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This reaction causes symptoms that can seem like a cold. Allergies often run in families. Seasonal allergies occur at the same time each year. If your child has allergy symptoms all year, they may be allergic to things (allergens) in the home. These can include dust mites, animals, mold, and cockroaches. The table below is a guide to symptoms.
- Overview
- Growing prevalence
- What happens
- The basic signs
- Check skin for allergies
- Respiratory symptoms
- Tummy problems and other signs of allergies
- The allergy gang of eight
- Pet allergies
- Allergy assistance
Your child is not alone
An estimated 50 million Americans have allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These allergies usually show up in infancy or childhood. Allergies can get in the way of your child’s ability to sleep well, play, and function in school. Here’s what to look out for and how to determine if your child’s symptoms may be an allergy.
The prevalence of skin and food allergies in American children jumped between 1997 and 2011, says the CDC. The rate of respiratory allergies, the most common type among children, remained stable during this period. The CDC data show varying prevalence by age, with younger children more likely to have skin allergies and older children more likely to...
In an allergic reaction, your immune system kicks in to defend against what is considered a normal substance for most people, but isn’t for your body. The allergen, or offending substance, can be food, pet dander, or pollen from grasses or trees. It can trigger a host of reactions. Your immune system will react as if it’s fighting off a foreign inv...
Your child may have allergies if they have runny, itchy, red, or swollen eyes that persist for more than a week or two. The same goes for a runny nose. Are the symptoms chronic? Does your child say that their mouth or throat itches or tingles? Do they scratch their ears? The American Academy of Pediatrics says these may be allergy symptoms, possibl...
The skin, the body’s largest organ and part of the immune system, will sometimes react in protest to an allergen. Check your child’s skin for eczema, which shows up as dry, red, scaly patches that itch. Watch for hives, which may also signal an allergy. These red welts on the skin can range in size. They can be as small as the tip of a pen or as la...
Hay fever or other allergies can affect your child’s breathing. If you hear a noisy wheeze when your child breathes or if you notice rapid breathing or shortness of breath, have your child checked by their pediatrician. A dry, hacking cough with clear mucus is another sign of respiratory allergies. Observe your child at play. If they seem to tire e...
Allergies can set off intestinal symptoms in children. If your child often complains of stomach cramps or has repeated attacks of diarrhea, this may hint at an allergy. Other signs of allergies in children can include headache or excessive fatigue.
Allergies can also affect your child’s behavior, producing unusually crabby or restless moods. Consider keeping a symptom log to share with your pediatrician, noting the symptom and what happened right before its onset (e.g., exposure to a pet or eating a certain food).
According to the Mayo Clinic, these eight foods contribute to 90 percent of food allergies:
•milk
•eggs
•peanuts
•tree nuts, such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts
•fish, such as bass, cod, and flounder
The presence of household pets, even shorthaired animals that don’t shed, can provoke allergy symptoms in children. It’s not the pet itself that causes allergies, but its dander (dead skin cells), saliva, urine, and fur. If your child sneezes and wheezes after playing with or holding a pet, consider having them tested for animal allergies.
Your pediatrician can help you sort out whether your child’s symptoms are allergy related and can assist you in formulating a management plan. Easing skin, respiratory, or intestinal allergy symptoms may require antihistamines or other medication. You can teach your child strategies to avoid or decrease allergic reactions, including passing up cert...
- Treacy Colbert
Common Allergic Conditions in Children Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) Allergic rhinitis is the most common childhood ailment caused by allergies. Symptoms include a runny and itchy nose, sneezing, postnasal drip and nasal congestion (blockage). A child with allergies may also have itchy, watery, red eyes and chronic ear problems.
6. Duration of symptoms. Common cold symptoms rarely last longer than two weeks. Allergy symptoms will linger as long as the child is exposed to the allergen. With seasonal allergies, your child may have symptoms for many weeks at a time during pollen seasons in the spring, summer or fall. 7. Horizontal nasal line indicates possible allergy
Allergies in Children Allergy describes a condition involving the immune system that causes sneezing and itching, chronic rashes, wheezing, or even life-threatening allergic reactions. Whether these reactions are minor or serious, there are things you can do to prevent or control most allergic problems.
What are the symptoms of allergies in a child? It can be hard to tell what is causing allergy symptoms in a child (or an adult, for that matter), or even identify common allergy symptoms to begin with. Let’s start with the basics, and focus on spring allergies, food allergies, and indoor allergies. Common spring allergy symptoms include:
People also ask
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What should parents know about allergies?
Children born into families where allergies already exist show a higher than average chance of developing allergies themselves. Allergic symptoms can affect the nose, throat, ears, eyes, airways, digestion and skin in mild, moderate or severe form. When a child first shows signs of an allergy it is not always clear what has caused the symptoms ...
