Kids & Allergies
Overview
What Are Allergies?
Allergies are abnormal immune system reactions to things — known as allergens —that are typically harmless to most people. This causes symptoms that can range from just annoying to possibly life-threatening. Common allergens include some foods, dust, plant pollen, and medicines.
Many adults and kids have some type of allergy.
How Do Allergies Happen?
If a child with an allergy is exposed to that allergen, the child's immune system mistakenly believes it's harmful. It overreacts, treating the substance as an invader and trying to fight it off. To protect the body, the immune system makes antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These cause certain cells to release chemicals (including histamine) into the bloodstream to defend against the allergen "invader."
It's the release of these chemicals that causes allergic reactions. Reactions can affect the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Future exposure to that same allergen will trigger this allergic response again.
Top Things to Know
- Allergic reactions happen when the immune system mistakenly “defends” the body from an allergen, like tree pollen.
- Symptoms include sneezing; runny nose; itchy, watery eyes; hives; and more seriously, breathing trouble, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Manage allergies by avoiding allergens as much as possible. Medicines or allergy shots can sometimes help.
- Serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) need emergency medical care.
Types of Allergies
Common types of allergies include:
Airborne Allergies
Some of the most common airborne allergies are:
- dust mites
- pollen (often called hay fever)
- molds
- pets
- cockroaches
Food Allergies
These are the top causes of food allergies in kids:
Other Common Allergies in Kids
Other allergies kids get include:
- insect sting allergy
- medicines, such as antibiotics and some over-the-counter medicines
- chemicals in some cosmetics, laundry detergents, soaps, and other products can make people break out in hives. Dyes, household cleaners, and pesticides also can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Signs & Symptoms
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Allergies?
Allergy symptoms depend on what part of the body is reacting to an allergen. Allergies can cause:
- sneezing or a runny nose
- swollen or sore throat
- shortness of breath
- itchy, watery, or swollen eyes
- hives (itchy skin rashes)
- wheezing
- coughing
- swelling
- belly pain
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- lightheadedness
Seasonal Allergies
Some allergies are seasonal, which means your child will only have symptoms during certain times of the year. Pollen allergies tend to be worse in the spring, summer, and early fall, depending on the type of pollen your child is sensitive to. With other allergies, your child may have symptoms whenever coming into contact with the allergen.
When Should I Call the Doctor?
If you suspect your child has an allergy, make an appointment with your child’s doctor, who may refer you to an allergist.
While many allergies cause mild symptoms, some can be very serious and cause a reaction called anaphylaxis. A person with anaphylaxis might have trouble breathing and might pass out. Anaphylaxis may start with some of the same symptoms as a less severe reaction, but can quickly get worse. Anyone with anaphylaxis needs injectable epinephrine and emergency help right away.
Causes & Prevention
What Causes Allergies?
Genetics
Doctors aren’t sure what causes allergies, but the tendency to develop allergies is often hereditary. This means it can be passed down through genes from parents to their kids. But just because parents have allergies doesn't mean that their kids will get them. And someone usually doesn't inherit a particular allergy, just the likelihood of having allergies.
However, some kids have allergies even if no family member is allergic to anything. Kids who are allergic to one thing often are allergic to others.
Cross-Reactions
Some kids also have cross-reactions. For example, kids who are allergic to birch pollen might have symptoms when they eat an apple because that apple contains a protein similar to one in the pollen. And people with a latex allergy (found in latex gloves and some kinds of hospital equipment) are more likely to be allergic to foods like kiwi, chestnuts, avocados, and bananas.
How to Prevent Allergic Reactions
In some cases, as with food allergies, avoiding the allergen is a life-saving necessity. To avoid reactions from food allergies, people need to avoid the allergen entirely. For example, kids who are allergic to peanuts should avoid not only peanuts, but also any food that might contain even tiny traces of them.
Avoidance can help protect children against non-food or chemical allergens too. In fact, for some children, staying away from an allergen is enough to prevent allergy symptoms, and they won’t need to take medicines or go through other allergy treatments.
To help your child avoid airborne allergens:
- Keep family pets out of your child’s bedroom if your child is allergic to pet dander, and have someone else bathe and brush the pet once a week. (But for some kids with serious symptoms, keeping a family pet might not be possible.)
- Remove carpets or rugs from your child’s room (hard floor surfaces don't collect dust as much as carpets do).
- Don't hang heavy drapes in your child’s room and get rid of other items that let dust build up.
- Clean your house often.
- Use special covers to seal pillows and mattresses if your child is allergic to dust mites.
- Consider getting an air cleaner with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter for your child’s bedroom.
- If your child is allergic to pollen, keep windows closed when pollen season is at its peak. Encourage your child to bathe or shower after being outdoors and to change clothes, and don’t allow your child to mow the lawn.
- Children who are allergic to mold should avoid damp areas, such as basements, and be encouraged to keep bathrooms and other mold-prone areas clean and dry. Dehumidifiers can help keep damp areas dry.
Diagnosis
How Are Allergies Diagnosed?
If your child has cold-like symptoms lasting longer than a week or two or develops a "cold" at the same time every year, talk with your doctor. The doctor might diagnose an allergy and prescribe medicines or may refer you to an allergist (a doctor who diagnoses and treats allergies) for allergy tests.
If you notice that your child has symptoms after eating certain foods, an allergist can help figure out what your child is allergic to, prescribe injectable epinephrine, and make a plan for staying safe.
Allergy Testing
To find the cause of an allergy, allergists usually do skin tests for suspected environmental and food allergens. They might also do blood tests.
Even if testing shows an allergy, a child also must have symptoms to be diagnosed with an allergy. So, a toddler who has a positive test for dust mites and sneezes a lot while playing on the floor would be considered allergic to dust mites.
Treatment & Care
How Are Allergies Treated?
There's no cure for allergies, but symptoms can be managed. The best way to cope with them is to avoid the allergens. Parents should talk to their kids often about the allergy itself and the reactions they can have if they consume or come into contact with the allergen.
Tell all caregivers (childcare staff, teachers, family members, parents of your child's friends, etc.) about your child's allergy.
If avoiding environmental allergens isn't possible or doesn't help, doctors might recommend medicines, including antihistamines by mouth, eye drops, and nasal sprays. (Many are available without a prescription.)
In some cases, doctors recommend immunotherapy, which is when an allergist helps desensitize a person to an allergen. For dust, mold, pollen, animal, and insect allergies, this takes the form of allergy shots. For food allergies, allergists may recommend oral immunotherapy. This is when an allergist carefully gives a child very tiny amounts of the food, building up slowly over time.
Helping Your Child Manage Allergies
- If your child has a food allergy, make sure your child avoids foods that trigger symptoms and read food labels to make sure they don’t contain even tiny amounts of allergens. Your child should always carry two epinephrine auto-injectors in case of a reaction.
- If your child has an environmental allergy, keep your house clean of dust and pet dander and watch the weather forecast for days when pollen is high. Switching to perfume-free and dye-free detergents, soaps, and shampoos (you may see non-allergenic ingredients listed as hypoallergenic on product labels) can also help for kids who are sensitive to these.
- If your child is taking medicine, follow the label directions carefully and make sure your child’s doctor is aware of anything prescribed by an allergist (like shots or other medicines). If your child has a severe allergy, consider getting a medical emergency ID (such as a MedicAlert bracelet) for your child to wear, which will explain the allergy and who to contact in case of an emergency.
What Else Should I Know About Allergies in Kids?
Allergies are common in kids and teens. Many outgrow certain allergies as they get older, but allergies can also develop later in life.
The good news is that doctors and scientists are working to better understand allergies, improve treatments, and possibly prevent allergies someday.