Allergies In Children

Allergies in Children

One in three Children in North America, Australia and New Zealand will be effected by an Allergy at some time intheir young lives.

Every year the number of those effected continues to grow. Statistics show that present numbers of Children with Allergies is now twice what it was just 20 years ago.

Allergy problems are very common in children. Once they gat an allergy it can often stay with them their whole life. While the symptoms can be treated, there is no known cure at present.

So, with no Allergy cure as yet available, we must use what is currently known about the diseases to lessen the number of Children who might get affected.

If you think that your child might be an Allergy sufferer you had better consult with your physician. The physician will check the child's Allergy Symptoms and might arrange some Allergy Tests to see if the child does have an Allergy and if so what type of Allergy and whether it is mild or severe. Read our Allergy Tests page for more facts on this topic.

What do we know?

We know that Allergies are simply hyper-sensitive responses by the immune system to common substances. The substances do not bother most people. The responses can be mild in some cases at other times they can be severe and life threatening.

The actual substance that causes the Allergies in Children as called an Allergen. Allergens can be in food and in the environmental. Food Allergens include lactose (the natural sugar in milk), gluten (found mainly in grains like wheat), peanuts and tree nuts, seafood and shellfish.

Environmental Allergens include naturally occuring substances like pollen, dust mites, pets, stinging insect bites (like bees), grass, hay, and mold; and manmade substances like cigarette smoke and some prescription drugs that are based on penicillin and sulphur.

We know that you cannot catch an Allergy like you catch a cold. You are capable of getting an Allergy due to your genetic makeup.

Children are not able to select who their parents will be. So it is up to the parents to take some basic measures to help lessen the risk that their Children may face.

Around the dwelling house or in the office, where ever possible and practical look at the following solutions.

Make sure you vacuum all the carpets and wipe down the surfaces of furniture very regularly to help reduce pollen and dust mites. Move the kids out of the room while vacuuming as you can tend to stir up the Allergens and make them airborn. If you have an Allergy, think about wearing a mask.

Some folk find that a good old fashioned damp cloth works much better than a feather duster because it does not blow the Allergens around. Scrub away any moldy spots in bathrooms, kitchens etc.

Use a HEPA filtered air cleaner or air conditioner. Place pets outside the home or if that not possible keep them out of the sleeping areas.