any reaction to the allergen.  A red raised bump can be enough of a sign of an allergic reaction, where other reactions may be much more severe.  

 

Prevention

The best way to prevent your child from having an allergic reaction is to avoid their allergens.  When that isn’t possible there are some things you can do to help keep allergies at bay. 

One is to make sure you wash your child’s hands and face every time they come in from being outside.  At the end of the day it is important to make sure your child takes a shower or a bath to wash off all the allergens that may be on their skin or clothing.  Change their clothes after being outside for extended periods of time. 

If your child has a grass allergen, make sure they are wearing clothing that covers their skin to lower the possibility of contact.  When doing laundry, dry your child’s clothing in a dryer machine instead of a clothes line.  Allergens can be blown around in the wind, and can attach themselves to clothing. 

Keep windows shut in your house and your cars. 

Avoid going outdoors when the pollen counts are too high as much as possible. 

Remove shoes when entering your house.  Shoes can track allergens from outside.  Your pet that comes in and out of the house can also bring allergens in and out.  Wiping their paws and wiping their fur can help knock off allergens by the door instead of dragging them through the house. 

A dehumidifier can help lower the humidity in moist areas of your home. 

Vacuuming regularly can also help lower the amount of allergens in your home.  

 

Treatment

In some cases your child may need some form of medication to help alleviate some of their symptoms.  There are over the counter allergy medications that can help your child.  If those don’t help symptoms your doctor may prescribe you an antihistamine.  Another option is nasal sprays, or nasal corticosteroids. 

Immunotherapy can be done if your doctor is trying to lessen your symptoms so you don’t have to take daily medications.  Immunotherapy is when your child will get allergy shots regularly to help reduce symptoms. 

Decongestants can work on some children.  If your child has asthma they may need additional asthma medications to help manage that on top of their allergies. 

Depending on your child’s discomfort and symptoms, will depend on what course of treatment your doctor will want you to follow. 

 

Purium’s Immune Shield is the all-natural, proactive support for your child’s immune system. Just a few drops can keep children healthier as well as re-balance little bodies when they aren’t at 100% strength.

 

 

READ MORE:  Grass Pollen Allergy


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