Helping a Child with Allergies

By andreibest On October 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Marmalade fly sitting on a grey-haired rockros...

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There are many types of allergies.

There are indoor and outdoor allergies, seasonal allergies, hay fever, food allergies, and allergies to cleaning and household products, plants, animals and so forth. Some children are even photosensitive meaning they need to avoid the sun. If one or both parents have allergies the odds are that their children will too, particularly the oldest one.

An allergy is caused by a strong immune system.

When the body mistakenly believes that a substance may be harmful to the body it causes an allergic reaction in that individual. The item that causes the reaction is an allergen. The body’s immune system release chemicals into the bloodstream, one of which is called a histamine.

Symptoms may include:

Congestion
Cramps
Dark circles under the eyes
Difficulty breathing
Frequently breathing through the mouth rather than the nose
Hives
Recurrent ear problems such as ear infections
Runny nose and/or eyes
Sneezing
Swollen tongue
Vomiting

Choose your child’s medications wisely.

The best way to deal with an allergen is to avoid it, then there will be no allergic reaction, but sometimes allergens are unavoidable such as grass or pollen. To avoid allergy symptoms such as runny noses, red itchy eyes, sinus headaches, itching from rashes and so forth parents sometimes rely on over the counter medications such as Benadryl. Benadryl is not always practical though as it causes drowsiness which may help the child sleep but is not practical for daytime relief.

Always monitor a child for reactions and effectiveness of medications.

There are over the counter medications which do not cause drowsiness and there are also prescription medications, but any medication also poses the risks of side effects so a child should be monitored to determine the medications effectiveness and safety. Some medications used are:

Allegra
Claritin
Epinephrine
Flonase
Nasonex
Rhinocort Aqua
Singulair
SinuCleanse
Zyrtec

Image of a dust mite

Avoiding triggers can help to better manage allergies.

Remember that a high humidity will encourage the growth of mold so running a humidifier will increase the amount of mold and dust mites in the home. Some of the most common triggers are:

Animal dander – Note a child may be allergic to a long haired cat or dog but not a short haired cat or dog and so forth. Testing is needed to narrow down the cause before deciding upon an appropriate pet.
Cockroaches
Dust mites
Indoor mold spores
Outdoor mold spores
Pollen from grasses, trees and weeds

Eliminate exposure to allergens by pinpointing what they are by keeping a diary or getting your child tested. Once the culprit is found avoid the triggers whenever possible. Read product labels to avoid reactions if the allergy is to a chemical or food by avoiding products containing those allergens. If the allergy is to dust or dust mites, a special vacuum should be used one that consists of a cleaning system that allows one to remove the dust from the home and not just store it in the vacuum to reenter the air next time it is used. Remove heavy drapes and use special pillow and mattress covers which are made just for those with allergies, keep the windows closed when pollen levels are at their highest (if the allergy is to pollen), and if the allergy is to mold avoid damp areas of the home such as the basement. One may want to consider having a home with only hardwood floors or tile rather than carpet to avoid dust mites also.

Sometimes the best course of action is to undergo allergy shots.

If after pinpointing the cause of the allergies, avoiding allergens does not work, parents may want to take their child for allergy shots in order to stop the allergy from progressing to allergic asthma. Allergy shots work to actually prepare one by reducing the allergic reactions by injecting small amounts of the allergen into the system until there is eventually a change in the way their system reacts to the trigger.

Some allergic reactions can be life threatening.

Severe allergic reactions can cause anaphylaxis and may result in asthma attacks. Some are advised to carry an epinephrine injection and are taught how to give themselves a shot, usually in the thigh so as to not sustain anaphylactic reaction.

Asthma restricts the airways in a manner very similar to this picture:

During normal breathing periods the air goes through the nose and windpipe and into the bronchial tubes without restriction. During an asthma attack there are three main things which happen:

The bands of muscle surrounding the airways tighten and cause a narrowing commonly referred to as bronchospasm.
The airway linings become inflamed and swollen.
Cells lining the airways produce more mucus which is thicker than normal.

In conclusion there are many types of allergies some much more serious than others. Some allergic reactions are avoidable while others are not so preparing ahead of time is highly advisable. Allergies and medications must be monitored and a health care professional’s assistance should be sought.

Besides sharing his view on blogging, Luke Mathews loves reading free ebooks He would like to recommend people to download free ebooks and educate them self’s even more!