Children and Allergies, Part 3

In this, our final post about allergies and children, we’re going to discuss another very common…and often scary…allergy instigator, FOOD!

It’s hard to believe that something as necessary as food could cause allergy reactions, reactions that can sometimes even be fatal if not attended to immediately!  Although scientists and doctors don’t as yet know why, food allergies are on the rise and are something you (as a parent) need to be aware of.

Today’s most common food allergies (those responsible for 90% of the allergic problems) are caused by:

• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Dairy (milk)
• Eggs
• Soy
• Wheat (Gluten)
• Fish and Shellfish

Food allergies obviously pose an extreme challenge for families, especially when there is only one person among several with the food allergy.   Should you totally eliminate the allergy-causing food from your home?  If this is your action plan, how will it affect the others in your household?  What kind of hardship will it place on them?  If you do eliminate the specific food from your own home environment, is your child old enough to know how to deal with the outside world and the possibility of that food being present somewhere else?  These are definitely questions to ask yourself and the rest of your family members.

The Food Allergy Initiative has a great website that offers a significant amount of information, including some of these tips for keeping your home safe when one of your children (or other loved one) is suffering from a food allergy:

• You and your family need to know how to read AND DECIPHER food labels
• After each meal is prepared and after it’s eaten, be sure to scrub down the counter tops and tables
• Have a separate set of utensils for handling “safe” and “unsafe” foods.
• Have an assigned place for young children to sit at the table to avoid siblings sharing bites of food from each other.
• Be sure to have a couple of emergency kits that include all the medications and injectables you may need.  At the Food Allergy Initiative site, you will find an Emergency Medical Plan form that can be filled out with your doctor to keep with both kits.

These are just a few tips that can be of benefit immediately.  Also, follow this link (Food Companies) to find companies who offer food that you can safely buy for food allergy sufferers.

The other place that is sure to be a challenge and worry for you is your child’s school and what happens there.  Knowledge is power, so be sure to request a meeting with your child’s teacher, the principal, and the school nurse to discuss the parameters under which your child must be guided while in their care.

There is a law in place to help protect your child’s rights to attend school and participate safely in all activities, including meals in the cafeteria.  If the school should be uncooperative, search out information on a “Section 504 Plan” that outlines what the school’s responsibilities are under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

It should go without saying, but it’s imperative that you also make other caregivers aware of their responsibilities when looking after your children with allergies.  These people include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and babysitters, as well as Sunday school teachers or play date moms who have your children in their homes.

Food allergies are, obviously, not to be taken lightly.  With due diligence, serious reactions can be avoided not only from food allergies, but from all the allergens we have discussed over the past few weeks.  If you have some tips to offer you have discovered in helping your child with food allergies, please share them with us in the comment section of our blog.

Children and Allergies, Part 2

Last week we talked about outdoor and indoor allergy instigators that are found in nature, such as pollen and mold, as well as those man made, i.e. chemicals and harsh soaps.  This week we’re going to discuss other very prevalent…and often difficult to control instigators…pet dander and dust mites.

However, let’s look first at some of the symptoms that those with allergies experience:

• Itching eyes, nose, and throat
• Watering eyes
• Sneezing, along with either a stuffy nose or runny nose
• Conjunctivitis (swollen eyes, crusty eyelids)
• Dark circles under the eyes (sometimes called “allergic shiners”)

If you notice any or all of these symptoms in your child, a trip to your pediatrician is certainly warranted to verify allergies and find out the specific allergen responsible.

Pet dander and dust mites are a very prevalent problem for allergy sufferers.  The most common pet dander that causes allergies comes from cats, dogs, and birds.  However, on the increase are allergic reactions from other kinds of pets, such as guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, etc.

Although many of us have long believed the allergic reaction is caused by the hair of the animals, in fact it is the proteins that are secreted by the animals’ oil glands in their skin, which is shed as dander.  There are also proteins in their saliva that sticks to the fur when they clean themselves.  Pet urine can also be a source of these allergy-causing proteins.  When the urine dries, the proteins are released into the air.  Because cats lick themselves more, are sometimes held more, and generally are in the house more, they seem to more often cause allergic reactions.

When it is an impossibility to permanently remove the pet from your home, it can help to keep the pet out of the child’s bedroom and also off the household furniture.  If possible, bathe your pet at least once a week.  Putting down tile or other floor coverings, in lieu of carpeting, helps, as does vacuuming frequently with a cleaner that has a HEPA filter.  Also consider the use of a HEPA filter in your child’s bedroom.

If you decide to part with your pet, a good steam cleaning of the house is in order, along with laundering furniture coverings, bedding, etc.  Allergens can remain in the carpet and furniture for several weeks after the pet is gone and in the air within the house for months.  Expect that the allergic reactions may take six months or more to subside.

Dust mites eat dead human skin flakes and are not usually airborne.  Their home is usually our beds…mattresses and pillows and blankets.  To lessen the impact of this “allergen”, you should frequently wash bedding in hot water (blankets, comforters, etc.)…a couple times a month at least.  Also wash stuffed animals and other pillows lying on the bed.  Here’s a great tip:  if you can’t put the animal or pillow in the washer, put them in the freezer for a couple days, then hand wash with soapy water.  The dryness of the freezer will kill the dust mites!  Allergen covers for bedding is also very important.  Dust mites can’t penetrate these covers.

Next week we will discuss one more allergen “group” that is a growing problem for children, and that is food allergies.  If you have any helpful hints on ways you help your child deal with pet allergies, we’d love to hear about it!

Children and Allergies, Part 1

Springtime is generally the time of year when allergies and their symptoms become a real problem for those who suffer from them.  Children are not exempt from this problem, so being aware of what irritants can cause the allergies and the steps that can be taken to alleviate the problem is important.  You should also be aware that if a parent or both parents suffer from allergies, it’s very likely the children will, as well.

Allergy symptoms can be different for different age groups.  In children under the age of five, 20% suffer from eczema, which results from the itching that allergies can cause.  Itching for infants and young children usually presents itself around the child’s face, the back of the scalp, the trunk of the body, and the arms and legs.  All of these are spots  the child can easily reach and scratch.

What triggers the irritation and itching?  Although pollens and mold spores that circulate in the air contribute and are very wide spread, the most significant triggers tend to be animal dander and dust mites.

If your child is diagnosed with allergies (having the testing done is a very important step), there are things you can do to make them more comfortable and help prevent the recurrence in the future.  Hay fever is a challenge, of course, unless you and your child stay indoors during certain seasons.  The pollen in the air enters human noses and throats and sets off allergic rhinitis.  Because this is so hard to avoid, seeing your pediatrician for this type of allergy can be very beneficial in finding treatment for the symptoms, as well as preventive medications.

Itching and irritation can be brought on by chemicals, certain fabrics (such as wool), harsh soaps, and even getting overheated and sweaty.  Obviously, the solution to these instigators of allergy symptoms is not to use them or find milder substitutes.

Mold and mildew within your home or environment is also an issue for some who suffer from allergies.  Cleaning these areas with a diluted bleach solution can be helpful or removal of the articles containing the mold, of course, works best, if that’s possible.

In next week’s blog, we’ll discuss more allergy “instigators”, specifically pets and dust mites!

Remember, if your child exhibits signs of allergic reactions (including itching, sneezing, runny nose), your first plan of action should be a visit to the pediatrician to determine what he or she is allergic to so you can go about making changes in your child’s environment, if possible.