Today one of the most common problems is allergies in children, symptoms of which to some extent can be observed in every fourth child. Of course, in any case, the issue should not be left unattended. And, frankly, it is hardly possible - the symptoms are usually very clearly expressed, the child suffers badly enough.
Of course, to cope with the disease parents can not afford, do not even try - only to miss precious time. But the later treatment is started, the more difficult it will be to suppress the allergy. To time to see a doctor, parents should be aware of possible symptoms behold allergies in children. But let's take first things first, because there are several types of allergies, each of which has its own symptoms.
Allergic hay fever
The most common by far the allergy in children - it's hay fever. This term doctors call allergic reaction in children, develops in response to the penetration into the body of the child pollen. Doctors have noticed a pattern - this type of allergy is most common in children born during the active flowering plants. In addition, the decisive role played by genetic predisposition - if at least one of the parents suffers from an allergic reaction to pollen likely to develop hay fever in a child increases three times. For allergic hay fever characterized by the following symptoms:
Conjunctivitis
Tearing, redness, itching and stinging - the first symptoms that should make parents wary. After all, even if their originator is not an allergy, and bacterial infection, access to a doctor, an optometrist must!
Runny nose
The child may complain of severe itching in the nose, there are strong watery discharge, deterioration of the sense of smell. At night, the nose is usually laid. Note - nasal discharge in allergic rhinitis always watery, transparent! Otherwise, most likely, the child had a cold.
Sneezing
In most cases, during the hay fever allergic child begins to sneeze. Paroxysmal sneezing, very much annoying kid.
Headache, tinnitus
In severe cases, the child may complain of headache, tinnitus. Especially if the nose crumbs laid.
The treatment of hay fever should appoint allergist and strictly controlled. But parents depends very much. First, obey all prescription, follow the regularity of medication. Second, control the diet of the sick child. Here we will talk about those products that are strictly contraindicated for all children suffering from various allergic reactions.
In addition, parents need to change the schedule of the child's stay in the fresh air. Most of the pollen in the air is observed from 6 to 10 hours and from 18 to 22 hours. At this time, try not to let the child out and do not open the windows. And in the rest of the time window should be tightened a dense wet gauze cloth.
Food allergies
Another very common type of allergy - a food allergy. And if hay fever is very rarely makes itself felt in the first years of life, food allergy is often tormented by the crumbs from the first days of the birth. Symptoms of food allergy are expressed strongly enough:
Redness and rashes
Depending on the severity of the allergic reaction and the individual characteristics of the child's skin can simply blush, or skin rashes appear. The area of skin lesions may also be very different. The most common lesions observed on the child's little face, elbows, knees, abdomen and back.
Peeling Skin
In addition to the child's skin rash allergic reactions it becomes very dry and starts to peel off. Most often it occurs on the cheeks, elbows and knees baby. Most often suffer from a similar dermatitis kids under the age of three years.
Itching of the skin
In almost all cases, the rash is very itchy, thus bringing immense discomfort to the child. Itching is amplified in the evening and night.
The main task - to find out what kind of product the child developed an allergic reaction. When it comes to babies, who have not yet received complementary foods, and is on artificial feeding, this problem does not present any difficulty - an allergy occurred on the mixture, which receives the child.
But if the baby is breastfed or receives a lure, or old enough, and eats with the family, the parents have to work, figuring out the source of the problem. To do this, keep a food diary - carefully record all the foods that eat nursing mother or the child. If this method does not work, there are two scenarios:
Suckling
If your baby is eating my mother's milk, the woman should observe strict hypoallergenic diet. After the allergy symptoms disappear, the woman should start typing in your diet new products - no more than once every three days. And carefully observe the reaction of the body of the baby. Typically, in most cases it is thus possible to identify an allergen. The same is carried out when the food allergy plagued child under the age of five years.
Allergic test
If the child is five years old, the best option would be allergoproby. As they are held, we will tell you a little bit lower.
Other allergies
Unfortunately, hay fever and food allergies - are not the only allergic reactions, which may be faced by children. Allergist secrete a variety of allergens:
Library and house dust
Various household chemicals: washing powders, detergents and cleaning agents
Animal dander, feathers, feather
And this is not a complete list of allergens. Children's bodies are very unpredictable. For example, doctors are known cases of severe allergic reactions to synthetic fabrics, sharp smell, sun, frost and even water.
And symptoms like allergic reactions can be much more serious than a simple skin rash. Physicians should as soon as possible to seek medical help if the child has the following symptoms:
Strong barking cough
Rales in the lungs, whatever they may be intensity
Husky voice of a child
Loss of consciousness
All these symptoms may indicate the development of pulmonary edema, which is a serious threat to life of the child. Therefore, immediately lay the child, open all windows and call the brigade "first aid". If you have a house there antihistamines, before the arrival of doctors give medicine to a child. Please note - it can be done only if the child is conscious. Otherwise, he could choke.
Diagnosis of allergy
So, what should parents do to suspect the child has allergies? Of course, consult your doctor. The first thing a doctor will do - it will set the allergens to which the child's body reacts. There are two ways to do this:
Skin allergy tests
This method - the most popular among doctors allergists around the world. However, they can be carried out only under the condition that the child is five years old. Otherwise, to obtain reliable results can not be. And the extra load of the child's body does not need.
To carry out these assays on the inner side of the forearm are made shallow scratches. These scratches aqueous solution is applied to various allergens. After some time, doctors evaluate the result. Those scratches that were red and swollen, and point to an allergen, which is sensitive to the child's body. For every possible application of 10 allergens. This method doctors use for more than 10 years, but in recent years scientists have become more and more talk about his poor performance - no more than 70%.
Blood test
That is why allergists increasingly prescribe blood tests, during which time and tracks all allergens. In addition to the high reliability of the survey method has one very tangible advantage - it can be done even in the youngest children.
Treatment of allergies in children
So, the enemy is determined, the time to start large-scale military action. Of course, you first need to remove the source of allergies - allergen itself. Or at least to reduce the child's contact with the allergen to a possible minimum. However, this usually is not enough, and no treatment is necessary.
Medication
The doctor will appoint a child drugs that are optimally suited to him. Today, a new generation of allergy medications without flaws their previous counterparts - they do not cause drowsiness baby, and getting used to it there. Available similar preparations, usually in the form of a sweet syrup, so give your child the medicine will have no difficulty. In no case do not buy a child allergy medications on their own without a doctor's prescription - you can only worsen the situation.
Homeopathic treatment
In recent years become increasingly popular homeopathic treatment of allergies. Those who have tried it say that the result is very, very effective. However, it will have to wait a very long time. Yes, and professionals involved in the treatment of children suffering from allergies do not find so easy.
Treatment is based on a simple mechanism - using homeopathic drugs reached the restructuring of the whole body of a sick child, changing the immune system to the allergen. The drug starts with very low doses that are gradually increased. The immune system learns to react to the allergen. To obtain the desired results it is important to strictly follow the pattern of the drug.
Such treatment is particularly effective if it is impossible to eliminate allergen - for example, dust mite. A homeopathic treatment allows you to save the child from allergies just 3-4 stimulus. This treatment should begin in the autumn, when the body is least susceptible to any and all allergens.
The image of the child's life
Even if you succeeded with the help of treatment to deal with attacks, we must not forget that allergy may at any time give themselves felt. Therefore, the baby's parents must reverse image of the child's life. And not only the child, but also his. It is important to observe the following rules and regulations:
Compliance with hypoallergenic diet
It does not matter what it is called an allergy in children - to observe the hypoallergenic diet is still necessary. The first is strictly exclude from the diet of children following products: chicken, honey, eggs, all kinds of fish, soft drinks, cocoa, chocolate, all foods containing artificial colors and fragrances. And if the child is suffering from a food allergy, the list of approved products is shrinking even more - porridge on the water, mucous soups, non-carbonated bottled water, steam cutlets.
The apartment where the child lives
If you are allergic children, parents need to make some changes in the apartment. Firstly, it is necessary to abandon the carpet, because they are the source of dust accumulation. Secondly, you need to get rid of the soft toys, for the same reason. Wet cleaning should be done at least twice a day. The use of household chemicals and is highly undesirable, replace them with good old-fashioned soda and soap.
The hardest hit have families who have pets. Tragically, children are allergic to even dry food for fish. What to do in your particular case, it is best pursued with the allergist.
Flowering plants
In that case, if the child is suffering from an allergy to pollen, parents should keep in mind the schedule of their bloom. This measure will help to prevent the attack of the disease. And it is always easier to do than subsequently treat hay fever.
Compliance with all these rules and under the strict control treatment allergist in most cases allow you to completely defeat allergy in children. Be healthy!
We recommend that read: Atopic dermatitis in children - Treatment
