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Preventing Allergies in Children
Allergies affect about 50 million children in North America and they’re nothing to sneeze at. A recent national survey shows that when kids suffer with allergy symptoms, everything from their sleep to their schoolwork suffers as well. Here are some tips to prevent seasonal and food allergies in your kids so they can live a healthy, sniffle-free life.
Seasonal Allergies
Although some kids with allergies only have seasonal allergies, having allergy symptoms when pollen, grass, or mold counts are high in the fall or spring, many others have year round allergies. And the results take its toll on families and especially on the children. A recent survey discovered that:
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41% of parents said that allergies interfere with their child's sleep; 8% of parents of children without allergies said health affected sleep.
- 61% of parents said their kids missed school in the past year because of allergies; 26% said the condition interferes with "doing well in school."
- 32% of parents said allergies limit their kids' participation in sports; 10% of parents of kids without allergies said health restricts their children's participation.
- Three-fourths of parents of children with allergies said their kids suffer stuffed-up noses that are "extremely to moderately bothersome." Other common -- and bothersome symptoms -- include sneezing fits, runny nose, watery eyes, and postnasal drip.
Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is a common problem in infants and children. The most common symptoms include a stuffy or runny nose with clear drainage, sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, sore throat, throat clearing and a cough that may be worse at night and in the morning.
These symptoms usually occur during certain times of the year for people with seasonal allergies, corresponding to being exposed to outdoor allergens, such as tree pollens, grasses and weeds. Other people may have perennial allergies, with problems occurring year round from exposure to indoor allergens, such as dust mites, pets, second hand smoke and molds.
Other signs of having allergic rhinitis include the 'allergic salute,' a common habit of children which consists of rubbing their nose upward. This is usually because the nose is itchy and this practice can lead to a small crease in the skin of the lower part of the nose. Children with allergic rhinitis also commonly have 'allergic shiners,' which are dark circles under the eyes caused by nasal congestion.
Allergic rhinitis does run in certain families and are more common in children that have asthma or eczema. It is also more common in children that are exposed to second hand smoke, air pollution and pets.
Having uncontrolled allergies can put your child at risk for getting a secondary sinus infection, ear infections, and for having poor concentration at school. It can also make asthma symptoms worse.
Prevention
These steps help to control common allergens, including dust mites, mold, animal dander and pollens:
- Get rid of dust collectors, including heavy drapes, upholstered furniture, & stuffed animals and remove carpeting if possible.
- Wash all bedding and stuffed animals in hot water every 7-14 days.
- If you have pets in the house, keep them out of your child's bedroom and wash your pet each week to remove surface allergens.
- Avoid exposing your child to molds by keeping him away from damp basements or water-damaged areas of your home (check under carpets).
- Vacuum frequently when your child is not in the room, since many of the things that cause allergies are small enough to go back out of the vacuum cleaner bag.
- For seasonal allergies, keep windows closed in the car and home to avoid exposure to pollens and limit outdoor activities when pollen counts are highest (early morning for spring time tree pollens, afternoon and early evening for summer grasses, and in the middle of the day for ragweed in the fall).
- Consider using a HEPA filter to control airborne allergens, which are good for the allergens that are airborne. Keep indoor humidity low, since dust mites and mold increase in high humidity.
- Provide a smoke-free environment for your child (it is not enough to simply smoke outside).
Food Allergies Food allergies affect about 6% of children but they are often misunderstood, with some parents restricting their children's diets because they think that they are allergic to everything. While other parents who do not believe in allergies, put their allergic kids at risk by offering them foods that they are allergic to.
Although food allergies triggering runny noses is not common, if you notice that your child's allergy symptoms always get worse after being exposed to certain foods, then you should avoid those foods, of course.
And even once you understand that your children have a food allergy, it can be hard to avoid the things that they are allergic to as many foods that cause allergies, like milk, eggs, and peanuts, are hidden ingredients in other foods.
Prevention
By avoiding high risk foods, it may be possible to prevent food allergies from ever developing. Children are at a high risk for food allergies if they have eczema, hay fever or asthma, or family members with these problems. The experts recommend these tactics:
- Breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of your baby's life (that means no formula supplements or solid foods) and then continue to breastfeed until your child is at least 12 months old. Avoid peanuts and tree nuts while breastfeeding. You may also want to consider avoiding eggs, cow's milk and fish while nursing. If you do want to supplement your breastfeeding with formula, use a hypoallergenic formula.
- Do not introduce solid foods to your infant until he is at least six months old, and then start with an iron fortified rice cereal.
- Avoid feeding milk and dairy products until your child is 12 months old.
- Avoid introducing eggs, especially egg whites, until your child is 2 years old.
- Avoid peanuts, tree nuts, and fish until age 3.
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