How to Tell If Your Child Has An Allergy

Children love to explore, have fun, spend time outdoors, play sports and eat their favorite foods, but what happens when one of these activities causes impacts they health in a negative ways? According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, more than 50 million American suffer from allergies. For most people these allergies start in childhood, and can be quite a challenge to manage for a young person.

As parents, nothing would be more helpful than spotting the allergies early so your child can get the necessary treatment as soon as possible. It won’t always be easy to spot an allergic reaction in your kids because they are sometimes subtle, but if you pay attention to the right information, you will be able to figure out whether your kid needs to see a doctor who can run more tests.

Common Causes of Allergies

The main triggers and culprits of allergies in children are;  

• Pollen
• Animals
• Perfume
• Smoke
• Peanuts
• Dairy Products
• Pet Hair
• Dust
• Lotions and oils

These are some things you can pay attention to and see if any of them have an effect on your childhood. If they do, cut it out.

Here are some initial telltale signs of an allergic reaction and some solutions to help your kid get some relief.

Food Intolerance

There are certain foods that trigger allergies, and if your kid eats something and they have a negative reaction that’s a sign. For example, he or she might have an upset stomach, vomit or experience uncomfortable gas and bloating. It’s great if you can determine what food is causing this, and one thing you can do on your own is remove a food you suspect one at a time, and see if they have the same reaction. For certainty, it would be worth them getting a blood test to know. For a lot of people dairy products and eggs are foods their bodies just can’t tolerate,  and there’s nothing wrong with that. They can still get to enjoy tasty meals with more allergy-friendly alternatives.

Skin Irritation

A lot of people have very sensitive skin that can get infected by anything from lotion to grass. If you want to tell if your kid is one of those people, notice if their skin has any reactions in the form of eczema, hives, a rash, swelling or itching. There could be a particular ingredient in a product that could be triggering that reaction. Also, if they wear any non-natural fibers, their skin could also get irritated. If your kid complains of anything like that or you notice it, there are a few actions you can take. You can change their skin products to natural ones to see if there’s a change. Companies like Nature’s Repair, offer a wide range of natural products that could just be what your child’s skin needs.

Breathing Difficulties

One of the scarier signs of allergies is trouble breathing and/or anaphylaxis. It’s a reaction where your airways narrow due to exposure to something you’re allergic to, usually peanuts and bee stings. It’s very important that if you suspect that your child is allergic to peanuts and bees that you get them tested for this. If they have it, the doctor will equip them with an EpiPen so there’s treatment in the case of an emergency they can have on them. Another step you would have to take is making sure that people at school know about it, so that your kid is never exposed to food with peanuts, even food prepared with peanut oil. It’s an arrangement that’s made for many people who have this allergy.

Sneezing

It’s not normal for someone to sneeze all the time when they don’t have a cold, but when someone has an allergy to dust and pollen, they would experience sneezing anytime they are exposed to them. If your child shows symptoms of a cold even when they don’t have it, and they’ve been around flowers or a dusty area, they could have an allergy. There’s usually medication that can be taken to mitigate this, and provide some much needed relief.

Allergies are a pretty common occurrence, and very often our kids experience them. As a parent, it’s natural to worry but there is so much we can do to help our kids feel better, and your family doctor can be very helpful in coming up with solutions you can implement into your child’s daily life. Having an allergy doesn’t have to take away from the joy and exploration of childhood. If managed correctly, your kid can have a normal life, and not worry about an allergy running their lives.