Allergies in a child - causes and symptoms (manifestations). How to correctly diagnose and treat various types of allergies in children

Such a phenomenon as food allergy relevant for young children and the first year of life. Most often, allergies are caused by eggs, cow's milk, cereals, fish, orange or red vegetables and fruits, as well as soy, which is contained in some feeding mixtures.

If the infant is predisposed to allergies, these products should be avoided. It is important not to encounter the so-called cumulative effect. There may not be an allergy to a single use of the product. If you constantly violate your diet and consume a large number of allergens, a violent reaction of the body may occur. can reduce the Allergenic properties of vegetables, fruits and eggs can be reduced by heat treatment (cooking, boiling).

vegetables, fruits (except citrus fruits), rice, meat, chicken and legumes (such as lentils)

baked goods (such as pasta, bread, cookies), fish, eggs, yogurt, cheese and citrus fruits

regular cow's milk

food allergy at an early age it often manifests itself in the form of changes on the skin - atopic dermatitis. This is characterized by redness, dryness and flaking of the skin. accompanied by itchy rashes and sometimes the appearance of weeping areas and scratching in response to errors in the diet of a nursing mother or during the introduction of complementary foods. Typical symptoms include redness of the skin around the baby's mouth and anus and persistent diaper rash, which is difficult to respond to traditional therapy. Seborrheic crusts may appear on the scalp. Changes in the oral cavity are manifested by stomatitis, changes in the teeth (caries, stains and grooves on the teeth) and tongue (“geographic tongue”). The disease is often accompanied by delayed physical and psychomotor development, rickets. anemia, frequent colds, digestive disorders (diarrhea or constipation, excessive regurgitation, colic).

Table 7.2. Main groups of food additives and the purpose of their use

How to cope with food allergies in children?

What is a food allergy?

Perverse reactions to food, including food allergies, have been known since antiquity. However, over the centuries, questions regarding this disease have changed.

According to modern concepts, all adverse reactions to food products are defined by the term food hypersensitivity (intolerance). It is in turn divided into food allergies and non-allergic reactions to food. Food allergies are based on immune mechanisms of response to foods. Thus, food allergy is a state of increased sensitivity of the body to food products, which is characterized by the development of clinical reactions of intolerance to certain types of food, caused by the participation of immunological mechanisms. While non-allergic food hypersensitivity occurs without the participation of the immune system. It can be caused by pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, reactions after consuming foods rich in preservatives, emulsifiers, and many other factors.

What are the causes of food allergies?

Data from domestic researchers indicate that in children of the first year of life, hypersensitivity to cow's milk proteins (85%), chicken eggs (62%), gluten (53%), banana proteins (51%), rice (50%) is most often detected. . Sensitization to buckwheat (27%), potato (26%), soy (26%) proteins is less common, and even less common to corn proteins (12%) and various types of meat (0–3%).
Food allergies develop when these foods enter the body through the mouth or when exposed to them through the respiratory tract and skin.

r /> There are certain prerequisites for the development of food allergies in children: the presence of a hereditary predisposition to it and the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract of children. The development of food allergies is favored by both the functional immaturity of the digestive organs and the lack of local immunity (immunoglobulin A), frequent dysbiosis, especially in young children.
The development of food allergies is often caused by the mother's excessive consumption of highly allergenic and dairy products during breastfeeding, early transfer of the child to artificial feeding and early introduction of complementary foods.

How do food allergies manifest?

Clinically, food allergies are manifested by systemic or local allergic reactions.
Systemic manifestations of food allergies include anaphylactic shock.
To local: lesions of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal), respiratory organs (respiratory) and skin manifestations.
Gastrointestinal food allergy occurs most often in childhood - in more than 2/3 of children suffering from food allergies. It is manifested by a syndrome of regurgitation, vomiting, aphthous stomatitis, abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea after eating a certain food product. In some cases, swelling of the lips and tongue may develop.
A common clinical manifestation of food allergy is skin syndrome. Based on the time of appearance of allergic skin reactions from the moment of exposure to the allergen, rapid allergic reactions are distinguished, such as urticaria, Quincke's edema and reactions with a slow development of allergic manifestations - contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis.
Respiratory allergies in young children are manifested by recurrent broncho-obstructive syndrome, prolonged spasmodic cough, allergic rhinitis, and recurrent pulmonary infiltrates.

How to treat?

The most effective treatment for food allergies is diet.
For children in the first months of life, breastfeeding is the most optimal. The appearance of the first symptoms of food allergy is not a reason to transfer these children to artificial feeding. In such cases, it is necessary to discuss with the mother dietary measures aimed at excluding highly allergenic foods and histamine liberators from her diet (citrus fruits, chocolate and chocolate products, coffee, smoked meats, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise and other spices, horseradish, radishes, radishes, tomatoes, eggplants , strawberries, wild strawberries, melon, pineapple, any alcohol). And only with severe manifestations of dermatitis, in the absence of positive dynamics of the skin process against the background of complex therapy, can the child be transferred to medicinal mixtures.
It must be taken into account that the introduction of complementary foods significantly reduces the protective effect of breast milk. In this regard, according to the recommendations of the national program for feeding children (2011), the introduction of complementary foods to children with allergies is recommended for 5-6 months of life.
In the treatment of food allergies, various medications are used: glucocorticosteroids, cromoglycic acid preparations, enzymes, probiotics, enterosorbents.

r /> To eliminate skin symptoms of allergies, antihistamines can be recommended. Among the approved medications, Fenistil drops stand out, which are the only dosed antihistamine approved for use from the first month of a baby’s life. It quickly, within 15-45 minutes, relieves itching in allergic skin rashes, eliminates the manifestations of allergic rhinitis, making breathing easier. Fenistil drops can be added to a bottle of warm milk or baby food immediately before feeding. If the child is already being fed from a spoon, drops can be given undiluted in a teaspoon - their taste is very pleasant and will not cause rejection in the child.

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Causes of food allergies

It is still not exactly established why the body of children reacts differently to the same food product. There may be a hereditary predisposition to allergies. It has also been observed that formula-fed babies are more susceptible to allergies than breast-fed babies. If a mother during pregnancy abuses foods such as chocolate, “citrus fruits, tropical fruits, strawberries, grapes, various smoked meats, takes any medications during this period, then the child may begin to develop hypersensitivity to them in utero. After birth, the first contact with these products may cause an allergic reaction.

What is the mechanism of this disease? In response to the introduction of an allergen into the body, which can be food, dust, microbes, drugs, etc., the immune system produces its own proteins, so-called antibodies. With repeated exposure to an allergen, an allergic reaction develops - the interaction of antibodies with the allergen that caused their formation. This immediately affects the functions of certain organs, most often the respiratory tract, intestines, and skin. Reactions that occur in the body lead to the formation of chemicals that cause allergies, such as histamine. The most famous anti-allergenic drugs are called antihistamines because they affect its formation. Allergies affect the blood vessels, often causing a rash (the most common is urticaria), runny nose, and swelling of the eyelids. The eyes begin to water. In the most severe cases, spasms of the respiratory tract (choking) may occur. Food allergies affect the functioning of the digestive tract (loose, frequent stools, vomiting, abdominal pain, heartburn), sometimes affecting the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract (the child often suffers from pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, and has a constant runny nose).

In some cases, such an allergy leads the child to bronchial asthma. A child with allergies very often suffers from colds. The baby finds himself in a “vicious circle” - in winter and autumn he is susceptible to colds, and in spring and summer allergic reactions to the flowering of various plants and herbs (polinosis) worsen. It is also often possible to observe various skin lesions in a child with allergies, especially on the bends of the elbows, under the knees, and on the hands. These manifestations can develop into eczema or neurodermatitis. The child is constantly irritated and restless. This also affects his nervous system. Food allergies can be combined with neuro-arthritic diathesis, when the manifestations of allergies intensify with nervous excitement and various worries of the child.
It is important to learn to recognize the signs of a food allergy as they vary widely. The skin, respiratory tract and intestines are the first to be affected by allergies. Irritability, tearfulness, feelings of anxiety, fear, increased excitability and sleep disturbance are signs of involvement of the nervous system in the disease process caused by food allergies.

The time for a reaction to occur to a particular product usually varies in length. Some symptoms occur immediately after eating foods containing allergens, or after only a few minutes (rapid type allergic reaction), while others - after a certain, sometimes long time (several days) - this is a delayed type allergic reaction. The severity of the reaction may also depend on the amount of product eaten. For example, if a child ate only a couple of strawberries, he may begin to have a slight itching of the skin of the face and hands, and with a large number of berries eaten, even swelling of the respiratory tract is possible.

If your baby is prone to inappropriate reactions to food intake, try to write down what and when he eats, as well as note any ailments that then appear. Such a "food diary" is especially necessary for sickly children, since there is often a direct relationship between the intake of a particular product and the body's reaction to it (loose stools, cough, anxiety or abdominal pain). Keeping these records will help you and your pediatrician identify foods that are unsafe for your baby and determine the nature of their effects. Write down the time and amount of food eaten (note the introduction of new foods). Also note the manufacturer of the product (after all, different factories or dairies use a slightly different technology for making products. Therefore, it is possible that sweet cheeses (without chocolate!) from one manufacturer will suit the child and he will not perceive the same cheese of another brand. Better give new products to the baby early in the morning, so that in the event of an allergic reaction, you can fix it (after all, at night, when the child is sleeping, it is more difficult to see a rash or other manifestations).

The most common cause of allergic reactions are certain foods.

o, for example, dairy products (milk protein is the main allergen), various sweets containing chocolate (cocoa is a strong allergen), nuts, colored (red) vegetables and berries: strawberries, wild strawberries, also citrus fruits (especially oranges), egg white soy , products made from wheat flour. Fish and fish products (such as caviar, various seafood - shrimp, crabs, etc.) are also very allergenic. Some children are allergic to all “red” vegetables and fruits: tomatoes, carrots, red apples, raspberries, peaches.

Allergies can be caused not by specific foods, but by a sharp predominance of proteins, fats, or carbohydrates in a child’s diet. Such one-sided nutrition is not uncommon for a child with poor appetite who prefers to “sit on a mono-diet.”

Food allergy is a state of increased sensitivity of the body to food, which is based on immunological mechanisms. It can cause acute conditions (anaphylactic shock, broncho-obstructive syndrome, allergic vasculitis, urticaria, etc.) and can support chronic and recurrent damage to the ENT organs (ear, nose and throat), skin, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system .

Food allergy as a component is included in the broader concept of food intolerance.

Food intolerance In addition to food allergies, it includes enzymopathies, psychogenic reactions to food, pseudo-allergic reactions to food.

Pseudoallergic reactions to food are not immune reactions, although they look very similar to them. Pseudoallergy develops when food containing histamine is ingested or when histamine is released during the digestive process in the gastrointestinal tract. For example, canned tuna and mackerel can contain high concentrations of histamine. Some food additives (dyes, preservatives, flavors) can also cause the development of a pseudo-allergic reaction.

Pseudoallergic reactions often occur in children when they are abruptly weaned and switched to other foods, or when the child is given an unreasonably large amount of complementary foods.

At the same time, medical statistics on the spread of food allergies are very varied: according to some data, 20-40% of children of the first year suffer from it, according to others, the prevalence of proven allergies in children of the first year is 6-8%, among adolescents - 2-4%.

There is an age-related evolution of food allergies: in 20% of patients, timely and adequate treatment leads to clinical recovery; in 41% there is a change in the manifestations of food allergies to target organs; in 38%, a combined manifestation of food allergy is formed with the involvement of several “shock” organs - skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system.

Against the background of food allergies, children develop increased sensitivity of the body to other types of allergens.

Food sensitization is often a starting point and can develop in utero or from the first days and months of a child’s life.

The occurrence of food allergies in children of the first year of life is associated, on the one hand, with the development of the digestive tract, and on the other, with disturbances in the nutrition of the mother and child.

Features of the state of the digestive tract include: increased permeability of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract for macromolecules (including food allergens); decreased local intestinal immunity; decreased enzymatic activity of gastrointestinal enzymes, altered composition of intestinal microflora.

Symptoms and signs

Allergic skin reactions (which usually worsen in the fall) may appear as dry skin with flaky or red areas, usually on the elbows, neck, or knees. Peeling or redness of the skin is sometimes accompanied by itching, which greatly bothers children.

While parents can easily notice manifestations of allergies on the skin, it is usually difficult to directly associate various dysfunctions of the digestive organs with exposure to a food allergen. Nutritional manifestations can be in the form of flatulence, anxiety after eating, regurgitation, abdominal pain, refusal of a certain product, unstable stool.

If you are allergic to cow's milk protein (among newborns suffering from atopic dermatitis, 90% of children are allergic to cow's milk protein), prolonged diarrhea may occur; during or after feeding, the child may press his legs towards his stomach, signaling pain that bothers him. If a nursing mother has an established allergy, she should stop drinking cow’s milk and switch to goat’s or soy milk.

Less commonly, food allergies cause respiratory disorders, which can manifest as prolonged runny nose, apnea, and attacks of difficulty breathing.

Treatment of food allergies

Possible treatment regimen

Self-treatment of such a serious disease as allergies should not be carried out on your own. Consult an allergist and do an allergy test. If you have not yet noticed any allergic manifestations in your child, but the test is positive, it is better to treat the child after a second test without waiting for the allergy to manifest itself.

You should carefully monitor the state of the baby's intestinal microflora and prevent dysbiosis by using medicinal products containing probiotics and prebiotics, as recommended by your pediatrician.

To populate the intestines with beneficial microflora, three types of substances are used today:

• probiotics - live bacteria of normal intestinal microflora;
• prebiotics - oligosaccharides that help increase the amount of protective intestinal flora and its functional activity;
• synbiotics - a mixture of pro- and prebiotics, in which the presence of prebiotics helps to quickly “engraft” beneficial bacteria and restore protective microflora.

To make it easier to understand, the table shows food products containing the main components that contribute to the colonization of the intestines with normal microflora.

Discuss your baby’s diet with your pediatrician and allergist - what products or mixtures you can fully replace the allergens excluded from the diet.

During an exacerbation, the doctor usually prescribes antihistamines, and skin itching or redness can be relieved with ointments such as Atoderm, Fleur-Enzyme, Belanten.

The most important factor in the treatment of food allergies is diet therapy. A properly selected hypoallergenic diet in the early stages of the disease promotes clinical recovery; in case of severe manifestations of food allergies, it, as part of complex therapy, helps to improve the condition and develop long-term remission. The diet must be strictly individual, with the exclusion from the child’s diet of foods that cause allergic reactions in a given patient - this is the so-called elimination diet.

For children in the first year of life, natural feeding is optimal. Breast milk contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, microelements, vitamins A, C, E, B 12 necessary for the growth and development of a child.
If a child is breastfed and has signs of allergies, it is necessary to prescribe a hypoallergenic diet to the mother, but in no case should breast milk be excluded, since allergies are not caused by proteins in breast milk, but by allergens that have entered the milk from the mother’s food.

Mother's hypoallergenic diet- nutrition should not be one-sided and plentiful. The diet should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and microelements. The diet should not include a lot of obligate allergens and cow's milk (no more than 0.5 liters); the diet should not contain spices, canned food, smoked meats, as these substances increase the degree of penetration of allergens through the intestinal barrier.
When artificially feeding children with food allergies, which are caused by cow's milk proteins, it is necessary to use mixtures prepared on the basis of soy milk: “Alsoy”, “Nutri-soy”, “Similac-isomil”, “Enfamil-soy”, etc.

If you are allergic to soy protein, then it is advisable to use mixtures based on whey protein hydrolysates, that is, mixtures of free amino acids: “Frisopen-1” for children up to six months and “Frisopen-2” for children up to one year. You can also use the mixtures “Prechetimil”, “Alfare”, “Pepti-junior” - these are medicinal mixtures; when used, stool normalization is observed and the skin manifestations of exudative diathesis are reduced.
Complementary feeding for children with food allergies is introduced a month later than for healthy children - from 5.5-6 months. Fruit juices are introduced to such children from 3-3.5 months; it is better to start introducing juices with natural apple juice without sugar.
As the first complementary food, it is better to give vegetable puree, starting with a one-component puree - from potatoes, which are pre-soaked, from zucchini, white cabbage and cauliflower. Carrots and pumpkin are added at a later date and only if there is no allergy to these vegetables.

If a child often has loose or unstable stools, or if the child is not gaining weight well, you can give him porridge - rice or buckwheat - as the first complementary food; the same porridge can be used for the second complementary feeding, which is prescribed a month after the first. It is better not to give semolina and corn porridge.

From 7-8 months of age, you can introduce natural meat, in minced form. If the child does not have a negative reaction, you can give beef; if the allergic reaction to beef increases, it should be abandoned and replaced with rabbit or turkey meat.

In the absence of a pronounced allergy to cow's milk proteins, from 6-7 months of age, fermented milk products “Narine”, “Matsoni”, “Bifidokefir”, “Bifidok”, etc. can be used. With fermented milk fermentation, the allergenic activity of cow's milk proteins decreases, in addition , these products are useful for intestinal dysbiosis.

Whole cow's milk can be given to children after one year, whole chicken eggs - after two years.

When introducing complementary foods, the following rules must be observed: introduce a new food product only when there are no pronounced clinical manifestations of food allergies; start introducing a new product in a small volume with 1A-1/2-1 teaspoon, gradually increasing the volume; Give each new product for 5-7-10 days in a row, depending on the baby’s reaction - only if the body reacts positively can you begin to introduce a new product; Give complementary foods from a spoon in the morning and afternoon so that the reaction to it can be monitored.

Food allergies are most common in children under two years of age.

Certain foods are excluded from the diet for different periods, which can range from 1.5-2 months to 2 years or more, depending on the degree of allergenicity of the product and the severity of the clinical manifestations of food allergies. For example, allergies to fish, fish products, and nuts can last a lifetime.

From the diet of children over one year old who suffer from food allergies, products containing allergens specific to the child are excluded. The diet is gradually expanded with a gradual increase in the amount of the previously intolerable product. To reduce the allergic effect, it is recommended to subject the product to culinary processing (soaking, heat, fermented milk, etc.).

Preventing food allergies

The modern food industry produces too many unnatural products containing highly allergenic preservatives and dyes (read more about this in the following chapters). Avoid products containing food additives with index E - this is not for children with allergies and in general it is better for preschool children to completely abstain from them.

The safest products are also known that can be given to children without fear of an allergic reaction. These are various varieties of apples, apricots, gooseberries, white or yellow plums, white or red currants, white cherries, green grapes, pears, rye bread, oats, zucchini, beets, sunflower oil, rice.

However, if you are giving any product to your baby for the first time, be careful!

Carefully read the composition of the product and read the labels. After all, even such “harmless” products as noodles and pasta contain wheat and very often eggs, and butter cookies contain milk. Dairy products are used in the preparation of many types of bread.

If you have managed to establish which foods cause food allergies in your child, completely exclude them from the menu. Without chocolate or oranges, the baby will not feel worse, especially since chocolate is also harmful due to its high sugar content. However, eliminating dairy products from your diet is not so easy. In this case, you need to visit an allergist. In addition, food allergies may be accompanied by a reaction to other allergens (medicines, pollen, house dust, natural wool or fur, paint smell, etc.).

It should be noted that a feature of the diet of a child with skin manifestations of food allergies (exudative diathesis, weeping eczema) is a large proportion of foods containing protein. This amount of protein is necessary due to the significant breakdown of its own proteins in the body of a sick baby. Sources of valuable protein for him will be cottage cheese and fermented milk products (kefir, natural yogurt) - in the absence of an allergy to cow's milk. It should be emphasized that the amount of dairy products for a child with allergies is limited to 400 ml per day (two glasses of kefir, or yogurt, or - in the absence of allergies - milk). Lean beef, pork, rabbit or turkey can also be eaten for protein. You can try quail eggs. Although legumes are a source of protein, they should be given to children with allergies with caution.
Children also need protein to maintain immunity.

To restore damaged skin due to eczema, a child needs vegetable fats (sunflower, corn, olive oil). Vegetable oil should make up about a quarter of all fats consumed, and butter is also useful. It is better not to give lard and other animal fats to an allergic child.

If the child’s condition has significantly improved for some time - there are no manifestations of allergies on the skin, a runny nose, cough and the digestive organs are in order, do not rush to immediately start giving “forbidden” foods. Wait at least two to three months and then start with tiny doses. We are not talking, of course, about chocolate, citrus fruits, smoked meats and exotic fruits. In case of the slightest manifestation of an allergy, you should return to a strict diet.

If your baby is forced to stick to a diet for a long time, this should not affect his development. After all, the diet includes basic foods (vegetables, some fruits, lean dietary meat, cereals, dairy products, eggs in small quantities. But at this age, many children who do not have food restrictions prefer to eat a small range of foods. And this is enough for them to develop normally.

Sometimes you may encounter the fact that parents do not understand the need for strict adherence to the diet. They consider this a “doctors’ invention” and allow the child to eat what he wants. As a result, the disease often becomes more complicated and prolonged. But simply following a diet in this case is almost a “panacea” for complications and the transition of allergies into a severe chronic form (eczema, bronchial asthma, etc.).

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Allergies in a child

Allergy in children is the increased sensitivity of the body (immune system) to the effects of endogenous or exogenous factors. Some doctors admit that there is no congenital allergy. But if the next of kin suffered from it in childhood or later, then the likelihood of reactions in the first year of life is very high. However, they may appear much later.

Types of allergies in children

1. Food allergies. Problems arise when eating certain foods. It manifests itself in the form of urticaria, neurodermatitis or eczema, problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

2. Drug allergies. This is a reaction to taking pills, injections, inhalations. Symptoms: nausea, anaphylactic shock, urticaria, changes in blood composition.

3. Respiratory allergies. Reaction to strong odors, dust, pollen, animals, microorganisms. Symptoms: lacrimation, varying degrees of swelling, sinusitis, tracheitis, rhinitis, laryngitis.

4. Cold allergy. The reaction of the child's body to extreme cold. Symptoms may include itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, and redness of the skin.

Diseases associated with allergies in children

1. Diathesis. Most often it occurs in infants due to poor nutrition of the mother, and is expressed in the appearance of diaper rash, areas of seborrhea on the scalp, milk scab on the cheeks with redness of the skin.

2. Hay fever. It occurs seasonally due to pollen from flowering plants. It manifests itself as conjunctivitis and rhinitis, bronchitis, damage to the nervous system, and dermatitis.

3. Quincke's edema. Acute reaction of the body to food and nutritional supplements, insect bites, and taking medications. It occurs in the form of swelling of the skin, various mucous membranes (respiratory tract, intestines).

4. Urticaria. Caused by medications, various types of food additives and products, infections (worm infestation, virus), physical factors (sunlight, cold), etc. It is easily recognized by its characteristic spots and blisters, which often itch.

5. Bronchial asthma. A chronic disease, the symptoms of which most often appear during an exacerbation: whistling when breathing, coughing, choking, shortness of breath. It may be infectious, mixed or allergic in nature.

6. Hay fever. Manifested by rhinitis, cough, lacrimation, lacrimation during the flowering period of wild grasses.

7. Atopic dermatitis. Symptoms include itching and skin rashes of various types.

Allergies in infants

Any of the above types of allergies can develop in infants.

Provoking factors are exoallergens (external) and endoallergens (internal). The first are contact, food, medicinal, inhaled factors, and the second are components of cells of various tissues of the body, modified by viruses or bacteria.

The most known allergens:

- products;

- mold and dust;

— feather, downy contents of pillows or blankets;

- pets - saliva and urine containing proteins, wool, fluff, feathers);

- medicines;

- flowering herbs, trees, shrubs.

Urgent measures should be taken with the following external symptoms in the baby:

- runny nose, cough;

- frequent sneezing;

- the appearance of edema;

- nausea;

- diarrhea followed by dehydration;

- redness on the skin;

- hives, rashes;

- eczema.

Important: these symptoms may be manifestations of other diseases. Parents should definitely consult a doctor.

Food allergies in children

If the baby’s nutrition is organized correctly, then it is likely that he will never encounter the problem of allergic reactions. But most often, certain deviations from the principles of rational nutrition occur, so the disease in question is very common in childhood.

Experts distinguish three types of food allergies:

- with manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract;

- with skin manifestations;

- with respiratory manifestations.

Symptoms of food allergies in children

1. Symptoms of food allergy with manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract:

- restless behavior, discomfort in the child;

- stomach ache;

- pathological stool (usually liquefied, contains mucus, sometimes even streaks of blood);

- eczema (allergic diathesis) may be observed.

The temperature may be normal and there may not even be any rashes on the skin.

2. Symptoms of food allergies with skin manifestations are redness and various rashes. The most dangerous manifestations include:

- Quincke's edema - occurs on part of the face, sometimes on the hands and knees; if it forms within the windpipe, then in a matter of minutes it blocks the access of fresh air to the lungs, which can be fatal.

- urticaria - manifested by itching and elements resembling blisters after a nettle burn; the more spots, the more severe the body’s reaction, which is why hospitalization of the baby is possible.

3. With food allergies, after the age of 12 months, respiratory (inhalation) provoking factors begin to manifest themselves more and more often. External signs are rhinitis, paroxysmal breathing disorders.

Anxiety is caused by an anaphylactic reaction. It is provoked by food and other allergens (drugs, chemicals). Manifested by shortness of breath, swelling of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose, urticaria, Quincke's edema, changes in skin color, and a drop in blood pressure. There are nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain. The most severe are the symptoms related to the cardiovascular system.

Treatment of food allergies in children

Treatment of food allergies should be comprehensive:

1. Complete or partial exclusion from the child’s diet of foods that cause a reaction. If very important components of the menu must be removed, then a trial restrictive diet is prescribed for a period of 1.5-2 months, and safe analogues are selected.

2. Prescription of medications that reduce the intensity of the reaction to allergens. Most often these are antihistamines, but the specific medicine is prescribed by the doctor.

3. To treat manifestations on the skin, use non-hormonal white (with zinc) and dark (with tar) ointments. To obtain a quick positive effect, the doctor may prescribe ointments containing glucocorticoids. Such hormonal drugs are used strictly following the doctor’s instructions.

4. If there are extensive, weeping lesions on the skin, then the child takes general baths only with baby soap, once every 7-10 days. For hygiene, local washing is performed with warm water under the tap and without soap.

15-minute medicinal baths before bedtime (with decoctions of medicinal mixtures) are prescribed. After the procedure, the baby is blotted with a soft towel, and the affected areas of the skin are lubricated with ointments.

5. It is necessary to ensure that the baby’s nails do not grow and are neatly trimmed. To prevent it from damaging the skin during sleep, some doctors recommend the use of special splints.

Milk allergy in children

Milk contains protein molecules that can provoke an allergic reaction. Cross allergies are usually not observed.

Factors contributing to the development of an allergic reaction:

- genetic predisposition;

- artificial feeding;

— the nurse’s failure to follow a hypoallergenic diet that excludes sweet milk products, nuts, seafood, etc.

Symptoms of milk allergy in children

The symptoms of this type of allergy are quite extensive:

- milk scab;

- pinpoint rash;

- atopic dermatitis;

- vomiting and frequent regurgitation after feeding;

- intestinal colic, which causes the child to scream loudly;

- flatulence;

- diarrhea, often interspersed with mucus or blood;

- dehydration;

- weight loss or insufficient weight gain compared to normal values.

Treatment of milk allergies in children

The child should be transferred to completely natural feeding or use special formulas for babies based on milk hydrolysates. You can prepare mixtures using milk from other animals. Another option is to use a plant-based product. External symptoms that appear on the skin are treated in the same way as described above.

Allergy to the sun in children

Sun rays (ultraviolet) alone rarely provoke allergies. Much more often, photodermatitis occurs in the presence of additional factors:

— taking antibiotics and other medications;

— contact with pollen from flowering plants on the skin;

- use of creams with essential oils (citrus, cumin, etc.);

- use of cosmetics with dyes (for example, hygienic lipstick with eosin);

- use of antiseptics (wet wipes)

- some internal diseases;

— residues of detergents;

- prolonged exposure to the sun.

Symptoms of sun allergy in children

Literally after a couple of hours under the sun’s rays, the child exhibits symptoms of photodermatosis:

- itching and tingling;

- small red rashes, they slightly peel and itch.

- possible swelling;

- blisters may occur on light, sensitive skin (they cannot be pierced).

The rashes are localized on open areas of the body, most often on the head. To clarify the diagnosis and care instructions for the child, you need to visit a doctor.

Sun allergy treatment in children

With photodermatitis, sun exposure should be reduced to zero. You can not sunbathe until the redness, rash disappear. To relieve itching, special products are recommended that are safe even for one-month-old babies.

To clarify the causes of allergic irritation of the child, it is necessary to show the doctor. It is better to wear closed clothes on your baby so that the sun's rays do not hit the skin.

Allergy to insect stings in children

A child with hypersensitivity may have a severe allergic reaction to insect bites, especially hymenoptera:

- mosquito;

- hornet;

Symptoms of allergy to insect bites in children

If the child is healthy, an insect bite is manifested by itching, local swelling and redness, which disappear within 24 hours. In a baby with a predisposition to an allergic reaction, these symptoms last up to 48 hours or more, and the swelling will spread to the area between a pair of joints.

The most dangerous situation is the development of an anaphylactic reaction:

- redness of the skin;

- itching, urticaria;

- Quincke's edema;

- nausea and vomiting;

- Abdominal pain, diarrhea.

If timely help is not provided, then a fatal outcome is possible.

Treatment of allergy to insect stings in children

It is necessary to exclude the baby from staying in places where it is possible to encounter insects.

If a bee stings, then you need to remove the remaining sting with tweezers. Apply a piece of ice or a towel soaked in cold water to the bite site.

If an anaphylactic reaction has previously been observed in a child, then there should be a special kit at home against the venom of stinging insects (a disposable syringe tube with adrenaline and an antihistamine).

Allergy to cats in children

An allergic reaction is caused not so much by the pet’s fur, but by the proteins in its saliva, urine, and epidermis. In addition, it brings other allergens from the street - particles of mold, pollen, fluff. With reduced immunity and predisposition, the child may react acutely to contact with provoking factors.

Symptoms of cat allergy in children

Symptoms can appear in combination or individually:

- tearfulness and redness of the eyes;

- difficulty breathing, possibly with extraneous noise;

- unexpected lethargy, drowsiness, irritation;

— redness and irritation on the skin after contact with a pet;

- frequent sneezing when a cat appears;

- constant nasal congestion.

Treatment of allergies to cats in children

If symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor. The allergist will prescribe treatment, which includes taking antihistamines, decongestants, using local remedies to relieve symptoms - eye drops, nasal drops, etc.

For prevention, you need to keep the animals in another room, do wet cleaning every day, ventilate the room often, wash the cat regularly, remove the carpets, replacing them with washable coverings.

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Causes of allergies

There are several main reasons that can cause allergies in children 2-3 years old. Some of them were mentioned earlier, but in order to better understand the information, we will collect all the factors in one list:

There are many reasons for allergies. It is almost impossible to exclude them all. Therefore, the main task for parents is to detect an allergic reaction in time and take the child to a doctor.

The most common types of allergies in children

Children under 2 years of age are most likely to develop food allergies. It can be caused by a number of products. These are citrus fruits, chocolate, fruits, honey - children consume them in large quantities. Mushrooms, which are strictly forbidden to be given to a small child in any form, can also cause an unexpected reaction in the body. Only the main products that have the highest level of risk of allergies are listed, but in fact, any food product can cause it in a child if there is an intolerance to them.

In children, food allergies can occur as a result of overfeeding, because it provokes the development of fermentation processes in the stomach, during which a large amount of toxins enters the blood. Therefore, you should not force your baby to eat if he does not want to, force feed him.

Medicines are also becoming a common cause of allergic reactions in children. This is often due to a violation of the dosage or incorrect selection of medication according to age. Therefore, in no case should you give your child medications at your own discretion, but only as prescribed by a doctor.

Allergies to pet hair and dust are also quite common among children. Of course, they love dogs, cats and parrots, but if the first signs of an allergic reaction appear, you should think about holding off on pets. If you already have them in the house, it is better to give them to friends to avoid the allergy becoming chronic.

Another factor that can lead to an unexpected reaction in a child’s body is insect bites. Children at 2 years old are very active, they do not always understand how to behave on the street, so they often find themselves in unexpected situations. Allergies can be caused by bee, wasp, tick, or any other insect stings.

Allergies to insect bites are considered one of the most dangerous types, because their poison or saliva, containing dangerous enzymes, spread throughout the body instantly. Symptoms increase very quickly, the child’s condition worsens, requiring emergency medical care. If your baby is prone to allergies, it is better to always carry an antihistamine with you.

Allergy symptoms

The clinical picture of allergies in children 2 years old is quite clear, so it will not be difficult to notice the symptoms. These may be manifestations such as:

These are the main symptoms of an allergic reaction that develop in a 2-year-old child or a person of any other age. If you have some symptoms, you should definitely seek medical help to get quick and effective treatment.

Diagnostics and its main methods

Given the tendency of a child’s body to unexpected reactions to various substances, determining the cause of an allergy can be quite difficult. In order to do this, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination of the child, which begins with collecting an anamnesis. At this stage, parents should provide the doctor with maximum information regarding all innovations in the baby’s diet and routine, tell about the medications he took, if any, and show the immunization card. At that stage, it is already possible to guess what substance caused such a reaction in the body.

Next is a blood test. It can be used to determine the level of immunoglobulin E, the main indicator of the presence of allergies. If the level of this protein is elevated, the child will have to undergo skin allergy tests to accurately identify the allergen. By the way, after treatment, after about 2 years, it is recommended to repeat the tests in order to assess the condition of the body and check its sensitivity to specific allergens.

Treatment and its rules

In order for the treatment to be successful, the baby must be protected from contact with the allergen for at least 2-3 years. After this time, the allergy may disappear without a trace. But for now, you should be extremely careful, because repeated entry into the body of this substance can provoke the appearance of more serious and dangerous symptoms.

If a child has an allergy caused by any product or medication, it is advisable to give the baby a sorbent, for example, Polysorb. It will help remove the allergen from the body as soon as possible and make existing symptoms less acute.

Next is taking antihistamines, which can improve the overall clinical picture and the child’s condition. Most often, children 2 years old are prescribed third-generation drugs, which are considered no less effective than other antihistamines, but turn out to be safer.

How to drink tavegil for adults

The manifestation of allergies in children is a response of the immune system to some substance from the external environment. A child’s body, sensing a potential health hazard, instantly “turns on” a protective reaction, manifested by a runny nose, rash, etc. There are many reasons for the development of allergies (in particular, heredity), especially in our time, when the ecology and materials around us leave much to be desired .

What are childhood allergies, and what do you need to know about them?

Childhood allergies - two types of allergens, at what age can the first childhood allergy occur, and to what?

Allergies cannot be tied to age or gender. It may arise at any time and at any age , even in the uterus during fetal development - in a mild and acute form. And the key factors in the development of allergies are, of course, allergens.

They are divided into 2 types:

• Exoallergens
  This group includes environmental factors, which, in turn, are divided into inhaled allergens (for example, dust), food, injection, contact (dyes, etc.), infectious and medicinal.
• Endoallergens
  They are formed inside the body when there is any tissue damage. The role of endoallergens is great in the development of viral diseases, SLE (lupus) and rheumatism. Endoallergens are considered to be components of tissue cells that have been altered due to certain factors (bacteria, viruses, etc.).

When making a diagnosis, the first consideration is genetic predisposition . In addition to it, the causes of allergies can be the use of certain “modern” products, poor ecology, excessive hygiene, reduced immunity, the “chemicals” that we use at home, poor nutrition of a nursing mother, paints and varnishes, etc.

The most “popular” children's allergens are:

• Products. The immaturity of the food system does not allow the breakdown of some substances in food.
• Flowering plants. Some of the most powerful allergens are pollen from trees, weeds and meadow grasses.
• Animals and birds(wool, proteins in pet saliva and urine, down and feathers).
• Fillers for blankets and pillows.
• Medicines.
• Mold and dust(dust mites, molds).

The main symptoms of allergies in children with photos - do not miss the disease in your child!

Allergies can manifest themselves symptomatically at the first meeting with an allergen and with prolonged exposure to achieve maximum concentration. The first option most often applies to children - they are the most vulnerable to environmental factors.

As for the second option, it is often close to adults. The duration of symptoms depends on stability of the immune system — the stronger the body, the later the allergy will manifest itself.

Classic allergy symptoms include:

• Cough with runny nose.
• Sneezing.
• Urticaria.
• It hurts in the eyes.
• The appearance of edema.
• More serious symptoms:
• Fainting.
• Disorientation.
• Anaphylactic shock, etc.

Symptoms from organs and systems:

• Respiratory system
  Bronchospasms, dry cough (attacks), irritation of the mucous membrane when inhaling.
• Gastrointestinal tract
  Vomiting and nausea, diarrhea, dehydration.
• Circulatory system
  Changes in the number and shape of white blood cells.
• Skin reactions
  Eczema, rash, hives, various types of redness.

You need to understand that the manifestation of classic symptoms does not necessarily indicate an allergic reaction – they may be a manifestation of another, more serious disease. In this case, allergy medications will not help even in combating the symptoms.

So to begin with You should find out the cause of the symptoms (from a doctor!) . Otherwise, you can waste precious time trying (for example) to overcome hives that actually arise from serious poisoning.

11 most common types of allergies in children - course and symptoms

The main types of childhood allergies are:

• food allergy
  Certain foods can cause allergies in your baby even when consumed in very small quantities. The most “allergic” are citrus fruits, milk, sweets, nuts and regular chicken eggs. As a rule, the roots of food allergies are the abuse of allergenic foods by the expectant mother.
  Symptoms: urticaria, eczema, neurodermatitis, Quincke's edema, changes in the gastrointestinal tract and blood counts, itching of the skin, stool disorders, bloating, etc. Most often, this type of allergy is observed in children under one year of age.
• Drug allergy
  The body's response to the administration of a drug. Usually develops in parallel with food allergies, eventually forming cross-reactions when combining drugs and products.
  Symptoms: nausea, urticaria, blood changes, anaphylactic shock.
• Respiratory allergies
  This option is known to many. Children's allergies to strong odors, dust and pollen (as well as dust mites, animals, molds, cockroaches, etc.) are becoming a headache for many mothers these days.
  Symptoms: rhinitis and sinusitis, lacrimation, edema, laryngitis, tracheitis. This type of allergy can give rise to bronchial asthma.
• Hay fever (a form of respiratory allergy)
  Occurs when the body is exposed to pollen, usually annually and “on a schedule.”
  Symptoms: inflammatory process in the organs of vision and in the respiratory tract. Read also:
• Hives
  Symptoms: the appearance of spots and blisters, sometimes itchy, often very large and merging with each other. An acute allergic reaction to repeated contact of the baby with an allergen.
• Quincke's edema
  It usually develops as a reaction to food, certain food additives, insect bites and infections, and medications.
  Symptoms: the appearance of swelling of the skin, mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, intestines, etc. Quincke's edema is dangerous due to suffocation due to swelling of the larynx, intestinal obstruction due to damage to the gastrointestinal tract and anaphylactic shock.
  This type of allergy requires emergency medical attention!
• Bronchial asthma
  The nature of the disease can be infectious, mixed and allergic (atopic).
  Symptoms: choking, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Often there is a combination of asthma and allergic rhinitis.
• hay fever
  This type of allergy is known for seasonal exacerbations. The body reacts with certain symptoms to natural manifestations - to the flowering of meadow grasses, etc.
  Symptoms: lacrimation, rhinitis, cough, swelling.
• Cold allergy
  The body's reaction to cold. It manifests itself as difficulty breathing, swelling and redness of the skin, itching.
• Atopic dermatitis
  This allergic pathology is manifested by skin rashes of various types, itching and other dermatological symptoms.
• Diathesis
  In newborns, this type of allergy occurs in the form of diaper rash, milk scab on reddened cheeks, and seborrhea (in patches) on the head. The reason, as a rule, is the mother’s poor nutrition during pregnancy, toxicosis during pregnancy, etc.

As for the treatment of childhood allergies, it depends on the specific type of reaction.

But first of all, allergy prevention involves correction of nutrition, diet, caution when walking during seasonal exacerbations and the availability of antihistamines in case of need for their emergency use.

Whatever type of allergic reaction develops, no matter how intense it occurs, it is necessary to supplement the intake of allergy medications by cleansing the body with the help of sorbents. For example, Enterosgelya - this modern gel-like sorbent based on bioorganic silicon gently and without harm to the body absorbs both allergens and toxic products of the immune reaction, and then removes them from the body, thereby easing the course of allergies.

The website warns: self-medication can harm your baby’s health! The diagnosis should only be made by a doctor after an examination. Therefore, if you detect allergy symptoms in a child, be sure to consult a specialist!

Allergy is the body's immune response to allergens, which occurs with damage to organs and tissues. Today, approximately 30% of the population suffers from allergies, most of them are children.

Children's allergies has some features. First of all, we are talking about the most significant allergens that can cause a reaction in a child.

Before the age of five, food allergens most often cause allergies in children. The most allergenic foods are: eggs, milk, nuts, fish.

Children over the age of five most often suffer from household allergies caused by dust; in addition, children at this age may be susceptible to pollen allergies.

Let's find out together why children have allergies, what are their main causes, how to treat allergies in children?

Main causes of childhood allergies

Today, approximately 30% of the population suffers from allergies, most of them are children

Modern medicine identifies several main causes of various types of allergies in children:

- heredity- the most common cause of allergies, as is known, a predisposition to allergies can be transmitted from parents, if the mother suffers from allergies, this means that the child will also have allergies in 20-70% of cases, if the father is allergic, the child will have allergies at 12-40 % of cases, if both parents are susceptible to allergies, then the child in 80% of cases will also suffer from allergies;

- frequent infectious diseases, they create the preconditions for the development of allergies, infectious diseases in childhood are especially dangerous;

- sterile living conditions, in order to form immunity, the body needs to deal with various kinds of bacteria and infections; excessive sterility in the room can interfere with this process;

- ecology, allergies can be caused by unfavorable environmental factors, for example, polluted air, harmful exhausts, and so on;

- diseases of internal organs, especially diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

All these reasons are considered the main factors that determine a child’s tendency to develop allergies. It is important to note that there are many types of allergies, depending on in which organs the allergic reaction occurs, but the nature of all types of allergies is the same - it is hypersensitivity to certain allergens.

Main allergens: where is the danger hidden?

As you know, allergens that can provoke allergic reactions can be hidden anywhere: in an apartment, on the street, in food, clothing and cosmetics. What are the main allergens that can provoke childhood allergies?

Household allergens: dust mites, house dust, pillow feathers, household chemicals. Most often, household allergens cause allergic respiratory diseases. Research by scientists has shown that approximately 50% of allergy sufferers have a reaction to household allergens.

Insect allergens: venom of stinging insects, saliva of biting insects. These allergens can cause local and general allergic reactions.

Epidermal allergens: dander and animal hair, bird feathers, fish scales. The most common are allergies to cats and dogs. This type of allergy usually presents with respiratory symptoms.

Any drug can cause allergies, but the most allergenic are vitamins, antibiotics, local anesthetics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and blood pressure medications. Drug allergies can manifest as allergic diseases of any organs.

Pollen allergens: pollen with a diameter of no more than 35 microns, that is, microscopic pollen that is easily carried by the wind, settles on hair and clothes. Symptoms of pollen allergies are seasonal, because each time of year corresponds to the flowering of one or another type of plant. Pollen allergens most often cause rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and allergic asthma.

Food allergens: most often allergens are fish, meat, eggs, milk, chocolate, wheat, beans, tomatoes. Food allergens in most cases cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, skin diseases, and diseases of the respiratory system.

A huge number of types of food contain allergenic substances that provoke the occurrence of a reaction in people with hypersensitivity. Most often, allergic reactions first appear in childhood.

Food allergy is a condition when the body’s immune system perceives allergen substances that are harmless in themselves as something dangerous that threatens health and triggers a corresponding aggressive reaction by producing antibodies.

This contributes to the emergence various unpleasant symptoms, such as rash, runny nose, gastrointestinal disorders and others. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of food allergies in children in this article.

What are the symptoms of a gluten allergy in a child? Find out about this from ours.

Product groups by degree of allergenic activity

For different products unequal level of allergenic activity.

Some types of substances contain more allergens, while others contain less.

Accordingly, the likelihood of an allergic reaction varies. Product lists like these make it possible choose a convenient hypoallergenic diet for a child.

Products can be divided into three groups: high, medium and low.

1. To the group with high degree of activity includes products such as seafood, tomatoes, melon, pineapple, honey, blackcurrant, strawberries, chocolate, chicken meat, nuts, beets, fish, different varieties of grapes, .
2. Middle group: rabbit meat, turkey meat, pork, beef, soy products, peach, potato, buckwheat, cranberry, rice, cherry, corn, pepper, red currant, rose hips, butter.
3. Low activity group: zucchini, cucumbers, millet, cabbage, watermelon, yellow and green apples, cherries, white currants, turnips, pearl barley, parsley, almonds, pears, plums, fermented milk products.

But it is worth considering that even products from the group with low allergenic activity can cause a reaction.

Causes of the disease at different ages

The main cause of allergies in children under one year of age who are breastfed is non-compliance with a special diet by a nursing mother, which should not include certain products.

Also heredity plays a significant role. If immediate family members have or have had a food allergy, there is a possibility that the child will also develop one.

In addition to these reasons, there are others:

1. Age-related characteristics: in children under one year of age, the gastrointestinal tract is not yet sufficiently developed and strong, so they are especially vulnerable during this period.
2. Oxygen deficiency in the fetus during pregnancy.
3. Birth injuries.
4. Bad ecology.
5. Maternal smoking, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
6. Infections during pregnancy.
7. Errors in introducing complementary foods.

Gradually growing up, the child learns about the world, his diet increases, so allergic reactions appear to foods that he simply did not eat before.

In addition to the already known reasons associated with the abnormal course of pregnancy, an insufficiently strong gastrointestinal tract and a poor environmental situation, others appear:

Most of the causes of allergies in preschoolers also apply to schoolchildren of different ages, including teenagers.

But teenagers have their own characteristics: their body is being rebuilt, hormonal changes can also affect the immune system, which contributes to the appearance of allergic reactions.

Clinical picture and symptoms

How do food allergies manifest in children? The symptoms of each allergic child may be individual., most often the allergic reaction affects the gastrointestinal tract, skin and respiratory organs.

Allergic skin lesions include:

• the presence of various types of rash (urticaria, etc.);
• high sweating with slight overheating;
• itching, skin peels;
• swelling;
• redness;
• the appearance of scales on the scalp;
• Quincke's edema may develop.

Gastrointestinal tract:

• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• appetite is impaired;
• irregular bowel movements;
• flatulence;
• nausea;
• stomach ache;
• belching.

Respiratory system:

• nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis develops;
• difficulty breathing due to swelling of the mucous membrane;
• in rare cases, bronchial asthma may occur, usually in cases where the allergy is in an advanced state and diets are not followed.

If a child has severe difficulty breathing or has any other dangerous symptoms in which the condition rapidly worsens, it is necessary to call emergency medical help as quickly as possible.

Diagnostics

At the first symptoms of an allergy, parents should take their child to a specialist: pediatrician or allergist.

Diagnostics includes the following:

Blood analysis The amount of immunoglobulin is taken from a vein; the procedure takes a short amount of time and does not cause significant discomfort to the child.

The main tests for identifying an allergen are the skin prick test and the patch test.

During the prick test A certain amount of allergen is applied to the skin and a puncture is made, and then the reaction is recorded. It is valuable in cases where a child has an allergic reaction in the first minutes.

A skin patch test (also called a patch test) is carried out as follows: on the skin - most often it is the skin of the back- apply a bandage with an allergen mixture, and it should be worn for two days.

It is prohibited to wash or exercise during the test. After this time, the bandage is removed and the result is recorded. This test makes it possible to track an allergic reaction that appears over time, rather than instantly.

To the food diary parents enter information about everything that the child eats and describe the reaction to food: this helps to identify the allergen and provides additional information valuable in diagnosis.

Treatment options

How to treat food allergies in a child? Diet is the constant basis of treatment food allergies. What to feed the baby?

After identifying the allergen, the child’s parents and the child himself, if he is old enough, should control the diet, avoiding eating anything that could trigger a reaction.

Complete exclusion of allergy-causing foods from the diet gives excellent results: the child's condition quickly returns to normal. It should also be taken into account that the diet of a child with allergies should be as healthy as possible, rich in vitamins and minerals.

If the baby feeds exclusively on mother's milk, then a nursing mother should carefully monitor her diet and follow a diet that completely excludes all allergenic foods.

The parents of a child attending a kindergarten or school must notify the teachers or supervisor about what foods the child is not allowed to eat.

For relief of allergic symptoms the following drugs are used:

• antihistamines (Allertec, Amertil and the like);
• ointments (zinc ointment, Sudocrem);
• vasoconstrictor nasal drops (Brizolin, Galazolin);
• hormonal (Prednisolone, Dexon and others);
• absorbents (activated carbon, white carbon).

An appointment is often made enzyme preparations and vitamin and mineral complexes.

Recovery prognosis

Allergies in children under two years of age very often go away on their own over time, most children before the age of five get rid of it.

In older children, these chances are lower, and the likelihood that the allergy will be with them for the rest of their lives is relatively high.

Timely initiation of allergy treatment and careful monitoring of nutrition can significantly improve a child’s life and increase the chances that the allergic reaction will subside Over time, or even disappear completely, and will also avoid complications.

Dr. Komarovsky will talk about how to cure food allergies in a child in this video:

We kindly ask you not to self-medicate. Make an appointment with a doctor!

Allergy symptoms

Essentially, an allergy is a reaction of a child’s immune system to a substance that its signaling systems have identified as potentially dangerous. In this case, the body launches protective processes, and you see their external manifestations - rash, itching, swelling of the mucous membranes or other tissues.

Allergies can make themselves felt in different ways - redness of the skin, the appearance of a rash, runny nose, coughing, sneezing. It may cause pain in the eyes, inflammation of the mucous membranes, and a runny nose, which is called hay fever. But most often, allergies in children are expressed in the form of skin reactions and have several stages of development. The first is diathesis, that is, rash, redness and itching on the child’s buttocks and cheeks.

If measures are not taken in time, the process progresses to the second stage - childhood eczema, when blisters with liquid form on the skin. The affected areas turn red and begin to itch very much, which is why the baby sleeps poorly, is capricious, and eats poorly. In place of the blisters, crusts remain, which come off as the skin heals.

The third stage of an allergic skin reaction is very serious. This is atopic dermatitis. It usually appears on the elbows and knees, and in older children – on the face and neck. Atopic dermatitis is often accompanied by allergic symptoms from the respiratory system. Beginning in infancy, atopic dermatitis continues until puberty, but can last a lifetime.

If you notice respiratory allergic reactions in your baby, call a doctor immediately, in this case there is a high risk of developing swelling of the upper respiratory tract, in which the child may simply suffocate.

Causes of allergies

The reasons for the development of allergies are not fully understood. It is believed that the predisposition to such reactions is hereditary, that is, if one of the parents has this problem, the child’s body will also struggle with the same substance.

The second reason is a woman’s poor diet during pregnancy. It is better for expectant mothers to exclude citrus fruits and strawberries from their diet, and limit seafood. But in recent years, this factor has not been given much importance, and if family members are not prone to allergies, a strict hypoallergenic diet may not be followed while expecting a child.

Very often, children who are on artificial nutrition suffer from allergies, although it can also occur in babies who are breastfed. All mixtures are made on the basis of cow's milk, the protein of which is a powerful irritant.

Allergies can also be triggered by mistakes when introducing complementary foods: choosing a too aggressive product, the wrong quantity, too early “acquaintance” with it - and now the baby begins to develop allergic dermatitis, which is known as “diathesis”.

The most common allergens (the so-called substances that provoke a painful reaction) are some foods, pollen, dust, pet dander, insect venom, such as bees, and, of course, household chemicals.

Diagnosis and treatment of allergies

Diagnosing allergies and identifying the allergen is not as easy as it seems. Drugs for the medical treatment of the disease should be selected by a doctor. Modern medications are very effective and have minimal side effects, but self-medication is unsafe.

First, the doctor collects information about the family's lifestyle. To do this, parents keep a diary for about two weeks, where they record all the foods that the child ate, write down what clothes he wore, and with whom he came in contact. Immunological blood tests are then carried out, and in older children skin tests may also be taken, when different allergens are applied to the skin and the body's reaction is assessed.

Once the main “aggressor” has been identified, it is necessary to exclude him from the child’s environment. The next step is to create a hypoallergenic diet, even if the painful reaction is not caused by food. A failure in the immune system, which is essentially an allergy, often reacts to additional irritants.

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What is an allergy

An adult or child allergy is an acute reaction of the immune system to allergens - substances that are harmless to an ordinary person. Symptoms occur in different parts of the body, last from minutes to days, and vary in severity. The immunity of a child and an adult is set up to constantly protect the body from dangerous influences. When such a substance gets inside, processes develop - inflammation, disruption of organ functioning (skin, lungs, eyes, throat, digestive tract). If the defense is too active, allergy factors arise.

A predisposition to them can be observed in a child in any case, but the manifestation of allergies in childhood is especially high if both parents were allergic. If only the mother suffers, the risk remains at 80%, only the father - 30-40%, and if grandparents - 20%. The allergen can be identified by special tests, and cured by the use of antihistamines, folk methods and preventive actions.

What does an allergy look like in children?

The most common manifestation of allergies in children is an itchy rash on the body and face. These are small red blisters or large spots with a pink tint that may swell. The rash is very itchy, brings discomfort, and the child begins to itch. If allergy symptoms appear on the face, the spots are called urticaria. It appears instantly after contact with the allergen and goes away on its own without treatment. If the skin of the body is severely damaged, you should not expect the rash to go away on its own - call a doctor and take immediate action.

Contact dermatitis is another type of allergy in children. It is visible only in those places that have been in contact with the allergen. It is caused by cosmetics, metals, clothing fibers, and household chemicals. Unlike hives and rashes, atopic dermatitis appears only after prolonged exposure and not immediately. First, the skin itches, then turns red, dries, and bubbles filled with liquid appear.

Symptoms

Knowing how allergies manifest themselves in children is useful for all parents. This will help protect the child from complications of the disease, take timely measures to eliminate them and prevent Quincke's edema. Signs of an allergy depend on its type - a food allergy manifests itself on the skin, and a dust or pollen allergy manifests itself in the respiratory system. The early age of the child causes the symptoms to be less noticeable. To detect them, carefully monitor your baby when introducing new foods to his diet, surrounding him with previously unused household materials.

On the face

Allergies in children on the face occur in the form of urticaria and damage to the respiratory organs. The child begins to experience allergic rhinitis - colorless mucus appears from the nose, the nasopharynx swells, and the eyes water. The baby may sneeze, rub his nose, or suffer from a runny nose for more than 10 days. If during this time there are no signs of a cold (fever, sore throat), then this is an allergy.

Serious respiratory disorders are asthma and allergic bronchitis. They are similar to regular ones, but can become chronic. The most severe allergic reactions are anaphylactic shock and angioedema. The first is manifested by shortness of breath, blanching of the skin of the face and lips, loss of consciousness. The second is even more dangerous - the child stops breathing due to swelling of the mucous membrane, this condition requires immediate medical attention.

On the body

The main symptoms of allergies on the body and stomach are rashes and blisters. The child begins to itch, sleeps poorly, dermatitis and weeping areas of the skin appear - eczema. Acute urticaria first occurs at the site where the skin interacts with the allergen and, if untreated, affects the entire body. The rash develops into fluid-filled blisters, causing itching and burning.

Causes

The most important cause of allergies in a child is an acute reaction of the immune system to certain substances. In response to interaction with new or unpleasant components of the body, histamines are produced, causing swelling, redness of the skin and rash. Cough and nausea are caused by inhaling dust, fur, fluff, eating certain foods, applying cosmetics and medications to the skin, and getting pollen and cigarette smoke into the body. Also, the likelihood of allergies increases due to poor environmental conditions and heredity.

Allergies in children under one year of age

Frequent causes of allergies in infants are a predisposition to illness and improper feeding, when instead of breast milk the child receives an artificial formula. This affects the baby’s health – rashes, peeling, intestinal colic, diarrhea, and vomiting appear. To maintain your health, carefully choose your complementary feeding formula and follow the feeding recommendations of your pediatrician and other doctors.

Main allergens in children

According to medical data, allergic reactions in children occur due to interaction with allergens. Here are their main groups:

1. Food - cow's milk, fish, caviar, crayfish, lobster, oysters and other shellfish. 87% of children suffer from allergies to egg whites, many to rye, wheat, kefir, baked goods and kvass. Vegetables, fruits, and berries contain strong allergens.
2. Non-food – dyes, flavors, emulsifiers, preservatives included in food products.
3. Household – pets, external dust, pillow and blanket fillings, household chemicals.
4. Pollen - dandelions, wormwood, nettle, quinoa, poplar, acacia, wheat bloom.
5. Fungal - echinococcus, schistosome, roundworm, viruses.
6. Epidermal - fibers of synthetic origin.

Types of allergies

Based on the types of allergens that cause immune reactions, the following types of allergies are distinguished:

1. Food allergies in children are the most common and are caused by foods with a large amount of histamines. Occurs in children under two years of age with dysbacteriosis or introduction of complementary foods too early.
2. On animals - it would be more correct to speak not of wool, but of waste products carried by it. Allergens include saliva, blood, epithelial cells, urine, and excrement.


3. For pollen - begins after eight years. According to the period of occurrence of the reaction, the cause is identified: trees bloom from April to May, meadow grasses from June to July, weeds from August to September.
4. On medications – caused by penicillin and its derivatives. A dangerous species threatens anaphylactic shock.
5. To house dust – a hypertrophied reaction to the secretions of small mites living in the dust.
6. For insect bites - bees, wasps due to poison.

Why allergies are dangerous

If you do not take timely measures to eliminate allergic reactions, you can get complications:

• allergies become chronic;
• the child gets anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema;
• symptoms of severe cases include difficulty breathing, cold sweat, clammy skin, convulsions;
• If left untreated, death may occur.

To avoid becoming a victim of allergies, you should carry out prevention consisting of the following rules:

• introduce milk and eggs into the baby’s diet after a year, after three years - nuts, and with caution - red berries;


• thoroughly clean the child’s room - do wet cleaning and vacuuming twice a week;
• exclude the use of a large amount of furniture, carpets, and soft toys in the apartment;
• sleep on a pillow, blanket and mattress with hypoallergenic fillings;
• install a humidifier;
• walk more often in the sunshine, strengthen the child;
• Keep antihistamines in your medicine cabinet.

Diagnostics

Allergic diseases in children are diagnosed only after a comprehensive examination of the body. It is carried out by an allergist who looks at complaints, features of the development of the disease and the conditions under which it occurs. After this, the diagnosis is assigned:

1. Internal skin tests - allergens are injected under the skin of the forearm in the form of drops by pricking or scratching. The method is painless and gives an expected result. No more than 15 samples can be performed at a time. The result of swelling and redness is considered positive.
2. Study of specific antibodies - the analysis identifies a possible group of allergens and is highly sensitive.
3. Provocative tests - used when the results are unclear after the first two methods. In these tests, allergens are injected into the nose, under the tongue and into the bronchi, and the reaction is assessed.
4. Elimination tests are carried out to confirm a specific allergen. The methods consist of removing allergic irritations - prescribing a diet, a diary, and eliminating contact with cosmetics and pollen.

How to determine what your child is allergic to

At home, the question of how to identify an allergen in a child can also be resolved effectively. When breastfeeding, the mother needs to reconsider her diet, eliminate allergens, and replace one artificial formula with another. During complementary feeding, the woman carefully monitors the baby’s condition and his reaction to foods. In older children, the following will help determine the cause of the allergy:

• food diary;
• attention to the condition of the water from the tap and the surrounding air;
• wash dishes and laundry using safe products;
• replacement of cosmetics;
• wet cleaning, excluding the presence of old upholstered furniture, carpets, cats;
• moving to another place - if no allergies are observed during your stay, then the problem may be mites, mold, dust;
• the period of allergy manifestation - if it is spring or summer, the cause is flowering plants.

How to treat

The first step in the treatment of allergies in children is the removal of the allergen from the environment. Severe cases are treated with antihistamines prescribed by doctors - ointments, tablets, injections. A non-medicinal method is desensitization, which consists of gradually introducing small doses of an allergen into the body over a period of five years. This way the body will react less.

Along with antihistamines, the child additionally needs to take vitamins, strengthen the immune system, and apply ointments to damaged skin to avoid the formation of dermatitis. Suspensions with antiallergic properties are taken orally and eliminate the consequences of food allergies. Ointments and creams relieve inflammation, nasal corticosteroids relieve allergic rhinitis, bronchodilators relieve asthma, eye drops relieve conjunctivitis.

Folk remedies

In addition to medications, traditional medicine methods can alleviate allergic reactions in a child:

• decoctions of duckweed, burdock, dandelion inside;
• baths and lotions from string, valerian;
• ointments with string, birch tar;
• taking propolis, mumiyo.

Photos of allergies in children

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Description of the disease

Food allergy in children, according to medical terminology, is the 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 “provocateur”.

In most cases, the manifestation of food allergies in a child is quite specific. The symptoms are easily recognized even by 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 diseases, an upset stomach 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 to consult a doctor in a timely manner. 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. Food allergies often occur in a month-old baby. It often manifests itself as itching and skin rashes.

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

1. Poor 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. You should limit your consumption of seafood and fish. In the last months, a woman needs to give up cow's milk. It is recommended to choose 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. Something to know: Many formulas are made from cow's milk protein. Namely, it is the strongest allergen that provokes the development of the disease. This 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 will 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 dietary restrictions. But from time to time temptations may arise 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 baby may develop any form of the disease.
6. 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 eating in moderation. Any child's cry is perceived as a demand for food. This opinion is wrong. 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. Poor 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, and flavors in the diet. Such substances are foreign to the body. Therefore, the immune system perceives them as aggressors, which it immediately begins to fight.
9. Various pathologies. Why does a food allergy occur in a child of 3 years? Often the underlying cause is diseases of the digestive system, biliary tract, and liver. Disturbed intestinal microflora can lead to the development of pathology. Such diseases are often caused by poor nutrition. But sometimes ailments can be congenital. In this case, unpleasant symptoms will make themselves felt much earlier.

Allergenic 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 sea fish);
• whites of quail and 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 the allergen - gluten).

It is recommended for babies to introduce only one product into their diet once every 2 weeks. This will allow you to determine what exactly caused the allergy. Therefore, it will be easy to exclude such a product. An important rule to remember is that any new product is introduced into the diet in small doses.

The situation is more complicated with older children. A number of additional products are added to the products listed above. After all, the child’s diet expands significantly.

Severe food allergies 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 body's reaction is no longer so violent. But you shouldn’t delude yourself on this score. 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 varied. Moreover, the same product can cause different types of reactions in different children.

Food allergies often manifest themselves:

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

Let's look at each group of symptoms.

Signs of allergic skin damage:

• the appearance of a rash on the surface;
• redness;
• profuse prickly heat, which occurs even as a result of mild overheating;
• hives;
• 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 hygienic care.

Symptoms of pathology affecting the gastrointestinal tract are:

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

Respiratory disorders include the following signs of the disease:

1. Allergic rhinitis (nasal congestion, swelling of the mucous membrane, 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. Feeling of tightness in the chest, wheezing, difficulty breathing.

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

• weak;
• moderate;
• heavy.

Severe food allergies can only be treated in a hospital setting.

Pathology manifested by the following symptoms requires immediate attention to doctors:

1. Feeling of a swollen tongue, tightness in the throat, difficulty swallowing. Such symptoms may signal a dangerous condition - Quincke's edema. This pathology is a serious threat to life.
2. General weakness, decreased visual acuity, dizziness. These signs indicate hypotension. As a result of pathology, pressure decreases. Its fall to a critical level has fatal consequences.
3. Severe shortness of breath, convulsions, rash. Fever due to 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 medications.

How dangerous is the pathology?

Every parent should know what to do if their child has a food allergy. 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:

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

In addition, this disease can support 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 and diet are. Learn about hereditary predisposition. Such information is very important for making a correct diagnosis.
2. Parents keeping a food diary. This procedure usually lasts 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 recorded. This event allows you to very accurately identify the allergen.
3. Immunological blood test. This is an extremely reliable laboratory test. 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 an examination does not identify 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 usually done for children over 5 years old. Small scratches are made on the baby's forearm. Water in which allergens are dissolved is applied to them. After 10 minutes, the results are assessed. An inflamed, red scratch indicates that this product causes a food allergy in the baby.

Methods to combat the disease

How to cure food allergies in a child? This question is asked by many parents who observe painful symptoms in their children.

Methods to combat pathology are based on the following activities:

1. Diet food. After identifying the allergen, it is recommended to exclude it from the baby’s diet. If a product necessary for the child’s development becomes a provocateur, the doctor will recommend supplements or food that can replace it. In addition, parents need to be very careful when introducing ready-made food into their baby’s diet. For example, cereal bars, muesli, ice cream. Before your child eats them, be sure to study the ingredients of the 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 specific allergen. A small amount of antibodies to the identified 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 recover completely from the disease.
3. Drug 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. Medicines are used to stop an allergy attack and reduce its manifestations.

Diet food

The most important link in the treatment of pathology is the correct 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 tests. But sometimes doctors consider it advisable 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 sprouts, white cabbage or cauliflower, green salad, cucumbers, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, dill, parsley, squash, rutabaga, turnips).
8. Fruits and berries: white currants, pears, gooseberries, white cherries, green apples.
9. Cereals: semolina, rice, pearl 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, the body’s reaction is observed for 3 days. If an allergy does not occur, then proceed to the introduction of the next product.

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

Drug 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.

Drug treatment includes the following:

1. Antihistamines. Modern antiallergic medications are allowed to be used even for infants. The latest generation of drugs does not cause negative consequences. Excellent medications are: Suprastin, Zyrtec, Parlazin.
2. Sorbents. They bring significant relief to the child during an allergy attack. Popular products 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 the baby has developed dysbiosis, it is necessary to normalize the intestinal microflora. The most effective medications are: “Linex”, “Bifikol”, “Bifiform”.

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

Basic prevention

The main method to protect a child from developing food allergies is to follow a diet. Only by refusing to eat provoking foods can you protect your baby from relapses.

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

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Allergy Signs

How do allergy symptoms appear on the skin in children?

• Rashes. They can be of different types: redness, small rash, hives. The skin becomes dry and rough. With a long process, thickening and keratinization of some areas of the skin may occur. Also, after scratching, weeping wounds, cracks, ulcers, and eczema on the skin may appear. This is what a chronic allergy looks like in children, with signs of an inflammatory process that requires medical treatment.
• Swelling. Occurs during an acute, immediate allergic reaction, for example, after an insect bite, taking medication, or, less often, after some food. Severe swelling due to allergies is called Quincke's edema. First of all, the lips, eyelids, cheeks, mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals swell. With such signs, emergency help is required.
• Itching, burning. This is one of the most unpleasant symptoms. The itching can be severe, the child scratches the skin, and this can lead to bacterial infection and a long healing process.

How do allergies to mucous membranes manifest in children?

• Rhinitis. With allergic rhinitis, difficulty breathing through the nose, nasal congestion, swelling, and dry mucous membranes are observed. There may also be copious, clear nasal discharge.
• Conjunctivitis. Signs of allergic conjunctivitis: redness, lacrimation, pain in the eyes.
• Cough. The child may complain of a sore throat, which causes a cough. A dangerous symptom of allergies is hoarseness and difficulty breathing, which may be associated with swelling of the laryngeal mucosa.

Respiratory symptoms are most often provoked by plant, animal, food, medicinal, and chemical allergens.

Signs of allergies in a child from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT):

• bloating, colic, rumbling in the intestines;
• abdominal pain, nausea;
• belching, vomiting, heartburn;
• diarrhea or constipation;
• signs of dysbacteriosis.

When does a child have a fever with allergies?

• Insect bites.
• Reaction to food.
• Intolerance to the drug.
• Pollen intolerance.

In most cases, with allergies, there is no temperature or a low-grade fever is noted - it does not rise above 37.5 °C. But with some types of food and drug allergies, severe intoxication with high fever can occur.

Localization of rashes

Skin allergies in a child can be localized in different places. In what areas does rash, redness, peeling, and swelling of the skin most often occur?

• Allergy on the face. The skin on the face is the most problematic and sensitive to external irritants, often chapped and dried out in the sun. Most often, when consuming highly allergenic foods, allergies occur on the cheeks. The cause may also be a contact allergen: water when washing, treating the skin with hygiene products, climatic conditions. Read more about cold allergies in children in our other article. As a rule, allergies begin on the face and then spread to other areas of the body.
• Allergy on the neck. May be associated with local exposure to an allergen, for example: woolen, synthetic clothing, dyes, jewelry made from metal and other materials. But also an allergy on the neck is a sign of a systemic manifestation of food, drug, respiratory, and sun allergies. In infants, rashes on the neck are often associated with overheating and are called prickly heat.
• Allergy on legs and arms. Most often, rashes occur on the folds - in the elbow and knee joints, on the elbows and knees, on the inside of the thighs, forearms. Rashes appear where the skin sweats or gets dry the most. A rash on the arms and legs can be a reaction to an external irritant: synthetics, wool, dyes, cosmetics. Also often the cause is food or drug allergies.
• Butt allergy. Rashes on the buttocks do not always indicate an allergic nature. In infants, changes in the skin may be associated with violation of the rules of hygienic care, overheating, and diaper dermatitis. If the rash appears simultaneously on the face (another part of the body) and buttocks, this may be an allergic reaction to some product or household allergen.

Also, rashes can spread throughout the body, appearing on the stomach and back. If a rash appears, you should definitely consult a doctor. After all, often a profuse rash all over the body can be a sign of viral and bacterial infections - measles, rubella, scarlet fever, chickenpox, sudden exanthema. Only a doctor can differentiate the rashes.

Provoking factors

What can a child be allergic to? This is the main question that doctors and parents ask. What categories can allergens be divided into and where to look for them?

• Food allergens. This is a large group of allergens. Sometimes it is difficult to determine which specific product a child is allergic to, so the doctor prescribes a strict hypoallergenic diet. The most highly allergenic foods: whole milk, soy, nuts (especially peanuts), eggs (especially whites), fatty meats, chicken, seafood and fish, red, orange fruits, berries, vegetables, bee products, cocoa, all citrus fruits. Sweet, spicy, salty, fermented and smoked foods, carbonated drinks, dyes, flavor enhancers, emulsifiers - all this can provoke acute food allergies.
• Lactose intolerance. This type of food allergy is most often diagnosed in the first year of life and usually goes away by the age of three. Lactose is milk sugar that enters the body of a child with breast milk, mixtures, during complementary foods. With a lack of the lactase enzyme, milk sugar does not break down, enters the intestines and causes fermentation, disrupts digestion, intestinal microflora, and causes an allergic reaction. Read more about lactase deficiency and its treatment in our other article.
• Intolerance to gluten, or gluten. Another common type of food allergy in children under three years of age. Although gluten allergy can be detected later in life, even in teenagers. Distinguish between congenital genetic gluten intolerance, which remains for life and requires compliance with the strictest gluten-free diet. But most often there is a temporary allergy to gluten, which is due to the immaturity of the enzyme system. Gluten is a protein of some cereals, namely: wheat, rye, barley, oats. If you are allergic to gluten, white and black bread, rich, confectionery products made from wheat, rye, oatmeal are prohibited, and you should not give your child semolina, wheat, barley, oatmeal.
• Indoor air. In residential premises there is a huge number of household allergens of various natures: bacterial, fungal, chemical. The most harmful and hazardous to health are dust mites, mold in high humidity indoors, varnish coatings and paint on furniture and walls. Also, dry and hot air in the room, overheating and a constant lack of fluid in the child's body can aggravate allergic manifestations.
• Water. Untreated tap water with an admixture of chlorine is often the cause of contact allergies in children. This provoking factor must be eliminated first. The most effective solution to the problem is to install a filter.
• Household chemicals, clothing and body care products. If there is a child with allergies in the house, it is recommended to avoid household chemicals as much as possible. Washing powder should be hypoallergenic, and you should also avoid softeners. Body care products (shampoos, gels, soaps, creams) must be hypoallergenic and certified.
• Plant pollen. The cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and bronchitis can be pollen from flowering trees and grasses. There are about one hundred types of plant allergens. Most often, allergies are caused by: ragweed, quinoa, wheatgrass, wormwood, dandelion, nettle, corn, poplar, birch, linden, pine, oak, alder, chestnut, most garden flowers, flowering fruit trees. Depending on the time of flowering of plants, several peaks of exacerbations are distinguished: spring, summer, autumn.
• Medications. Drug allergies in children are a common and unsafe phenomenon. Taking some drugs can lead to sudden anaphylactic shock, angioedema, when emergency help is required. What medications are most likely to trigger an allergic reaction? Antibiotics, vaccines, insulin, sulfa drugs, anticonvulsants, anesthetics. An allergic reaction is often caused by dyes and additives in children's syrups, medicinal herbs.
• Pets. Wool, epidermis, feathers, fluff of pets can cause a sudden allergic reaction. After contact with a cat, dog, guinea pig or budgerigar, a child may develop nasal congestion, hives, and itching within 15-20 minutes. The most pronounced reaction occurs with direct contact with an animal, but a passive allergy to animal hair, bird feathers is also possible. The most powerful "provocateur" is the allergen of cat hair and epidermis.

Treatment methods

Treatment of allergies in children is carried out comprehensively. The speed of recovery depends on eliminating the cause of allergies in children. To do this, you need to carefully examine the conditions of the child's life: food, hygiene, air, water, animals, climate.

Medication methods

• Antihistamines. They are prescribed as a symptomatic treatment for acute allergic reactions in children, as well as for preventive purposes. Children are allowed antihistamines that do not give a sedative effect - do not cause lethargy, lethargy and drowsiness. These drugs include second and third generation antihistamines. Antihistamine drops and syrups are recommended for babies under 3 years old; tablets can be given to older children.
• Means for normalizing digestion. Often, against the background of allergies, a child has disorders of the gastrointestinal tract: constipation, increased flatulence, belching, nausea, dysbacteriosis. In this case, the doctor prescribes sorbents, enzymes, choleretic drugs, drugs with lactulose for chronic constipation, probiotics.
• Hormonal local drugs. This is the most effective remedy for severe, chronic skin lesions. Hormones quickly eliminate rash and itching, improvement may occur after two or three applications. But it is important to know that these drugs can have dangerous side effects, they can be addictive, they can be allergic. Use strictly as prescribed by a doctor. The most famous hormonal ointments used in pediatrics: Advantan, Avecort, Gistan N, Elokom, Skin-Cap, Skinlight, Silkaren, Uniderm.
• Non-hormonal drugs. These are safe antiseptic, moisturizing, regenerating ointments and creams. The most commonly prescribed are: “Desitin”, “Gistan”, “Bepanten”, “Losterin”, “Pantoderm”, “Protopic”, “Solcoseryl” and others.
• Local antifungal and antibacterial agents. They are prescribed only for secondary infections that develop against the background of a chronic inflammatory process on the skin. They must be used strictly according to the indications and prescription of the doctor.

Read about antiallergic drugs for children in our other article.

Climatotherapy and other additional methods

Allergic diseases in children are well treated with sea water and mountain air. If the child is not allergic to the seasonal flowering of plants, he can be safely sent to the village, away from house dust and urban living conditions. Children with allergies often experience improvements; their skin becomes much clearer in the summer when they are in the fresh air and sun. Additional methods of therapy include: physiotherapy, mud therapy, carbon and mineral baths, ultraviolet radiation, herbal medicine. It is also known that childhood allergies can be successfully treated with homeopathy.

Diet therapy

Dietary nutrition is the only effective method of treating food allergies. Hypoallergenic nutrition is also prescribed for diagnosing the disease. A course of dietary nutrition should be prescribed by an allergist. Age-specific energy needs must be taken into account. A menu is also thought out so that the child receives the required amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, microelements, and vitamins. Read more about food allergies in children, its diagnosis, prevention and treatment in our other article.

Traditional methods

To treat skin with allergic dermatitis, decoctions of string, sage, celandine, yarrow, chamomile, calendula, and nettle are often used. Therapeutic baths with sea salt will be safe and beneficial. For inflammation of the skin, you can make antiseptic lotions from tea tree oil. Itching and swelling are well relieved by potato juice. Before using any folk remedies, you need to make sure that the treatment will not cause a new allergic reaction.

It is also important to pay attention to the psychological state of the child. After all, allergies are classified as psychosomatic diseases and more often occur in vulnerable, impressionable, withdrawn children.

What to do if your child has allergies? You can't start a disease. If you have frequent skin rashes, your child complains of itching, prolonged rhinitis, or a cough not associated with ARVI, you should consult an allergist. Allergy treatment begins with eliminating the triggering factor. Medicines are used as adjuvant therapy.