Children's allergies

Children's allergies differ from adults only by possible causes, etiology, and all other parameters, including the symptomatology, are almost identical. Children's allergies are often associated with a hereditary factor, so if one of the parents, or both suffer from allergic diseases, first of all, it is necessary to take preventive measures to prevent allergies in the child.

[1], [2], [3]

What causes a child allergy?

Allergic disease is the hypersensitivity of the immune system to various allergens, which can be caused by both external and internal factors. The list of allergens is so great that it is worthy not just a separate article, but also a format of serious scientific research. Often, as well as adult and child allergies are accompanied by polysymptomatics, this is because almost all systems and organs participate in the allergic process. Most often, children living in cities suffer from allergies, especially in large industrial megacities. It is not accidental that one of the main causes of allergies is considered to be an unfavorable ecological environment.

Among the typical provocateurs of children's allergies are the following: 

• All kinds of dust, especially household; 
• Products, especially whole milk; 
• Pollen of flowering plants, trees; 
• Insect bites; 
• Wool of animals, especially domestic animals; 
• Chemicals - household chemicals.

Symptoms of child allergy

Children's allergies manifest themselves clinically quite noticeably, any attentive parent will immediately be able to notice redness on the baby's skin, increased tearing, a runny nose of unclear etiology and other typical allergy symptoms. Manifestations of allergy in children begin almost instantly after contact with the carrier of the allergen or with the allergen itself. Children's allergies, as a rule, are not a serious threat to the health and life of the baby, however some of its symptoms, which can not be stopped without medical help, can be dangerous for the child's life. It's about choking and anaphylactic shock. In order that the childish allergy does not go into such a threatening stage, it is necessary to know how allergy is manifested in children and the symptoms differ from similar signs of other diseases: 

• Coryza of an allergic etiology. Unlike a common rhinitis, allergic rhinitis lasts more than ten days and is not stopped by standard means against the common cold caused by ARVI; 
• Sneezing, differs allergic sneezing from the usual, caused by a cold, frequency. Allergic sneezing is three to four sneezing in a row; 
• Redness of the eyelids, sclera of the eyes, itching and tearing - a typical sign of an allergic reaction; 
• "Classic" circles under the eyes, peculiar to allergies. Swelling under the eyes of a dark shade; 
• The child often rubs his nose, sometimes it lasts for weeks, which indicates a developing allergy. As a symptom, a typical allergic crease may appear between the eyes on the nose; 
• Difficulty breathing, stuffy nose. The child breathes through the mouth.

Allergies in newborns

Childrens allergies deserve special attention in newborns. Their body is not yet formed, all protective and barrier functions are weak, therefore the allergy is often expressed by food intolerance. With adequate diet and medication, observing the regimen of the day and strengthening the immune system, allergic food symptoms may pass with age. In children of this age, the allergy is manifested by typical dermatitis - reddening of the cheeks, rash and itching. Less common are enteritis of allergic etiology, which eventually disappear during normalization of nutrition.

Children's allergy, unfortunately, is a fairly common phenomenon that is supervised and administered therapy with timely actions from parents and doctors. The first most reliable means of treating allergies in children is to exclude contact with the allergen, but for this an allergenic provoker needs to be diagnosed and then start the complex of therapeutic measures under the strict supervision of the doctor.

[4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]

How is the child's allergy recognized?

Of course, the child's allergy is subject to differential diagnosis, since even an experienced doctor can sometimes make a clear diagnosis. Allergy is often masked by colds and its symptoms are also similar to manifestations of ARVI. The same runny nose, moderate increase in body temperature, shortness of breath due to a stuffy nose. Differentiation of allergy is possible by the time period of the course of the disease, as a rule, SARS does not exceed 10 days in duration. The allergy lasts much longer, especially if contact with the allergen continues. The rhinitis, more precisely allocation from a nose, at cold has more dense consistence, than at an allergy, an allergic rhinitis is accompanied by transparent secretory allocation.

Allergens, provoking reactions in children, can be pollen, wool and animal dander, dust, food. The child's organism reacts quickly enough to the invasion of the allergic agent, throwing into the blood specific antibodies and histamines. It is histamine is the main culprit, "provoker" of allergic troubles in the baby. At the child the most sensitive zones are the skin, the respiratory system and the gastrointestinal tract. Especially often the child's allergy has nutritional reasons, among which the allergy to the protein of whole milk is leading. Also, an allergy in a child may manifest non-standard signs for this disease, such as enuresis, older children often become melancholic, may exhibit symptoms of depression. In adolescents, a child's allergy often looks like acne, acne.