7 Common Allergies In Children

Typical Types and Signs of Allergies In Children

Many of the common allergies in children can easily be prevented simply by avoiding exposure to the trigger. Upon contact with an allergen, the child’s body will produce natural histamines to ward off the intruding particle. However, histamines also cause other bodily reactions such as skin itching, rashes and swelling. It can also cause allergy asthma problems.

Different Allergens

There are many different substances or allergens that can result in child allergy symptoms. An allergen is a substance that causes an allergic response when introduced to the body, whether internally or externally. There are two types of allergic responses.

1. One of them causes common symptoms, such as sneezing, watery eyes and a runny nose
2. While other allergic reactions can be life-threatening – causing breathing compromise, low blood pressure and possible death.

The severity of the reaction depends on an individual’s predisposition to a particular allergic substance. Some of these substances can be found in the food that the child eats, in the atmosphere, or in various chemicals that the child has been exposed to.

Sometimes a child allergy will develop after prolonged exposure to certain allergens, but there are also times when the reaction immediately takes place. Many allergies do not not medical intervention, but you can ask your naturopath for natural medicines or you can use other herbal allergy relief remedies.

There are herbal and homeopathic allergy medicines and many home remedies for allergy relief.

Types of Allergies

If you are not yet aware of what your child is allergic to, it would be a good idea to observe any of the common allergy triggers. You may witness some of the ones that follow:

• Pollens – Some children are only allergic to a specific type of pollen while others can instantly commence sneezing the moment they get into contact with any kind of pollen. Child seasonal allergies are common and you may be unsure whether it is an allergy or cold.

• Molds – The spore of the mold, which is released when the mold has dried, is actually what triggers a lot of allergic reactions. For more better protection, it would be advisable to avoid both wet and dry molds.

• Dust mites – When these minute particles find their way into a child’s air passages, they can cause breathing difficulties, colds and headaches.

• Animal dander – These are tiny particles that come from the hair of animals. Contrary to popular belief, it is this particle and not the hair itself that causes these types of pet allergies in children.

• Cleaning chemicals – Harsh ingredients found in detergents, pesticides, air fresheners and some ordinary bath soaps can cause a child to suffer from allergic reactions so you should be careful when picking which products you use in the house.

• Foods – Different allergic reactions may occur after the consumption of certain foods and anyone, adult or child, may experience severe anaphylactic shock. Some of the most common culprits are peanuts, eggs, milk, shellfish and wheat.

• Insect venom stings or bites – If stung by a bee or other insect – bees do not bite, they have a sting – you can observe the stung area for swelling, rashes or redness as these are the typical signs of an allergic reaction. Remember it is normal to have a slight reaction, this is our body’s defense mechanism – many people say they have an allergy because they ‘swell’ when in actual fact it is just a normal body reaction. It is our body’s own natural anti-histamine at work.  However a severe reaction can be a life-threatening problem. In such cases, be sure to seek medical help immediately.

Common Signs and Symptoms

The most typical symptoms of allergies in children are breathing difficulties, swelling, itching, watery eyes and a stuffy nose, but there are several other signs you can look out for too. Some of these include heart palpitations, bloating, irritability and extreme fatigue.

Allergic reactions can also be hereditary so if you already know that you are allergic to some substances, watch your child to see if they have the same problem as you. If they do you are better able to prevent your child from being exposed to these substances. If they are not showing any signs of a reaction, you can possibly rule out their being a problem in the future. Hopefully they won’t develop your own allergy as a adult.

Do you notice any other signs or symptoms that could possibly be a child’s allergic reaction? If so share your thoughts below.