What to do if the child's allergy persists. Allergy in children: types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Call an ambulance - here's what to do with severe allergies

Unfortunately, in recent years, more and more parents are faced with allergy issues in their young children. Pediatricians associate these manifestations with poor ecology, heredity, malnutrition and unhealthy lifestyle of the baby.

An allergy in an infant is an individual reaction of a small organism to the penetration of an antigen into it. The still weak immunity of the child, in response, begins to produce antibodies, the purpose of which is to expel a foreign element from the body. Therefore, the internal systems of the body are triggered by various external and internal manifestations.

Manifestations of allergies are on the skin of crumbs in the form of:

• various rashes and severe redness of the skin;
• itchy diathesis on the cheeks of the baby, on the eyebrows and skin;
• constant diaper rash and prickly heat, despite the careful care of the baby.

The reaction of the gastrointestinal system in the form of:

• constant regurgitation and nausea;
• fixed or loose stools with mucus or greens;
• colic and abdominal pain.

Reaction of the nasal mucosa - allergic rhinitis

Often there are also combined manifestations of the disease.

Some types of allergic manifestations are very dangerous for the baby, especially Quincke's edema or bronchospasm. Severe allergies cause swelling of the larynx, only a qualified doctor can help. It is urgent to give the baby an antihistamine drug and call an ambulance team of doctors.

Causes of illness in young children

Parents of newborns are often perplexed why in some babies the body normally perceives antigens, while in other children it manifests itself in the form of various lesions. The reaction does not go away, the parents are in despair and do not know what to do.

In addition to the above factors predisposing to allergic manifestations, pediatricians explain the disease by fetal hypoxia, colds and viral diseases, intestinal infections, which often disrupt the normal intestinal microflora. Also, in infants, due to their age, the digestive function has not yet normalized, and the strong permeability of the mucous membranes of the nose and larynx easily allows allergens to enter the bloodstream.

A woman’s smoking during pregnancy, the mother’s chronic diseases of the bronchi and lungs, as well as the cardiovascular system, and taking antibiotics while expecting a child have a bad role for the baby.

Pediatricians classify all antigens into external and internal. External allergens in contact with the skin include pet hair, dust, plant pollen, and cosmetics. Internal antigens are substances that enter the stomach and intestines of the child along with food.

According to experts in childhood allergic diseases, food allergies are considered the most common in infants.

Often, breastfeeding women mistakenly believe that in the case of feeding a baby with milk, they are 100% insured against the disease. This is completely wrong, allergens are often present in breast milk. What should be done in this case, a nursing mother? The answer is simple - carefully monitor your diet. If the child is on milk formulas, the cause should be sought in the composition of the mixture used, or the child has intolerance to cow's milk proteins.

When an allergen enters the baby's stomach and causes a number of internal and external negative reactions, most often the reaction shows itself immediately. But sometimes it happens that the reaction is slow and manifests itself a few hours after consuming such a product. This circumstance makes it difficult to determine the allergenic product.

Allergy diagnostics

The appearance of symptoms similar to allergic ones requires consultation of the baby with a pediatrician or a pediatric allergist. After examining the child, conducting special studies (ultrasound, special blood tests), asking parents about the diet of both the mother and the child, the doctor can make a diagnosis and tell the parents what they need to do to treat the baby.

Before starting antiallergic treatment, children from the age of one year are diagnosed with skin tests in order to determine exactly which product is causing the allergy. The essence of the method is as follows: something from a standard set of children's allergens (citrus, chocolate, eggs, honey) is placed on the skin, after a short time the doctor evaluates the result. Also, children's allergists suggest that parents keep a child's food diary. It should regularly record everything that the baby consumed during the day, and what reaction he had (rash, vomiting, urticaria, what was the stool after this meal).

Treatment of allergies in infants

The main thing in the treatment of food allergies is a strict diet and a ban on foods that cause it. Accordingly, if the baby is breastfed, his mother should not eat foods with potential allergens. For example, you should remove from the diet:

• salt, sugar;
• rich meat broths;
• any fried foods;
• limit dairy products, especially fatty sour cream and cottage cheese. It is also undesirable to eat yogurt or cottage cheese mixtures with artificial colors;
• fish, eggs, mushrooms, honey, cocoa, coffee, nuts;
• all red or orange fruits and vegetables.

This is not a complete list of prohibited products. An allergist will tell the nursing mother about all exceptions.

In a formula-fed baby, the most common cause of allergy is whole cow's milk proteins. The child may undergo a special examination to confirm the diagnosis. In such situations, the doctor recommends for the use of a mixture with a special hypoallergenic composition based on soy protein. Milk mixtures are also recommended, in which cow's milk protein is broken down to the level of amino acids - this state of the protein does not cause allergies.

The disadvantage of such mixtures is that in the first variant, some children are also allergic to soy protein, and in the second variant, the mixture is expensive and not very palatable.

If the elimination of the product with the allergen is chosen correctly, the reaction to it in the child passes.

To alleviate the condition of the baby, who has a severe allergy, the pediatrician prescribes antihistamines, adsorbents, all kinds of ointments to treat rashes and diaper rash and relieve itching and inflammation. Treatment of the intestinal microflora is corrected with the help of preparations with bifido- and lactobacilli.

What needs to be done to prevent the disease

Pediatricians advise to prevent the manifestation of allergies in babies to perform the following actions:

• up to six months, try not to give the baby any additional foods other than mother's milk;
• further, additional complementary foods consisting of one neutral component should be introduced in order to more easily understand its tolerance;
• if possible, do not give children's medicines sweetened and tinted with artificial flavors and colors;
• for child care, mothers should use only children's hypoallergenic cosmetics;
• for kids it is necessary to buy clothes from natural materials. Synthetic fabrics very often overheat the skin of the crumbs and cause allergic urticaria;
• doctors advise not to keep animals in the house, especially woolen ones;
• the air in the room should be clean, moderately cool and humid. Wet cleaning should be done more often in the child's room.

Over time, the internal organs of the child normalize their functions, especially the intestines and liver. With a healthy lifestyle, the baby's immune system will begin to adequately perceive allergens, and very often children's allergies in infants disappear.

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Diseases associated with hypersensitivity to certain substances are widespread, the number of allergy sufferers is constantly increasing. The first manifestations of pathology are possible in childhood. Parents should know the symptoms of the disease and clearly understand what to do if the child has an allergy.

Few parents are lucky enough not to face such a problem as the unexpected appearance of a rash on the skin of a child or nasal congestion after a walk in a flowering garden. A desperately sneezing baby with watery eyes is examined by a pediatrician, calling the diagnosis with the incomprehensible word "allergy".

Allergic diseases in children are common. At the heart of their pathogenesis is an overly pronounced reaction of the immune system to any irritant (allergen), which is a substance foreign to the body. The term "allergy" was introduced in 1906 by the pediatrician Clemens Pirquet, who made a great contribution to the study of the patterns of development of the interaction of the allergen with the immune system.

Causes

According to a simplified classification, an allergy in a child can develop acutely or gradually. In the first case, the disease is based on an immediate hypersensitivity reaction (anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema) and requires emergency medical care.

Pollinosis, or hay fever, has a similar pathogenesis. It is not so aggressive, but it can deliver a lot of discomfort to a small patient. The second option is called a delayed-type reaction and manifests itself mainly in the form of contact dermatitis, an immune-mediated inflammation of the skin.

In addition, allergies are divided into true and false. Despite the same manifestations, immunoglobulins do not participate in the development of pseudo-allergy.

A distinctive feature is the dependence on the concentration of the allergen.

A true allergic reaction is provoked by contact with its smallest particle; with a false allergy, the principle “the more - the worse” applies, in other words, the severity of symptoms and their presence in general is determined by the amount of the substance.

To understand how to cure an allergy in a child, you should know its most common types:

We must not forget about the high probability of allergies in the presence of helminthiases. Worm infestations are a provocation of allergic reactions as a result of the release of helminth waste products into the blood.

They become a trigger factor for primary allergies or aggravate the course of reactions that have already occurred. Helminthiases inhibit the intestinal microflora, thereby leading to dysbacteriosis.

The cause of persistent allergic reactions may be foci of chronic infection in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and other organs and systems.

Symptoms

Among the manifestations of allergies, there are several main groups of symptoms:

• respiratory;
• gastrointestinal;
• dermatological.

Respiratory symptoms include rhinitis (runny nose), itching of the nasal mucosa, cough, hoarseness, difficulty breathing, rough "barking" cough, noisy breathing as a result of laryngeal edema.

Allergic laryngitis, or false croup, is one of the most dangerous diseases, since an increase in edema leads to suffocation (asphyxia).

Such an allergy in a child should be treated as an emergency and a doctor should be called at the first sign.

Gastrointestinal allergy symptoms are a consequence of damage to the gastrointestinal tract as a result of immune reactions. Their appearance is initiated by various products (milk, nuts, soy). Acute symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea after ingestion of the allergen.

In addition to them, there are colic in infants as an allergy to cow's milk protein, which is difficult to cure due to untimely diagnosis. Gastrointestinal allergic syndrome also includes eosinophilic esophagitis, gastritis, gastroenteritis, colitis, and enteropathy.

Skin or dermatological manifestations are common in pediatric practice and are mainly due to food allergies. Urticaria is characterized by the presence of pink blisters that rise above the surface of the skin and excruciating itching.

Contact dermatitis is possible upon contact with an allergen in the composition of a hygiene product in the form of redness, a rash of various sizes.

You need to have an idea about the alarming symptoms, the appearance of which means severe disorders as a result of exposure to the allergen.

This is severe pain or itching at the injection site or an insect bite, accompanied by increasing pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, a sharp pain in the abdomen, combined with nausea and vomiting, swelling of the lips, larynx, cheeks, manifested by difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness.

Diagnostics

It is more difficult to treat an allergy in a child, the greater the range of possible provocateurs. The key to successful therapy is a comprehensive diagnosis. The following methods are applied:

Treatment

The first measure in the treatment of allergies is to eliminate the impact of the allergen on the body, i.e. stop contact with it. In addition to a hypoallergenic diet, toys with a filler that causes a reaction, detergents are removed from everyday life.

It is impossible to treat allergies in children as a transient process. With susceptibility to household allergens, frequent wet cleaning and replacement of the feather pillow are necessary.

Contact with pets should be avoided or minimized. A spa treatment or a trip outside the “allergic” zone when plants are flowering is good for a child with hay fever. In the presence of foci of chronic infection, their sanitation is required, that is, proper treatment.

As antiallergic drugs, H1-histamine blockers (cetirizine, erius), and glucocorticosteroids (fluticasone, beclamethasone) are used. Children over five years old prescribe drugs from the group of mast cell membrane stabilizers (zaditen, nedocromil sodium). Intestinal dysbiosis is corrected by taking probiotics (bifidumbacterin, linex).

How to treat allergies in an infant? First of all, you should consider the nutrition of the mother if the baby is breastfed, as well as the likelihood of dysbacteriosis. May need probiotics to regulate intestinal microflora, hypoallergenic diet for a nursing woman.

If it is impossible to remove the allergen and the risk of constant contact, allergen-specific immunotherapy is required. The method is implemented by introducing allergens with reduced activity into the blood, digestive tract, nasal cavity, by inhalation.

In this case, specific antibodies are formed that have the ability to bind allergens and block the release of histamine, the main mediator (mediator) of an allergic reaction. This procedure is contraindicated in severe bronchial asthma, oncological diseases, under the age of 5 years.

A food allergy in a child is an extremely unpleasant condition. Despite the apparent insignificance of the disease, it greatly reduces the quality of life. At the same time, it is sometimes difficult to identify pathology. After all, she is able to "mask" under various ailments. To prevent your child from becoming a victim of this disease, carefully read the characteristics of the disease.

Description of the disease

Food allergy in children, according to medical terminology, is a high sensitivity of the immune system to certain components contained in food. Pathology develops as a result of the fact that the protein (immunoglobulin E) enters into a chemical reaction with a separate "provoker".

In most cases, the manifestation of food allergies in a child is quite specific. Symptoms are easily recognized even by those parents who do not have a medical education.

But sometimes pathology can be quite insidious. Unpleasant symptoms that occur in a child are perceived by parents as infectious skin ailments, indigestion or a cold. At the same time, they do not even realize that food allergies are the basis of all manifestations.

Of course, the best solution is a timely visit to the doctor. This will allow not only to diagnose the pathology, but also to protect the baby from the development of negative consequences.

Causes

In children prone to pathology, the disease manifests itself very early. Often there is a food allergy in a month-old baby. Often it is manifested by itching and skin rashes.

The main causes that provoke allergic reactions, according to doctors, are:

1. Improper nutrition during pregnancy. The diet of the expectant mother largely determines the health of the baby. Pregnant women are advised to exclude strawberries and citrus fruits from their diet. Limit the consumption of seafood and fish. In the last months, a woman needs to give up cow's milk. It is recommended to prefer fermented milk products instead of this product.
2. Early introduction of artificial mixtures. This is a common reason that leads to the development of food allergies in an infant. Need to know: Many milk formulas are made from cow's milk protein. Namely, it is the strongest allergen that provokes the development of the disease. That is why it is recommended to breastfeed your baby for as long as possible. This will protect the baby not only in the first years of life, but also lay an excellent “base” for the future. If breastfeeding is not possible for certain reasons, then it is better to choose hypoallergenic mixtures. They are based on soy protein or goat milk. Such mixtures do not lead to the development of allergies.
3. Improper nutrition of a nursing mother. All doctors insist on careful adherence to the recommended diet. Of course, all mothers remember the strict restriction in nutrition. But from time to time there can be temptations that are difficult to resist. If gross errors are allowed in food, then the baby very often has a food allergy.
4. Incorrect introduction of complementary foods. Unpleasant symptoms often occur after eating a crumb of "adult" food. This picture is observed as a result of untimely introduction of complementary foods, too much food consumed at a time. Some mothers give the baby several varieties of food at once, which also negatively affects the health of the baby. In order not to develop a food allergy in a child, it is very important to follow all the recommendations of the pediatrician.
5. Heredity. If parents are diagnosed with allergies, the baby is also prone to pathology. In this case, the crumbs can manifest any form of the disease.
6. The use of antibiotic therapy. If such drugs are used in the first year of a baby's life, then later the child may develop an allergy. After all, it is during this period that the immune system is intensively formed. Antibiotics can seriously disrupt the natural process.
7. Overfeeding. This is a very important point. Some parents completely forget about moderation. Any crying of a child is perceived as a demand for food. Such an opinion is erroneous. Overfeeding a child often leads to allergic reactions. At the same time, even those products to which the baby previously reacted normally can provoke them. In this case, allergens can be: breast milk, complementary foods, adapted mixtures.
8. Wrong nutrition. Sometimes the disease develops when the child is 2 years old. Food allergies are often triggered by a large amount of preservatives, dyes, emulsifiers, flavors in the diet. Such substances are foreign to the body. Therefore, the immune system perceives them as aggressors, with whom it immediately begins to fight.
9. various pathologies. Why does a food allergy occur in a child of 3 years? Often the basis is diseases of the digestive system, biliary tract, liver. Disturbed intestinal microflora can lead to the development of pathology. The basis of such diseases is often malnutrition. But sometimes ailments can be congenital. In this case, unpleasant symptoms will make themselves felt much earlier.

Allergen products

To combat pathology, you should initially exclude those foods that can cause an unpleasant condition. It is very difficult to determine which foods underlie the disease in young children.

Most often, a food allergy in a child (1 year old) is provoked by such components as:

• cow's milk proteins (in any form);
• fish (especially marine);
• proteins of quail, chicken eggs (sometimes yolks, but this is rare);
• berries, vegetables, fruits of red or bright yellow color;
• proteins of wheat, rye, oats, rice (they contain an allergen - gluten).

Babies are recommended to enter into the diet only one product every 2 weeks. This will allow you to determine what exactly triggered the allergy. Therefore, it will be easy to exclude such a product. It should be remembered about an important rule - any new product is introduced into the diet in small doses.

It is more difficult with older children. A number of additional products are added to the products listed above. After all, the diet of the child is expanding significantly.

A severe food allergy in a child can be caused by the following foods:

• varieties of nuts;
• squid, shrimp, oysters and other types of seafood;
• citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, plums;
• food additives, dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers;
• natural honey, chocolate;
• legumes.

Such food is very dangerous for children from 1 to 4 years old. During this time, the baby's immune system acquires the necessary skills to recognize the "provocateur" - the protein. The reaction of the body is not so violent. But it is not worth deceiving yourself in this regard. Exacerbations of allergies will occur less frequently, but there is a very high chance that the body will “switch” to other provocateurs: plant pollen, household dust.

Characteristic symptoms

The manifestation of food allergies in a child can be quite diverse. At the same time, the same product can cause different types of reactions in different children.

Food allergies often manifest themselves:

• skin lesions;
• respiratory disorders;
• gastrointestinal problems.

Consider each group of symptoms.

Signs of allergic skin lesions:

• the appearance of a rash on the surface;
• redness;
• profuse prickly heat, which occurs even as a result of slight overheating;
• hives;
• the formation of characteristic scales, peeling (often in the scalp, eyebrows);
• diathesis - peeling and itching of the cheeks;
• angioedema;
• the presence of diaper rash, despite careful hygiene care.

Symptoms of pathology affecting the gastrointestinal tract are:

• constipation;
• flatulence;
• frequent loose stools with foam or greenery;
• colic;
• regurgitation;
• vomit.

Respiratory disorders include the following signs of the disease:

1. Allergic rhinitis (nasal congestion, swelling of the mucosa, the presence of a runny nose with mucous, colorless discharge).
2. Headache.
3. Otitis. Hearing loss, ear congestion.
4. Allergic conjunctivitis (itching, burning in the eyes, redness of the mucous membranes, yellowish or clear discharge).
5. Bronchospasm. Sensation of tightness in the chest, wheezing, labored breathing.

Depending on the manifestations of symptoms, pathology is divided into:

• weak;
• moderate;
• heavy.

A serious degree of food allergy is treated only in a hospital setting.

Immediate contact with doctors requires pathology, manifested by the following symptoms:

1. Sensation of a swollen tongue, tightness in the throat, difficulty in swallowing. Such symptoms can signal a dangerous condition - Quincke's edema. This pathology is a serious threat to life.
2. General weakness, decreased visual acuity, dizziness. These signs are indicative of hypotension. As a result of the pathology, a decrease in pressure occurs. Its fall to a critical level has fatal consequences.
3. Severe shortness of breath, convulsions, rash. Fever with food allergies in a child, high blood pressure, swelling of the lungs and even loss of consciousness. Such symptoms characterize a dangerous pathology - anaphylactic shock. Often this phenomenon is provoked not by food, but by drugs.

What is dangerous pathology?

Every parent should know if a child has a food allergy what to do. Contact your pediatrician immediately! Any delay can lead to quite serious consequences.

There is no need to attempt self-treatment. Any methods can be used after consultation with a specialist. Only a competent doctor, having examined the baby, is able to tell how to cure a food allergy in a child.

Ignoring pathology can lead to complications such as:

• pressure reduction;
• allergic vasculitis;
• anaphylactic shock (it is provoked by: fish, nuts, seafood);
• bronchial asthma;
• hemolytic anemia;
• eczema;
• obesity;
• serum sickness.

In addition, this disease is able to maintain chronic pathologies of the cardiovascular, digestive systems, and ENT organs.

Diagnostic methods

To determine how to treat a food allergy in a child, a thorough examination is necessary. Diagnosis of pathology is a rather difficult task that requires a whole range of measures.

Doctors often resort to the following methods:

1. Analysis of risk factors. The doctor will find out from the parents what the child's diet is, the diet. Learn about hereditary predisposition. This information is very important for making a correct diagnosis.
2. Keeping a food diary for parents. This procedure, as a rule, stretches for 2 weeks. Parents should scrupulously and carefully record all the foods that the baby consumes. Near each product, the body's reaction to it is necessarily fixed. Such an event allows you to very accurately identify the allergen.
3. Immunological blood test. This is an extremely reliable laboratory study. In the blood taken from a vein, the content of a specific immunoglobulin is determined. If the analysis confirms the excess content of this substance in the serum, then there is a high chance that the baby has a food allergy.
4. Blood test for provocateurs. This analysis allows you to identify common allergens. But sometimes such a survey does not reveal all provocateurs. Therefore, even after identifying the allergen, you should be very careful about introducing new foods into the child's diet.
5. Skin tests. The analysis is done, as a rule, for children older than 5 years. Small scratches are made on the forearm of the baby. They are covered with water in which allergens are dissolved. After 10 minutes, evaluate the results. An inflamed, red scratch indicates that this product causes a food allergy in the baby.

Disease control methods

How to treat food allergies in a child? This question is asked by many parents who observe excruciating symptoms in their babies.

Pathology control methods are based on the following activities:

1. Diet food. After determining the allergen, it is recommended to exclude it from the baby's diet. If a necessary product for the development of a child becomes a provocateur, then the doctor will recommend supplements or food that can replace it. In addition, parents need to be very careful about introducing ready-made food into the baby's diet. For example, cereal bars, muesli, ice cream. Before a child eats them, be sure to study the ingredients of this product, which are printed on the label.
2. Immunotherapy. This is an event that allows you to gradually reduce the intensity of the reaction to a particular allergen. A small amount of antibodies to the established provocateur is introduced into the body. Gradually, there is a decrease in sensitivity to it. In this case, the dose of antibodies is increased. This method can significantly reduce the unpleasant symptoms of food allergies. Some patients even manage to completely recover from the disease.
3. Medical therapy. This treatment is a kind of "first aid". It does not relieve the baby from the causes of the pathology, but it perfectly eliminates the symptoms. Drugs are used to stop an attack of allergies and reduce its manifestations.

Diet food

The most important link in the treatment of pathology is the right diet. Children are prescribed a special hypoallergenic diet. It is based on the exclusion from the diet of foods that can cause unwanted reactions.

Often this diet is selected for each child individually, based on the tests. But sometimes doctors find it appropriate to use an extensive hypoallergenic diet. Such nutrition excludes all provocateur products.

Above, we figured out which products are undesirable. Now consider what a child can do with food allergies.

Nutritionists advise basing your baby's nutrition on the following foods:

1. Lean meat (pork, beef, chicken).
2. Fish: sea bass, cod. Children under 1 year of age are not recommended to eat this food.
3. Sour-milk food: natural yogurt (without additives), fermented baked milk, kefir, cottage cheese.
4. Bread: buckwheat, rice or corn.
5. Dried prunes, as well as pears, apples.
6. Offal: kidneys, liver and tongue.
7. Vegetables, greens (Brussels, cabbage or cauliflower, lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, dill, parsley, squash, swede, turnip).
8. Fruits and berries: white currants, pears, gooseberries, white cherries, green apples.
9. Cereals: semolina, rice, barley, oatmeal.
10. Oil: sunflower, olive, butter.
11. Drinks: rosehip broth, weak tea, non-carbonated mineral water, compote from pears, apples.

After a certain time, when the child has a food allergy, it is allowed to gradually introduce excluded foods into the menu. After eating a new food for 3 days, the reaction of the body is observed. If no allergy occurs, then proceed to the next product.

This method allows you to identify the food that provokes the development of pathology.

Medical treatment

This therapy is undertaken only when the question arises as to how to treat a food allergy in a child if dietary nutrition has not brought the desired result.

But remember that only a doctor selects medications. After all, even the most effective drugs can be not only useless, but sometimes can harm the health of the crumbs.

Medical treatment includes the following:

1. Antihistamines. Modern antiallergic drugs are allowed to be used even for infants. The latest generation of drugs does not cause negative consequences. Excellent medicines are: "Suprastin", "Zirtek", "Parlazin".
2. Sorbents. They bring significant relief to the child during an allergy attack. Popular means are: "Enterodez", "Activated carbon", "Polysorb MP", "Enteros-gel".
3. Medicines that normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Allergic reactions often affect the digestive system. Therefore, if a crumb has developed dysbacteriosis, it is necessary to normalize the intestinal microflora. The most effective drugs are: "Linex", "Bifikol", "Bifiform".

If conjunctivitis, rhinitis occurs, the child is prescribed medications, usually in the form of eye drops, nasal sprays, aimed at eliminating unpleasant symptoms.

Basic prevention

The main method to protect the child from the development of food allergies is diet. Only by refusing to use provocative products, you can save the baby from relapses.

And remember, a food allergy in a child is a serious pathology that can become a source of severe consequences. Therefore, it is very important at the slightest manifestation of the disease to contact competent specialists for adequate treatment.

Very often suffer from various types of allergic reactions. All due to the fact that their immune system is not fully formed and is not supported by their parents in any way. Sometimes it can be transmitted from parents or be a reaction of the body to excessive consumption of any food or medicine, dust, pollen, and other seemingly common phenomena.

What to do if you have a suspicion that the baby has?

General information and types of allergies in children

Allergy is characterized by the body's sensitivity to certain substances (allergens). It may be temporary or permanent. There are several types of reactions to aggressive factors, which differ not only in the allergens that cause them, but also in the symptoms. What types of allergies can a child have and is it so easy to deal with them?

It has external manifestations in the form of inflamed areas on the skin, which have an exact outline. Most often it occurs in children older than 2 months, who are genetically predisposed to allergies. Everything starts gradually. One spot appears on the baby's body, then the second on a completely different part of the body, etc. Basically, rashes can be seen on the cheeks, arms, legs, tummy, chest and back. A rash on the neck and crown is a rarity.

Did you know? Thai scientists have proven that fermented milk products help strengthen the immune system, and therefore are a kind of prevention from allergies.

From what arises

Allergies in children can occur for various reasons. There is a risk of inheriting an allergic reaction from parents. With a 30% chance, the baby will receive if one of the parents is allergic, and 60% if both.

The diet of his mother and has an impact on the occurrence of an allergic reaction in a child. Therefore, it is recommended to refrain from eating smoked meats, exotic fruits. Early withdrawal or lack thereof also adversely affects the child's immune system. In the case when it is not possible to provide a baby, buy only hypoallergenic

If you have already switched to individual nutrition, remember that the abuse of fruits (including citrus fruits), sweets, smoked meats, meat and seafood will not benefit your child. Food allergies in children under two years of age are not uncommon. But there is a risk that an allergic reaction to a particular product can persist for life.

Important! At the first suspicion of the manifestation of allergic symptoms in a child, consult a doctor.

An allergic reaction in a child's body can occur on dust (dust mites, mold spores, fluff, particles of hair, trees, etc.), on animals, pollen, and chemicals, as well as on food. Much less often, it occurs in children for insect bites, contact with metals and alloys, heat and cold.

How do allergies manifest in children?

Basically, it is impossible to determine the type of allergy in a child by how the body's reaction to an irritant looks outwardly. Many diseases have similar symptoms.

It manifests itself in the form of a noticeable rash and is often accompanied by rhinitis and urticaria. The main symptoms of allergic rhinitis are: , sneezing, difficulty breathing.
very reminiscent of insect bites or nettle burns. Places of irritation are very itchy, and children often comb them very much.
Conjunctivitis looks like swelling of the eyelid. The disease is accompanied by itching, tearing, photophobia and a feeling of the presence of "grains of sand" in the eyes. This may be a reaction to pollen, animals, and similar allergens.
- a disease that is accompanied by shortness of breath, attacks of suffocation and severe coughing. Breathing difficulties are caused by narrowing of the airways. You can often hear whistles and wheezing in a child.
Some types of allergies can manifest as stuffy ears, disturbances, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, or. At home, identifying the allergen is very difficult, so you should immediately contact a specialist for help. The sooner this happens, the better. After all, allergies often go into a more complex form.

Which doctor should be consulted

First of all, to determine the presence and nature of an allergy in a child, it is worth visiting an allergist-immunologist who will examine him and decide what to do next. The examination consists not only in an external study of the signs of an allergic reaction, but also in a careful study of the menu and living conditions of the baby. After receiving the maximum information about the factors that can cause allergies, they go to the laboratory to confirm the sensitivity of the body and identify a specific allergen.

Examinations and analyzes

In order to determine what a child is allergic to, methods such as allergy tests, immunological tests, elimination and provocative tests are used. The most common are intradermal and scarification allergy tests. The body reacts to the allergen within half an hour after it enters the body by injection.

Colorimetric, or radiometric, immunological analysis needed to determine the amount of immunoglobulins E for a particular allergen in the blood.
Elimination- a method for determining the presence of an allergic reaction, in which the presence of a doctor is not a prerequisite. It is mainly used in the detection of food allergies. The essence of the method is to remove one or another product, the alleged allergen, from the baby's diet. After 7-14 days, health should improve if the correct product has been introduced.

provocative test performed when none of the above tests have been effective. The allergen is introduced into the body through the nose, under the tongue, or into the bronchi. Next, the doctor evaluates the reaction of the body.

Important! Without the presence of a doctor (at home), it is impossible to introduce an allergen into the body in this way. The reaction may be unpredictable.

How is the treatment

It is possible to cure an allergy in a child both with the use of medicines and without them. After the examination, the doctor decides on the method of dealing with the problem. So, how to treat allergies in a child?

Immunotherapy- gradual vaccination with a specific antigen or monolocal antibodies. The dosage of the drug should increase with each injection. Thus, immunity is developed and an allergic reaction is eliminated. The duration of immunotherapy can reach several years with regular visits to the allergist (1-2 times a month).
Treatment with medications carried out symptomatically. An allergy child is given something that neutralizes free histamine -:

• "Diazolin";
• "Tavegil";
• "Dimedrol";
• "Cetirizine" and others.

In addition to antihistamines, allergies are used:

• decongestants - drugs for vasoconstriction;
• products based on saline solutions;
• preparations for stabilizing mast cell membranes;
• hormonal nose drops for children (active ingredients - glucocorticoids);
• immunomodulators (children are recommended to use drops, although there is another form of release - spray).

What absolutely cannot be done

1. Do not allow children to eat dangerous foods that can cause an allergic reaction (citrus fruits, honey, etc.).
2. If the allergy is associated with the flowering period of plants (for pollen), you can’t walk with your child in the evening (after 17:00).
3. It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate.

Possible Complications

If the allergy is not treated, the child may experience complications:

1. Constant headaches, deterioration of memory, attention, as well as mental activity in chronic rhinitis.
2. Strong scratching, scarring of lesions, infection - the consequences of urticaria and dermatitis.
3. Quincke's edema is the result of advanced conjunctivitis and rhinitis.
4. Anaphylactic shock / asphyxia occurs due to bronchial asthma.

1. Local allergy symptoms will only go away when you eliminate contact with the allergen.
2. Be sure to tell all adults who come into contact with your child about their allergies. Even at a doctor's appointment, you should not be silent about the presence of an allergic reaction to a particular medication.
3. Carefully read the instructions for the drugs that you are going to give the child. Make sure that the composition does not contain a substance to which he is allergic.
4. If you notice any of the symptoms of the disease, immediately stop taking the medication and go to the doctor.
5. Don't stop too soon. Remember that in this way you support the baby's immunity while it is still being formed.
6. must not contain products that may cause an allergic reaction.
7. Regularly treat the apartment from the fungus, carry out wet cleaning and clean.
8. Bed linen and clothes for children should be hypoallergenic.
9. Also use special household chemicals and washing powders that cannot cause allergies.

Did you know? Allergies can be cross. If the child is sensitive to pollen, then most likely the reaction to honey will be the same. If the allergen is fish, then the body may react the same way to all seafood and fish food.

Allergic reactions in children are very common. They can be a temporary phenomenon or remain companions for life. If you find allergy symptoms in your child, contact an allergist immediately. Only this specialist will be able to provide qualified assistance and prescribe the right treatment. Remember that you are responsible for the health of your child already in time.

What is an allergy in children? What are its symptoms? How to avoid childhood allergies, and how to treat it if it was not possible to avoid it.

Children from wealthy families are more likely to have dermatitis, urticaria and other manifestations of allergies. This disease does not appear from a bad life, but from a very good one.

Clean hands, carefully laundered clothes, a plentiful and varied diet .... We are accustomed to consider all this as a guarantee of health. It turns out that the same thing can cause allergies in children.

How to get your immune system working again?

What is an allergy in children?

Allergy is one of the "youngest" diseases. Previously, when most of the world's population lived from hand to mouth, poorly dressed, often cold and rarely washed, no one had heard of this disease. Now most children are reliably protected from dirt, disease and hunger. But the body is designed in such a way that it constantly strives to protect the baby from threats. And if there are no threats, he takes harmless things for very dangerous ones, and begins to defend himself against them.

An allergy is an inadequate response of the immune system to some kind of irritant - an allergen. It enters the body of the baby in different ways.

It depends on the type of allergy. She may be:

• food. The first thing to do is to identify a child's allergy to a formula or cow's milk protein. 90% of food allergies are a reaction to 6 foods: eggs, soy, wheat, dairy products, peanuts, seafood.
• Medicinal. As a rule, this is a reaction not to one drug, but to a whole group.
• Contact. It can be a rash from washing powder, dye in clothes, or even irritation from the cold.
• Respiratory. response to what we breathe. An allergy in a child to cats is the most striking example of an immune failure. Toddlers may have problems with house dust, plant pollen, or harsh perfumes.
• Insect sting reaction. Most often it is an allergy to wasps or bees. It is especially dangerous for young children, as it causes severe swelling. The child's airways are so narrow that swelling can easily block them, causing suffocation.

Allergy symptoms in children

There are several phenomena that are easy to confuse with allergies. If the baby coughs heavily and sniffs from tobacco smoke, this does not mean that his immune system has failed. This is a natural defensive reaction to a really harmful stimulus.

On the other hand, if a one-year-old child ate a pound of tangerines and was “sprinkled”, this does not mean that he is allergic to citrus fruits. It's just that the baby's body is not able to absorb so much. Next time, start with one slice, and if there is no reaction, increase the portion to a reasonable size.

Causes of allergies in children

It is impossible to list all the causes of allergies.

Doctors say that excessive hygiene may be contributing to the spread of this disease. The abundance of chemical products in our lives may also matter. For example, household chemicals, dyes and synthetic fibers in clothes, or dyes and food additives in food.

Allergy has been linked to heredity. If the parents are susceptible to this disease, then the child is likely to inherit it too. And yet, scientists emphasize: allergies are associated with these factors, but there is no causal relationship.

Food allergies in children

Food allergies in children are often the result of overeating.

The famous pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky comments on this as follows: “When we eat any food, we need to break down the protein that is part of this food. In order to break down protein, enzymes are needed. If there are a lot of enzymes and little food, then there is no allergy. But more often the situation is completely opposite, when a mother and two grandmothers with spoons rush after one child, and he shouts: “I don’t want to!” Why doesn't he want to? Because intestinal juices have not been developed, there are not enough enzymes. They feed him, the food does not split, and everyone says: unfortunate child!

Video: Food Allergy

Allergy in a child to cats and other animals

Cause contact allergy dry air and intense heat in the room where the child lives can become. In such an environment, the skin and mucous membranes lose a lot of moisture and become sensitive. As a result, washing powder, poorly rinsed out of clothes, causes severe itching and hives. And a hamster or cat that gets into the respiratory tract causes coughing and leads to allergies to other animals.

Dust allergies are more likely to occur in a home where there are many "dust collectors" - carpet on the floor, soft toys in all corners, books in the sideboard, displayed "for decoration".

And the cause of drug allergies is often the uncontrolled use of antibiotics.

Allergy symptoms: how to recognize an immune failure

Treatment for allergies in children depends on the symptoms. By the place of their manifestation, one can judge the way the allergen enters the body, which means that it is easier to identify the allergen itself.

The main symptom of a respiratory allergy is a runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion. If the allergen is not eliminated, and the reaction progresses, then the symptoms go further into the airways. There may be bronchospasm, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath. All this leads to asthma.

Allergic people often have reddened and sore eyes upon contact with an irritant. This is allergic conjunctivitis. Hearing may be impaired, there is pain in the ears.

The most telling symptoms of contact allergies are skin rashes. It could be eczema, dermatitis, or hives. Pay attention to the places where it "poured out". It happens that the baby itches all over the body, but it is clean under the diaper. So, the problem is in the washing powder or poor-quality clothing fabric. After all, the skin under the diaper is the only protected place. Are the rashes symmetrical in the crooks of the elbows, abdomen, and groin? This is how food allergies work.

Allergy symptoms in a child. Photo

The most serious consequence of an allergy is anaphylactic shock. It can develop within seconds of being stung by a bee or eating a peanut by mistake. First, there is severe pain, swelling and redness at the site of contact with the allergen. Then the itching spreads throughout the body, the pressure drops. This can lead to fainting, coma, and even death.

In the case of a food allergy, the first symptoms may be vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and swelling of the mouth.

If the doctor cannot recognize the allergy by the symptoms, he will prescribe tests. This may be a blood test or a skin test. But you need to know how to pass an allergy test in children correctly. For example, blood should not be taken from babies under three years of age. At this age, immunity has not yet formed, and the result may be inaccurate. For skin tests, several tiny incisions are made on the body, and allergens are injected into them. Which of the samples will give a reaction, that will show the cause of the allergy.

Treatment of allergies in children: pills or healthy lifestyle (healthy lifestyle)?

Doctors can offer different drugs and medicines for allergies in children. They differ in the form of release. These can be tablets that relieve the general reaction, and ointments that relieve the local one. There are drugs in injections that are necessary to relieve swelling in anaphylactic shock. Hormonal infections are very effective, but should not be used for more than three days due to severe side effects. Inhalers are indispensable for allergy sufferers suffering from bronchial asthma and severe forms of respiratory allergies.

Drugs and medicines for allergies in children

According to the mechanism of action, there are:

1. Antihistamines
2. Hormonal drugs
3. Cromons

Antihistamines reduce the effect of histamine, a substance that triggers most of the manifestations of allergic inflammation. Cromones strengthen the membranes of cells that contain this histamine and prevent it from being released.

Hormonal preparations have a different mechanism, depending on the hormone used.

Probiotics and beneficial bacteria for allergies in children

In the past, one of the main ways to treat food allergies was an enema. Now in the arsenal of doctors there are

preparations with probiotics that will help restore the disturbed microflora in the intestine without such radical means. By the way, they help with other types of allergies.

In children suffering from this disease, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is more often upset. Science has established this a long time ago. But relatively recently, it was found that if you restore the disturbed balance in the intestines, then the immune system will get stronger, and the manifestations of allergies will become less frequent. For this purpose, probiotics and other beneficial bacteria are used.

Treatment of allergies in children with folk remedies

This is the arsenal of medicine. Treatment of allergies in children with folk remedies is difficult, because traditional medicine was formed when no one knew about this disease. But traditional medicine knows many means of dealing with the common cold, conjunctivitis and itching.

From the common cold helps milk with birch tar. The drink is drunk in the morning before meals. the first portion is prepared as follows:

RECIPE:

• half a glass of milk
• one drop of birch tar

Within 12 days, the number of drops of tar is gradually increased, bringing it to 12. Then, during the same time, it is reduced to one drop. The course is designed for 24 days.

RECIPE: In case of allergic conjunctivitis, it is recommended to wash the eyes with a decoction of millet groats. This should be done daily half an hour before bedtime.

RECIPE: An unusual recipe for itching is an infusion of Jerusalem artichoke leaves. With skin manifestations of allergies, it can be taken internally, make compresses and even add to the bath.

Home treatment for allergies in children

A lot depends on lifestyle. Parents themselves can help the baby without resorting to pills and ointments.

The best way to overcome an allergy is to eliminate the irritant. If this is not possible, improve the environment in which the baby grows as much as possible. Monitor the temperature and humidity in the children's room. Do not overdo it with soap and household chemicals. Be outdoors more. Do not be afraid to temper a small allergic person. Immunity training is what he needs.

Allergy is an immune failure. Its causes may be very different, but its connection with heredity, excessive hygiene and an abundance of chemistry in the world around us is obvious.

Itching, redness of the skin, runny nose, sneezing, stomach disorders and even anaphylactic shock - this is how allergies manifest in children.

Advice and feedback from parents say that this is a disease that you need to learn to live with. In order not to turn to the arsenal of medicine every time, pay attention to the baby's immunity. Make the house as comfortable as possible for the life of a small allergy sufferer.

Video: Food Allergy Prevention