Allergies in children - types, symptoms, what to do, how to treat them. Allergies in a child: what to do if allergies start? What to do about your child's allergies

A child's allergy is determined by a skin reaction. This is an acute, severe disease characterized by dangerous symptoms. Signs may appear on the entire body or just the face, in places of contact with substances that irritate the immune system. It is important to correctly determine the source of the allergy, identify the cause of the reaction and immediately begin treatment for the child.

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 configured 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 likelihood of allergies developing in childhood is especially high if both parents were allergic. If only the mother suffers, the risk of getting sick 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.

Another type of allergy in children is contact dermatitis. 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.

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.

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 no signs of a cold appear (fever, sore throat), then it 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 Quincke's edema. The first is manifested by difficulty breathing, paleness of the skin of the face and lips, and 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.

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.

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 the child receives an artificial formula instead of breast milk. 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

The information presented on the site is for informational purposes only. The site materials do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

What to do if your child has allergies

If you have a severe allergy, please refer to point 2 of the article. If you know what triggered an allergic reaction in your baby, go straight to point 4. What to do if your child has an allergy, depending on its type, is described there. If you don’t have a clear idea, read the entire material – these are instructions for action.

1. Determine the severity of the allergic reaction

If a child has a rash, itching is observed on certain parts of the body and they do not spread further; if there is sneezing, tearing and itchy eyes, then this is a mild allergy. With moderate, the same symptoms are observed (rash, itching), but with one difference: they are not limited to specific parts of the body. In case of a severe allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock may occur, which is characterized by swelling of the pharynx and larynx, pain, vomiting, convulsions, drop in pressure, and loss of consciousness.

2. Call an ambulance - here's what to do if you have a severe allergy

Before the ambulance arrives, whose doctor will give the injection of adrenaline necessary in this situation, you can calm the child and lay him down so that all the airways are cleared.

3. Identify the allergen

Based on the signs of allergies, you need to find out what exactly caused such a reaction in the body. If the main symptom is a rash or itching, then most likely the “household” allergen is to blame, that is, something that the child could touch: animal fur, a poisonous plant, a cosmetic product, jewelry.

If you are worried about nausea, abdominal pain, gas formation and loose stools, the allergen entered through the esophagus, that is, you should remember what the child ate and drank, what medications he took over the last 2 days (the reaction may be delayed).

When all the unpleasant sensations occur in the eyes: itching, redness, tearing, swelling - look for an allergen among plants (their pollen is allergenic) or household irritants (dust, for example).

Cough, runny nose, sore throat are a consequence of an allergic reaction of the nasopharynx and bronchi to animal hair, dust, spores, and pollen.

4. What to do if you have allergies:

• cutaneous– interrupt contact with the allergen, lubricate the site of the allergic reaction with antihistamine gel or ointment (“ Fenistil» gel, hydrocortisone ointment), show the rash to a doctor;
• food– exclude the allergen from the child’s or mother’s diet, if the baby is on breastfeeding, give an antihistamine (“ Eden», « Erius», « Zodak», « Fenistil") according to the instructions, consult a doctor;
• ocular– ventilate the room, apply antiallergic eye drops for children (“ Cromoghlin», « Lecrolin», « Opatanol"), visit a doctor;
• respiratory- ventilate the room, drip spray into the nose (“ Bexonase», « Flexonase") or give an antihistamine (" Zyrtec», « Claritin», « Diazolin"), be examined by a doctor.

​My baby turned out to be allergic to pollen. We were also prescribed Zyrtec to relieve allergy symptoms. We drink it through courses. Our eyes become swollen, watery, and we have a runny nose, so we can’t do without medication. I didn’t notice any side effects, no drowsiness.

Advantan ointment helped us a lot in due time and Elidel

but fenistil doesn’t help us and it seems like there’s very little rash now, but a terrible rash has started on the butt in spots, we just put on a diaper on the street and then we’ve been using the same ones for a year, but it’s getting worse, I smeared it with advantan, it started to turn red, I washed it off right away((((and our pediatrician is such that she asks me herself, and she is the only one in our city, tell me what to do(((((

my baby is 11 months old, a week and a half ago, a spot in the form of pimples appeared on our knee, then this spot began to grow and spread throughout the body. We visited a dermatologist, diagnosed atopic dermatitis, prescribed Smecta for 3 days, fenistil and ointment. The allergy does not go away anymore third week, the child is on a strict diet, no animals, every other day I wash the floors, I don’t know what to do, tell me

Conducts allergy tests, preferably by donating blood, not buttons, to boost immunity.

with allergies, the immune system is very high, which is why it reacts so violently

Doubtful) I myself am an allergy sufferer and this arose against the background of very low immunity.

We only had allergies once in the maternity hospital. completely poured out under the diaper - changed the brand of diapers and everything got better

So far we haven't had any allergies. I hope it won't)

same thing, I hope we don't collide

ttt, we are not allergic. but my friend and her child are suffering, although now they have found an excellent doctor, let’s hope that he will help them)

We have periodic skin and food problems. We drink fenistil.

This is a first generation medicine, it has a lot of side effects, it really affects the nervous system, I would advise you to consult with another doctor, he will prescribe you a safer medicine, we also encountered food allergies, Sny is allergic to cottage cheese, the reaction is severe, we were prescribed Zyrtec, it’s new generation, there are no such side effects, and it helps us well.

If the doctor already knows about the child’s illness, a telephone consultation is sufficient.

First aid for allergies

Timely first aid for allergies can save a person’s life. After all, this is a fairly serious disease, which is often accompanied by dangerous symptoms.

Therefore, if any life-threatening signs appear, you should call an ambulance and take the necessary measures before its arrival.

Forms of manifestations

Allergies can have a different course, and this has a direct impact on the symptoms of the disease.

Mild forms of allergies usually manifest themselves in the following types:

• limited urticaria– consists of damage to the mucous membranes and skin;
• allergic conjunctivitis– damage to the conjunctiva of the eyes;
• allergic rhinitis– damage to the nasal mucosa.

Severe forms of allergic reactions pose a real danger to human health and life and require emergency medical care.

1. anaphylactic shock– consists of a sharp decrease in blood pressure and problems in microcirculation in organs;
2. Quincke's edema– manifests itself in the form of a spasm of the respiratory muscles and ensuing suffocation, which poses a real danger to life;
3. generalized urticaria– accompanied by the development of intoxication syndrome.

How the mild form manifests itself and what to do

When mild allergic reactions develop, the following symptoms usually appear:

• slight itching on the skin in the area of ​​contact with the allergen;
• lacrimation and slight itching in the eye area;
• unexpressed redness of a limited area of ​​the skin;
• slight swelling or swelling;
• runny nose and nasal congestion;
• constant sneezing;
• the appearance of blisters in the area of ​​the insect bite.

If such symptoms occur, you need to do the following sequence of actions:

1. thoroughly rinse the area of ​​contact with the allergen with warm water - nose, mouth, skin;
2. avoid contact with the allergen;
3. if the allergy is associated with an insect bite and a sting remains in the affected area, it must be carefully removed;
4. apply a cool compress to the itchy area of ​​the body;
5. take an anti-allergy drug – loratadine, Zyrtec, Telfast.

If a person’s condition worsens, you should contact an ambulance or go to a medical facility yourself.

Common symptoms that require you to call an ambulance

There are allergy symptoms that require immediate medical attention:

• breathing problems, shortness of breath;
• spasms in the throat, a feeling of closing the airways;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pain in the abdomen;
• hoarseness, problems with speech;
• swelling, redness, itching of large areas of the body;
• weakness, dizziness, feeling of anxiety;
• increased heart rate and palpitations;
• loss of consciousness.

Symptoms of severe forms

In acute forms of allergies, very specific symptoms arise that require urgent medical attention.

Quincke's edema

This is a fairly common form of allergy in people, and it is most often observed in young women.

The patient experiences swelling of the subcutaneous tissue and mucous membranes. When the throat is swollen, problems with breathing and swallowing appear.

If medical assistance is not provided in time, a person may die from suffocation.

The main symptoms of angioedema include the following:

• breathing problems;
• hoarseness and cough;
• epileptic seizure;
• asphyxia;
• swelling of the skin.

Hives

With the development of urticaria, bright pink blisters appear on the skin, which are accompanied by burning and itching.

After a few hours they turn pale and then disappear completely.

Along with the development of these symptoms, headaches and fever appear.

This process can continue continuously or have a wave-like course over several days. In some cases it lasts for several months.

Anaphylactic shock

Symptoms of this condition can manifest in different ways, depending on the severity of the allergic reaction.

Typically, anaphylaxis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• red rash accompanied by severe itching;
• swelling around the eyes, lips and limbs;
• narrowing, swelling, spasms of the airways;
• nausea and vomiting;
• feeling of a lump in the throat;
• metallic taste in the mouth;
• feeling of fear;
• a sharp decrease in blood pressure, which can cause dizziness, weakness, and loss of consciousness.

Severe rash

Severe skin rashes can manifest as eczema.

This condition is characterized by inflammation of the upper layers of the skin. Typically, eczema is accompanied by severe itching and has a long course with periods of exacerbations.

Also, a severe rash can manifest itself in the form of atopic dermatitis.

This disease is characterized by the development of erythema with bright redness of individual areas of the skin and severe tissue swelling.

Subsequently, such dermatitis can lead to the appearance of blisters, which, after opening, leave weeping erosions.

First aid for allergies at home for:

Quincke's edema

Treatment of this disease should never be delayed, as it may precede anaphylactic shock.

First aid for allergic reactions accompanied by angioedema should include the following measures:

1. stopping the entry of the allergen into the body.
2. refusal to eat.
3. administration of antihistamines. Loratadine or cetirizine can be used orally; suprastin or diphenhydramine is usually prescribed intramuscularly.
4. use of sorbents. In this case, enterosgel, activated carbon, and smecta are suitable. You can also give a person a cleansing enema.

Hives

If symptoms of urticaria appear, you need to act according to the following scenario:

1. stop taking medications;
2. If you have an allergic reaction to food, take a sorbent - white coal or enterosgel. You can also drink a laxative and rinse your stomach;
3. If an insect bites you, you should get rid of the source of the poison;
4. When a contact allergy occurs, you need to remove the irritant from the surface of the skin.

Tavegil, suprastin or diphenhydramine can be administered intravenously.

If large areas of skin are affected, intravenous administration of prednisolone is indicated.

Anaphylactic shock

If the necessary medications are not available, you need to rinse the stomach, do a cleansing enema, and give the patient activated charcoal.

Also, in the area of ​​contact with the allergen, you can lubricate the skin with an ointment containing hydrocortisone or prednisolone.

You should also carry out the following sequence of actions:

1. stop access of the allergen;
2. position the person in such a way as to prevent the tongue from sticking in and swallowing vomit;
3. apply a tourniquet above the insect bite or use a medicine;
4. administer adrenaline, mesaton or norepinephrine intravenously or intramuscularly;
5. administer prednisolone with glucose solution intravenously;
6. Inject antihistamines intravenously or intramuscularly after normalization of blood pressure.

Video: All about anaphylactic shock

Severe rash

Before identifying the allergen, you can resort to topical remedies to treat allergic rashes.

Therapy should be aimed at eliminating swelling and reducing the feeling of itching of the skin.

To do this, you can wet the affected areas with cold water or use a cool compress.

To avoid the spread of an allergic rash, you need to protect the affected areas of the skin from external factors.

You should also limit contact of affected areas with water. It is very important that the skin comes into contact only with natural cotton fabric.

What to do if you react to:

If an allergy to the sun leads to loss of consciousness, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Before doctors arrive, it is necessary to provide assistance to the victim:

1. try to bring the person to consciousness.
2. It is important to ensure that clothing is loose and does not irritate the skin.
3. provide sufficient water to replenish fluid deficiency in the body.
4. if the temperature exceeds 38 degrees, you need to apply a cool compress to the forehead, legs, and groin. If possible, it is necessary to use antipyretic drugs - paracetamol or ibuprofen.
5. If vomiting occurs, the person should be turned on their side.

Is it worth using Polysorb for allergies? The answer is here.

Insect bite

An allergy to a bee sting occurs in approximately 2% of people. Moreover, upon the first bite, a reaction may not appear.

If there is a tendency to allergies, a person may develop anaphylactic shock when insect bites.

In this case, an urgent call to an ambulance is necessary, and before its arrival, the following measures must be taken:

1. lay down and cover a person;
2. give the victim several antihistamine tablets;
3. in the absence of swelling of the pharynx and tongue, you can give him strong sweet tea or coffee;
4. if breathing or heartbeat stops, you need to perform artificial respiration and closed cardiac massage.

Food allergen

Guidelines for helping with food allergies depend on the severity of the reaction. If life-threatening symptoms appear, you should immediately call an ambulance.

In other cases you can:

1. use sorbents– white coal, enterosgel.
2. take an antihistamine– cetirizine, desloratadine, loratadine.
3. in case of significant skin damage and severe itching, first generation antihistamines - suprastin - are used.
4. for severe allergies, hormonal medications are indicated– dexamethasone, prednisolone.
5. ointments are used to eliminate skin manifestations– fenistil, bepanten, skin-cap. In difficult cases, you can use topical hormonal drugs - hydrocortisone or prednisolone ointment.

How to help a child

First aid for allergies in a child consists of implementing the following measures:

1. sit the baby upright - this position usually helps ease breathing. If dizziness occurs, he should be placed on the bed. If nausea is present, your head should be turned to the side.
2. Give the child an antihistamine in any form - syrup, tablets, capsules. If the baby cannot swallow or has lost consciousness, the tablet must be crushed, mixed with water and poured into his mouth.
3. If a child has lost consciousness, you need to constantly check his pulse, breathing, and pupils. If the child is not breathing or has no palpable pulse, you should immediately begin resuscitation measures - artificial respiration and cardiac massage.

What to do if you have a sudden reaction on your face

Immediate help for the appearance of rashes on the face is to:

1. cleansing the affected area;
2. then a cool compress based on a decoction of sage, calendula or chamomile should be applied to the cleansed skin;
3. gauze needs to be changed every two minutes;
4. the total duration of the procedure should be ten minutes;
5. after this, the face can be dried and sprinkled with potato or rice starch - these products will help eliminate redness and swelling;
6. the procedure must be repeated several times within an hour.

Do not neglect antihistamines either. If allergies appear on the face, you can take tavegil, suprastin, loratadine. If the reaction does not go away, you should immediately consult a doctor.

What should always be in the first aid kit

The following medications should always be present in the first aid kit of a person prone to allergic reactions:

1. general antihistamine – cetirizine, loratadine, etc.;
2. antiallergic agent for topical use - hydrocortisone ointment, elocom;
3. hormonal anti-inflammatory drug for relieving acute allergy attacks - prednisolone.

For people who have experienced anaphylactic shock at least once, doctors recommend that they always carry a syringe with adrenaline with them.

This will allow others to help the person with the development of severe allergies.

What to do if you don’t have a first aid kit at hand

In case of a mild allergic reaction, it is enough to avoid contact with the allergen.

To eliminate rashes and reduce swelling, you can use folk remedies:

If you have a severe allergy, you should never self-medicate.

In such a situation, you should urgently contact an ambulance or take the victim to the hospital - any delay can result in death.

Should I prescribe nasal allergy drops? Follow the link.

What kind of ointment is there for allergies and itching? Find out more.

What is strictly forbidden to do

If anaphylactic shock and other severe allergic reactions develop, you should not:

1. Leaving a person alone.
2. Give him something to drink or eat.
3. Place any objects under your head, as this can lead to increased respiratory failure.
4. Give antipyretics for fever.

If the allergy is associated with intravenous medication, there is no need to remove the needle from the vein. In this case, it is enough to stop the administration of the drug and use the syringe in the vein to inject the allergy medicine.

Proper and timely assistance for an allergic reaction can save a person’s life.

1. severe skin rashes;
2. breathing problems;
3. drop in blood pressure

You must immediately call an ambulance and take all necessary actions before it arrives.

Allergies in children, diet

Treatment methods with folk remedies

Every year the number of children suffering from allergic diseases is growing. According to medical statistics, about 18% of children of different ages suffer from manifestations of this disease. And every time mothers ask the question “the child has allergies, what should I do?”

Allergies in a one-month-old baby

Most often (almost always), allergies in infants and one-month-old children appear as a result of the mother’s consumption of allergenic foods. It is necessary to exclude from the diet: undiluted milk, milk porridges, fish and seafood, eggs, nuts, chocolate, flour, onions, garlic, citrus fruits, raspberries, mushrooms, food with preservatives and seasonings.

Allergies are called response (suspended sensitivity) of the child’s immune system to any substances coming from the external environment. The body perceives this substance as potentially dangerous. As a result, protective responses are triggered in the body, which can manifest as a skin rash, runny nose or cough.

Most scientists believe that allergies are nothing more than a hereditary disease. If a child has one of the parents with allergies, then there is a huge probability that this disease will manifest itself sooner or later in him.

We can divide allergies into three categories; the first includes allergies to dust, plants, pollen, and animals. This type of allergy is called a household allergy. A food allergy is an allergy caused by fruits such as lemons, oranges, strawberries, and it also includes allergies caused by chocolate, eggs and other foods. And the third category of allergies is those caused by medications.

Causes of allergies in children

This disease may appear due to certain reasons. One of these reasons may be improper and poor-quality nutrition. It has long been proven that bottle-fed babies are more susceptible to allergic reactions than infants who, from birth, are fed their mother's milk. The fact is that the mixtures contain cow protein, which, in principle, is the strongest allergen. In addition, if a pregnant woman has consumed a large amount of allergenic foods, this can also lead to allergies in the infant.

Another significant reason for the development of allergies can be heredity. If both father and mother suffer from allergic reactions, then the child has a 75% chance of developing the disease. If only one of the parents suffers from allergic manifestations, then the likelihood of allergies decreases to 35%.

Of great importance, of course, is the health status of the mother. If the mother's immunity is greatly reduced, or disturbances in the intestinal microflora occur, then the likelihood of allergic manifestations in the child increases.

Allergy to cats and dogs.

Allergies to animals (fur) occur through direct contact with them. The first thing you should not do is touch stray animals, kiss them. If there was contact, you need to wash your hands and face with soap, and also rinse your nasal passages with soap.

Allergy to cold and frost.

Allergies to frost and cold do not exist as such, since cold does not have an allergen, and there are no antibodies to cold either. Pseudo-allergy is called cold allergy. This happens because in some people, when cold, the protein tissue cells come together. As a result, histamine is released. The second reason for such allergies is hidden diseases. With a strong immune system and good functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, allergies to cold are less common. To prevent hypothermia, you need to wear gloves, a hat, a scarf in winter, and wear gaiters made of natural materials. Shortly before going outside, you can drink warm tea and apply a rich (non-moisturizing) cream to your face. You should wash your face only with warm water and apply soda lotions. Supercooled skin should be lubricated with aloe, vitamins A and E. Any blisters that appear should be lubricated with brilliant green. You should only take warm food.

Allergic reaction to baby formula.

An allergic reaction to infant formula is quite common. Different manufacturers add different components. The mixture should be selected individually for the child according to age and taste preferences. Careful study of the composition will allow you to avoid possible allergies, since some cereals contain gluten, which is poorly absorbed by the immature gastrointestinal tract. The gluten-free trinity (rice, buckwheat, corn) practically do not cause allergies if given correctly, starting with half a teaspoon.

Allergic rashes on the skin of a child.

Allergies can manifest themselves:

• On the skin.
• Through the intestines.
• Through the respiratory organs.
• Through the excretory organs.

Manifestations on the skin include rashes, prickly heat, blisters, scales, and crusts. They are accompanied by itching and pain. Places of occurrence: face, head, buttocks, shoulders, thighs, abdomen. Allergic rashes on the butt can be caused by incorrectly selected diapers, since the adsorbent may not be suitable for the child. Skin rashes include: urticaria, exudative erythema (severe allergic reaction in infants) and Quincke's edema (a life-threatening condition).

Intestinal allergic symptoms:

Manifestation of allergies through the respiratory system:

• dry night cough,
• copious colorless discharge from the nose,
• wheezing,
• dyspnea,
• whistling when breathing.

Allergy symptoms in children

If we talk about symptoms, they can also be divided into two types:

• with general symptoms
• with local symptoms.

Common symptoms and signs of allergies are: nausea, headache, vomiting, fever, chills. Local symptoms include skin redness, itching, rashes, and tissue necrosis.

Runny nose (allergic rhinitis) This is the most common manifestation of allergies in children; it is also manifested by atopic dermatitis, as well as bronchial asthma.

Allergy to the butt or cheeks The child will most often talk about the incorrectly selected menu for the baby. This could be a reaction to a formula or food, or maybe to some foods.

Rash. If a child has a rash on the body, an allergy on the face, legs, or arms, there is a possibility that the cause is washing powder. The child needs to be undressed, washed and changed.

Allergy to cats and dogs It doesn’t occur as often in children, but it still happens. It usually does not appear immediately; symptoms include a runny nose, lacrimation, and sometimes a cough.

Allergy attack in children

Allergy attacks can be relieved with conventional antihistamines, but you should carefully read the instructions and dosage.

If the child gets worse, call an ambulance immediately.

Allergies in infants

In a baby who has already been born, an allergy can most often manifest itself to the mother's breast milk. In this case, the mother should carefully monitor what she eats and exclude allergenic foods. An allergy to breast milk can also cause gastrointestinal problems in a newborn. I may experience stomach upset, diarrhea, and gas. Untreated allergies can progress to a chronic stage and even asthma.

Diet for allergies in children

At an older age, food allergies in children can appear from red fruits, chocolate, and citrus fruits. In this case, you need a diet that does not require the presence of these products in the diet. Diathesis in a child, which is one of the most common types of food allergies, is not difficult to treat, the main thing is to follow the doctor’s recommendations and track which foods trigger the body’s reaction.

Treatment of allergies with folk remedies

When starting treatment for allergies, you must remember that folk remedies can not only bring benefits, but also harm; you should not use several remedies at the same time, and if allergies appear frequently, you should consult a doctor.

To treat childhood allergies, herbal baths are recommended. These baths can be used from birth. They are effective, helping not only to cope with allergic reactions, but also have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. For greater effectiveness, bathing in a herbal decoction is recommended for several days. If improvements are not noticeable, you should consult your doctor.

Maintain the temperature of the baby bath, do not exceed 37.5 degrees, and the bath should be taken no longer than ten minutes. The recommended course duration is 5-7 procedures every other day. After bathing in the medicinal infusion, there is no need to rinse the skin; pat dry with a towel.

If the allergy occurs while taking medications, self-medication is excluded.

Before you start bathing your baby, you need to do a test. Soak a cotton swab in the prepared herbal decoction and apply it to the child’s body, both on a healthy area and on a sick one. Wait for a reaction. If the diseased area begins to look better, then swimming is allowed. Look at the healthy area, it is important that allergic reactions do not appear on it.

To begin with, you should pay attention to herbs such as oregano, dandelion, chamomile, and string. It may be that more than one type of herb is suitable for treating your allergies. In this case, you can use them together, but not more than five types.

Diet for expectant mothers

How to avoid food allergies in your unborn child? 10-20% of all children under one year of age currently have food allergies. The mechanism leading to its appearance is complex and multifaceted - this includes heredity, and the characteristics of the child’s development, but most importantly, it is the behavior of the expectant mother during pregnancy.

It has long been known and proven that food allergies develop more often in children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, often suffered from colds and ate poorly (ate foods that contain a large number of allergens), or those who, on the contrary, followed strict and long-term hypoallergenic diet. This is especially true for women who themselves have allergic ailments (rash, sneezing, redness of mucous membranes, itching, etc.).

The list of prohibited foods includes the following: cow's milk, crustaceans, fish, chicken eggs, nuts, vegetables and fruits of bright colors (citrus fruits, strawberries and raspberries, tomatoes, mangoes and peaches), soybeans, celery, and cereals. Vegetables, fruits and nuts are the most important allergens for food allergies, which means that, first of all, a pregnant woman should limit them.

In second place in importance are cow's milk and chocolate; you should not completely exclude them from your diet, just limit them to 300 ml of milk per day, and eat chocolate no more than once a week. Products containing food additives such as preservatives, thickeners, stabilizers, antioxidants, flavor enhancers, dyes, products containing benzoates, sulfites, sorbic acid, monosodium glutamate, nitrates and nitrites should be consumed as little as possible. These substances are used to protect products from spoilage and rancidity, to impart lasting color and aroma, and to process packaging materials. By following these tips, pregnant women can minimize the occurrence of food allergies in their unborn baby.

Treatment of a child with folk remedies, Children's diseases

• Allergic rhinitis

Secrets of traditional medicine

Collection of folk remedies for treating various diseases and bad habits

Food allergies in a child: what to do?

Food allergies in a child are a fairly common problem that many parents face. An allergic reaction can occur to almost any product, so it is very important to know the main symptoms, treatment methods and methods of preventing this disease.

An allergic reaction usually develops as a result of consuming a particular product. This phenomenon is associated with the excessive sensitivity of the body, which considers a certain substance dangerous, as a result of which special antibodies and immunoglobulins are released. The causes of allergies are not always known, but there is a hereditary tendency to such diseases.

Food allergies: photos and main symptoms

An allergic reaction is accompanied by a number of very characteristic symptoms:

1. The most characteristic symptom is a skin rash. Rashes, red spots, sometimes even pustules and ulcers appear on the child’s body. Quite often, the rash appears on the face and skin of the abdomen. As a rule, the skin reaction is accompanied by severe itching.
2. Food allergies can also cause digestive system disorders. Children quite often suffer from bloating, nausea, belching, and vomiting. Sometimes diarrhea and abdominal pain are observed.
3. Another manifestation of food allergies is swelling. By the way, this symptom is dangerous, especially if there is severe swelling of the mucous membranes, skin and eyelids - this may signal the onset of anaphylactic shock, in which the child simply needs emergency medical care.

Food allergies in a child: the most dangerous foods

As already mentioned, an allergic reaction can develop to any product. Nevertheless, several of the most dangerous allergens have been identified:

1. Cow's milk is probably the most common allergen, especially among children under one year of age. The problem is that almost all artificial formulas contain cow's milk protein. Therefore, for such a baby you need to choose food very carefully.
2. Citrus fruits, red fruits and berries, carrots, grapes, kiwi.
3. Chicken eggs, especially the yolks.
4. Fish and seafood.
5. Legumes, including peas, lentils, soybeans.
6. Nuts.
7. Chocolate.

It is worth considering that it is not only what the baby eats that matters here. If a child is breastfed, then allergens enter his body along with mother's milk. Therefore, nursing mothers are required to follow a proper – hypoallergenic – diet.

Food allergy in a child: diagnosis

As a rule, after examination and familiarization with the symptoms, the doctor may suspect the presence of a food allergy. A blood test is prescribed, which will show an increased amount of immunoglobulin E. If it is not known which products lead to the development of the reaction, then it is necessary to carry out skin tests: concentrated and purified solutions of potential allergens are applied to the skin, and then a reaction is expected.

Food allergies in children: treatment and prevention

The surest way to protect your baby’s body from allergies is to eliminate any contact with allergens. This means that all potentially dangerous foods must be completely excluded from the child’s (or mother’s) diet. Antihistamines are also used to stop the development of allergies, relieve spasms of the respiratory tract, and eliminate swelling. In most cases, allergies are a temporary phenomenon that goes away as the child grows, although some children carry this problem with them into adulthood.

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Allergic diseases are an unusual response of the immune system to contact with some substance. This substance is called an allergen. Pathological reactions are observed if the baby comes into contact with an element to which hypersensitivity has already formed. Unfortunately, allergies are quite common ailments among children. Most often, food forms are diagnosed, which manifest themselves as immediate or delayed reactions. Due to the importance of this topic, we will talk about when and how allergies manifest in a child, what to do if an allergy starts, how to treat.

When does an allergy make itself known and what is its cause?

The very first symptoms of food allergies in childhood make themselves felt in the first year of a baby’s life. But with timely treatment, they usually disappear before the child reaches three years of age. However, especially allergenic foods, for example, citrus fruits, chocolate or nuts, can cause pathological reactions throughout life.

There are other substances that can trigger allergies. Indoor dust, pollen from some plants, and particles of skin and pet hair are considered to be quite aggressive. Children often inherit a predisposition to allergic reactions from relatives.

Doctors say that the presence of allergies in parents increases the likelihood of a child developing it several times. At the same time, different family members can produce a pathological reaction to completely different pathogens. In severe cases, allergies degenerate into asthma or allergic rhinitis. To prevent such complications, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner and treat the disease.

Allergen identification

When allergy symptoms appear, it is worth identifying the cause, or rather the causative agent of such a reaction. For this purpose, it is recommended to seek help from a qualified allergist. Today, medical science offers several different methods to determine the allergen. Food aggressors are determined quite simply, by systematically eliminating all possible pathogens from the diet. After all the unpleasant symptoms have passed, they are gradually introduced into the baby’s menu, carefully monitoring the child’s reaction to each product.

Doctors say that manifestations of allergies allow us to draw conclusions about which particles provoked such reactions in the body.

If a skin rash and itching appears, we can conclude that the allergy is most likely caused by household allergens. Accordingly, you should calculate what aggressive substance the baby touched. This could be pet hair, poisonous plants, cosmetics or household chemicals. Increased gas production and loose stools, which may be accompanied by some nausea and pain in the abdominal area, indicate contact with the allergen through the digestive tract. Parents should carefully remember all the foods and drinks consumed by the baby over the past twenty-four hours, or even two days.

When unpleasant symptoms affect most of the eyes, expressed in redness, itching, lacrimation and increased swelling, it is worth looking for the allergen among plant substances, namely pollen. Also, such manifestations may indicate an allergy to dust.

If a child develops a cough, he complains of a sore throat, perhaps this is an allergic reaction that has arisen in the nasopharynx and bronchi in response to animal villi, dust and pollen particles, as well as spores.

Further actions

After identifying the allergen, parents need to take all possible measures to prevent the baby from coming into contact with this substance. For example, if you are hypersensitive to pollen, you should avoid walking in the spring, during the flowering period of plants. In this case, it is necessary to place an ionizer or air purifier in the house. However, the best option would be to survive the period of flowering of allergenic plants somewhere in a different climate zone, where the air does not contain particles of dangerous pollen.

If you are allergic to certain foods, you should avoid eating them. It is necessary to inform kindergarten and school doctors about allergies; if possible, they should organize separate meals for the child. If your baby is hypersensitive to household dust, you should wet clean the house every day, avoid carpets and use hypoallergenic textiles.

Treatment

Having eliminated contact with aggressive substances, it is necessary to provide the baby with an exclusively hypoallergenic diet. You need to remove chocolate, spices, citrus fruits, smoked foods, as well as tea and coffee from the daily menu.

Traditional medicine advises treating the external manifestations of the disease using rubdowns, so to eliminate itching and irritation, you can use a decoction based on nettle leaves, as well as an infusion from the string. Nettle can also be consumed internally, as well as an infusion of celery roots.

If there is no proper effect from herbal medicine, the doctor will select antihistamines that are suitable for this particular case. Children over three years of age are also treated with ASIT therapy, trying to develop tolerance to the allergen by introducing tiny doses of an aggressive substance into the body.

If your child develops allergy symptoms, you should consult a doctor, he will help you develop further treatment tactics.

Few parents are lucky enough not to encounter such a problem as the unexpected appearance of a rash on the child’s skin or nasal congestion after a walk in a blooming garden. A desperately sneezing baby with watery eyes is examined by a pediatrician, calling the diagnosis an incomprehensible word “allergy”.

Allergic diseases in children are common. Their pathogenesis is based on an overly expressed reaction of the immune system to any irritant (allergen), which is a substance foreign to the body. The term “allergy” was introduced in 1906 by pediatrician Clemens Pirquet, who made a great contribution to the study of the patterns of development of the interaction of an allergen with the immune system.

Causes

According to a simplified classification, allergies in a child can develop acutely or gradually. In the first case, the disease is based on an immediate hypersensitivity reaction (anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema) and requires emergency medical care.

Hay fever, or hay fever, has a similar pathogenesis. It is not so aggressive, but it can cause a lot of unpleasant sensations for a small patient. The second option is called a delayed-type reaction and manifests itself mainly in the form of contact dermatitis - an immune-mediated inflammation of the skin.

In addition, allergies are divided into true and false. Despite the identical manifestations, immunoglobulins are not involved in the development of pseudoallergy.

A distinctive feature is the dependence on the concentration of the allergen.

A true allergic reaction is provoked by contact with the slightest particle; with a false allergy, the principle “the more, the worse” applies, in other words, the severity of symptoms and their presence are generally determined by the amount of the substance.

To understand how to cure allergies in a child, you should know the most common types:

We must not forget about the high probability of allergies in the presence of helminthiases. Helminthic infestations are a provocation of allergic reactions as a result of the release of helminth waste products into the blood.

They become a trigger factor for primary allergies or aggravate the course of already occurring reactions. Helminth infections inhibit the intestinal microflora, thereby leading to dysbacteriosis.

The cause of persistent allergic reactions can be foci of chronic infection in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and other organs and systems.

Symptoms

Among the manifestations of allergies, several main groups of symptoms can be distinguished:

• respiratory;
• gastrointestinal;
• dermatological

Respiratory signs include rhinitis (runny nose), itching of the nasal mucosa, cough, hoarseness, difficulty breathing, a rough “barking” cough, noisy breathing as a result of laryngeal edema.

Allergic laryngitis, or false croup, is one of the most dangerous diseases, since the increase in edema leads to suffocation (asphyxia).

Such an allergy in a child should be treated as an emergency and a doctor should be called at the first sign.

Gastrointestinal allergy symptoms are a consequence of damage to the gastrointestinal tract as a result of immune reactions. Their appearance is initiated by various products (milk, nuts, soy). Acute symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea after consuming the allergen.

In addition to them, colic in infants is observed as an allergy to cow's milk protein, which is difficult to cure due to late diagnosis. Gastrointestinal allergic syndrome also includes eosinophilic esophagitis, gastritis, gastroenteritis, colitis and enteropathy.

Skin or dermatological manifestations are often encountered in pediatric practice and are mainly caused by food allergies. Hives are characterized by pink blisters that rise above the surface of the skin and are painfully itchy.

Contact dermatitis is possible upon contact with an allergen in a hygiene product in the form of redness and rashes of varying sizes.

You need to have an idea of ​​the alarming symptoms, the appearance of which means severe disturbances as a result of exposure to an allergen.

This is severe pain or itching at the injection site or insect bite, accompanied by increasing pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, sharp abdominal pain combined with nausea and vomiting, swelling of the lips, larynx, cheeks, manifested by difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness.

Diagnostics

It is more difficult to treat allergies in a child, the greater the range of possible provocateurs. The key to successful therapy is comprehensive diagnosis. The following methods are used:

Treatment

The first step in the treatment of allergies is to eliminate the impact of the allergen on the body, that is, to stop contact with it. In addition to the hypoallergenic diet, toys with fillings that cause a reaction and detergents are removed from use.

It is impossible to treat allergies in children as a transient process. If you are susceptible to household allergens, frequent wet cleaning and replacement of the feather pillow are necessary.

Contact with pets should be eliminated or minimized. Spa treatment or a trip outside the “allergic” zone when plants are blooming is useful for a child with hay fever. If there are foci of chronic infection, their sanitation is required, i.e., proper treatment.

H1-histamine blockers (cetirizine, Erius) and glucocorticosteroids (fluticasone, beclamethasone) are used as antiallergic drugs. Children over five years old Prescribe medications from the group of mast cell membrane stabilizers (zaditen, nedocromil sodium). Intestinal dysbiosis is corrected by taking probiotics (bifidumbacterin, linex).

How to treat allergies in an infant? First of all, you should consider the mother's diet if the baby is breastfed, as well as the likelihood of dysbiosis. Probiotics may be needed to regulate intestinal microflora, a hypoallergenic diet for a nursing woman.

If it is impossible to remove the allergen and there is a risk of constant contact, allergen-specific immunotherapy is required. The method is implemented by introducing allergens with reduced activity into the blood, digestive tract, nasal cavity, and inhalation.

In this case, specific antibodies are formed that have the ability to bind allergens and block the release of histamine, the main mediator of the allergic reaction. This procedure is contraindicated in severe bronchial asthma, cancer, and under age 5 years.

A child has a fairly common problem that many parents face. An allergic reaction can occur to almost any product, so it is very important to know the main symptoms, treatment methods and methods of preventing this disease.

and its reasons

An allergic reaction usually develops as a result of consuming a particular product. This phenomenon is associated with the excessive sensitivity of the body, which considers a certain substance dangerous, as a result of which special antibodies and immunoglobulins are released. The causes of allergies are not always known, but there is a hereditary tendency to such diseases.

Food allergies: photos and main symptoms

An allergic reaction is accompanied by a number of very characteristic symptoms:

1. The most characteristic sign is that the child's skin appears in rashes, red spots, and sometimes even pustules and ulcers. Quite often, the rash appears on the face and skin of the abdomen. As a rule, the skin reaction is accompanied by severe itching.
2. Food allergies can also cause digestive system disorders. Children quite often suffer from bloating, nausea, belching, and vomiting. Sometimes diarrhea and abdominal pain are observed.
3. Another manifestation of food allergies is swelling. By the way, this symptom is dangerous, especially if there is severe swelling of the mucous membranes, skin and eyelids - this may signal the onset of anaphylactic shock, in which the child simply needs emergency medical care.

Food allergies in a child: the most dangerous foods

As already mentioned, it can develop for any product. Nevertheless, several of the most dangerous allergens have been identified:

1. Cow's milk is probably the most common allergen, especially among children under one year of age. The problem is that almost all artificial formulas contain protein. Therefore, for such a baby you need to select food very carefully.
2. Citrus fruits, red fruits and berries, carrots, grapes, kiwi.
3. Chicken eggs, especially the yolks.
4. Fish and seafood.
5. Legumes, including peas, lentils, soybeans.
6. Nuts.
7. Chocolate.

It is worth considering that it is not only what the baby eats that matters here. If a child is breastfed, then allergens enter his body along with mother's milk. Therefore, nursing mothers are required to follow a proper - hypoallergenic - diet.

Food allergy in a child: diagnosis

As a rule, after examination and familiarization with the symptoms, the doctor may suspect the presence of a food allergy. A blood test is prescribed that will show an increased amount. If it is not known which products lead to the development of the reaction, then it is necessary to conduct skin tests: concentrated and purified solutions of potential allergens are applied to the skin, and then a reaction is expected.

Food allergies in children: treatment and prevention

The surest way to protect your baby’s body from allergies is to eliminate any contact with allergens. This means that all potentially dangerous foods must be completely excluded from the child’s (or mother’s) diet. Antihistamines are also used to stop the development of allergies, relieve spasms of the respiratory tract, and eliminate swelling. In most cases, allergies are a temporary phenomenon that goes away, although some children carry this problem with them into adulthood.

In the last decade, the number of children suffering from allergies has increased significantly. Babies react to food, environment and other factors. Pathology most often manifests itself on the skin. As the baby grows, symptoms also change. Gradually, the respiratory tract is exposed to the brunt of the attack, which can negatively affect overall health.

What types of allergies do children have, and why does pathology occur? How dangerous is the problem for the baby, and what consequences can it lead to? How to treat an allergic reaction at different ages? What prevention will be the most effective? Let's figure it out together.

It is impossible to raise a child without encountering any type of rash.

Causes of the disease

The immune response to an irritant occurs for many reasons. It is impossible to 100% determine the factors that caused the allergy, but there is a list of the most possible causes.

Symptoms and signs may be vague and unclear. Without a full examination, it is not always possible to immediately diagnose the disease.

The response appears not only on the skin, the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, and mucous membranes are involved. Along with the rash, coughing, runny nose, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, swelling of the tongue or other symptoms may occur.

Characteristic signs on the skin:

• burning, itching, pain;
• redness of the skin;
• dryness, flaking;
• tissue swelling;
• rash (bubbles, blisters, nodular seals, vesicles, etc.).

All parts of the body are susceptible to rash, especially the face, scalp, neck, limbs, buttocks, and abdomen. Visible symptoms appear some time after contact with the irritant.

Types of allergic reactions in children by type of origin

An allergy is a response of the immune system to an external or internal irritant to which the immune system is hypersensitive. Pathology has many types and forms.

Food allergies often occur to red berries

Classification by type of origin:

1. Food. It often affects children in the first year of life. Often it gradually goes away on its own. However, some people are allergic to certain foods forever. Allergens can be: red berries, fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes, nuts, milk, seafood.
2. Aeroallergy. It occurs due to inhalation of an irritant that enters the lungs and settles on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx.
3. For pets. The opinion that wool is the main allergen is erroneous. Children react negatively to animal proteins contained in saliva and toxic substances excreted in the urine. In addition, dogs bring dirt from the street, and along with it bacteria and fungi.
4. For medications. It appears at a younger age, less often in adolescence. Antibiotics (especially penicillin), anesthetics, and some vitamins have a negative effect.
5. For house dust. Dust mites are microscopic, easily inhaled and often cause a negative immune response.
6. For chemicals. This includes cleaning products, harsh chemicals, air fresheners or artificial synthetic fibers (low-quality clothing, soft toys).
7. On natural factors. These could be bee, wasp, mosquito or bumblebee stings. Touching some plants results in burns. In some cases, allergies to cold or sun occur (we recommend reading:).
8. Hay fever. A seasonal phenomenon when there is a high concentration of pollen from flowering plants in the air. Both adults and children are susceptible to the problem.

Seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis

Types of allergies according to the nature of the rash

Externally, allergies manifest themselves in different ways, as can be seen by looking at the photos of patients with descriptions. The same type of problem may differ in different children, for example, food allergies cause both urticaria and angioedema (depending on the level of immune sensitivity).

The most common types of disease according to the nature of the skin rash:

1. contact dermatitis;
2. atopic dermatitis;
3. eczema;
4. urticaria (we recommend reading:);
5. neurodermatitis;
6. Quincke's edema;
7. Lyell's syndrome.

Contract dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a disease that affects the upper layers of the skin (epidermis). It appears as a result of exposure to an irritating allergen on the immune system and the body as a whole. Infants, one-year-old children and older children are susceptible to pathology.

Contractual dermatitis most often affects the arms, legs, back and neck (appears extremely rarely on the face)

Contact dermatitis for a young child is a common occurrence, since the immune system is not fully formed. It can appear for any reason, even a minor one. The environment plays an important role. Dirt in the house and irregular personal hygiene greatly increase the chances of illness.

External manifestations:

• skin redness, swelling;
• the appearance of keratinized areas prone to severe peeling;
• painful vesicles filled with clear fluid or pus;
• burning, itching (sometimes the pain is almost unbearable).

An unpleasant rash usually affects places where clothing always adheres (legs, arms, back, neck). Less often it appears on the face.

Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is an acute skin reaction to an irritant or toxin, which is characterized by an inflammatory process. The disease is difficult to treat, prone to relapses and becoming chronic.

Depending on the age group of the patient, the pathology is characterized by different localization of foci of inflammation: in children under 1 year of age - this is the face, folds of the arms and legs; starting from 3 years of age, rashes often appear in the folds of the skin, on the feet or palms.

Atopic dermatitis on the face of a child

The seborrheic type (not to be confused with seborrhea) affects the scalp. Atopy may appear on the genitals or mucous membranes (gastrointestinal tract, nasopharynx).

Symptoms of the disease:

• significant swelling;
• redness;
• peeling;
• nodular rash filled with exudate;
• burning, itching and pain;
• dry and cracked skin;
• formation of crusts that leave deep scars.

Food allergies are one of the most common causes of the disease. However, pets, dust or unsuitable hygiene products also often trigger dermatitis.

Pediatricians note that pathology rarely occurs on its own. In combination, the child has gastrointestinal diseases or other systemic disorders.

Eczema

Eczema is an inflammatory process of the upper layers of the skin. It is chronic in nature with periodic remissions and relapses, and often develops in parallel with atopic dermatitis.

The main source of the problem is an allergic reaction, especially if the baby has a genetic predisposition. Eczema appears under the influence of several factors - allergies and disorders of the body (immune system, gastrointestinal tract).

Characteristic features:

• redness;
• severe itching and burning;
• many small blisters that gradually merge into one continuous focus of inflammation;
• after their opening, an ulcerative lesion appears and exudate is released;
• As the wounds heal, they become covered with crusts.

Hives

Urticaria is a dermatological disease of allergic origin. At an early age it is characterized by acute short-term attacks, over time it becomes chronic.

Hives all over the body in a child

The disease looks like many blisters, differing in shape and size. Their color varies from transparent to bright red. Each blister is surrounded by a swollen border. The rash is very itchy, causing the blisters to burst or merge into continuous erosion.

Skin pathology that is neuro-allergic in nature. The disease appears after 2 years. Frequent diathesis may be a prerequisite. It is distinguished by a long course, when acute relapses are replaced by periods of relative rest.

Neurodermatitis looks like a cluster of small light pink nodules. When combing, they can come together. The skin becomes red without defined boundaries. Scales, compactions, and hyperpigmentation appear.

Quincke's edema

Quincke's edema is a sudden acute reaction of the body to natural or chemical factors, most often caused by allergies. This is a serious pathology that requires urgent first aid and a full medical examination.

Quincke's edema

Quincke's edema is characterized by a significant increase in the soft tissues of the face (lips, cheeks, eyelids), neck, hands and feet or mucous membranes (swelling of the pharynx is very dangerous). The swelling can last from several minutes to several days. Swelling in the mouth makes it difficult to speak and prevents you from eating normally. There is no burning or itching. Touching the swelling does not cause pain.

Lyell's syndrome

Lyell's syndrome is a very serious and severe disease characterized by allergic origin. It is accompanied by a strong deterioration in the general condition of the patient, damage to the entire skin and mucous membranes. Externally, the disease resembles second-degree burns. The body becomes blistered, swollen and inflamed.

Typically, such a reaction occurs after taking allergen medications. At the first symptoms, you should consult a doctor, which will increase the chances of recovery. Prognosis for cure is disappointing (death occurs in 30% of cases). Fortunately, Lyell's syndrome accounts for only 0.3% of all allergic reactions to medications. After anaphylactic shock, it ranks second in terms of danger to the patient’s life.

Diagnosis of allergies

After the examination, a qualified specialist will prescribe a series of tests that will help accurately identify allergens. At the initial appointment, parents must inform:

• how the baby eats (what he ate recently before the rash appeared);
• mothers of infants - about their diet and introduced complementary foods;
• Are there any allergies in the family?
• Do pets live?
• what plants predominate near the house, etc.

Necessary tests:

1. blood test for immunoglobulin;
2. allergy tests (cutaneous, application, provocative);
3. general detailed blood test.

To determine the etiology of an allergic rash, a general blood test will be required.

Treatment with medications

Proper treatment of allergies is mandatory; it will relieve complications and further health problems. It is important to protect the child from allergens and irritants and provide drug therapy. The course of treatment differs for patients of different age categories. It is common to take antihistamines and local skin treatment. Medicines are prescribed exclusively by a specialist.

In case of food allergies, doctors always prescribe the enterosorbent Enterosgel in a course to remove allergens. The drug is a gel soaked in water. It gently envelops the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, collects allergens from them and removes them from the body. An important advantage of Enterosgel is that allergens are firmly bound to the gel and are not released in the lower intestines. Enterosgel, like a porous sponge, absorbs mainly harmful substances without interacting with beneficial microflora and microelements, so it can be taken for more than 2 weeks.

Therapy for newborns

Some doctors deny congenital allergies as an independent pathology. It occurs due to the fault of the mother, often unintentionally. This is caused by the consumption of allergens in food, bad habits, and previous diseases. In addition, allergies can appear in the first days or months of life.

First of all, a nursing mother should review her diet, eliminating all possible allergens. For bottle-fed infants, a hypoallergenic or lactose-free formula is selected.

In acute cases of the disease, antihistamines are indicated for children under 1 year of age:

• Fenistil drops (contraindicated for up to 1 month);
• Cetrin drops (from six months);
• Zyrtec drops (from six months) (we recommend reading:).

For a rash, local treatment is prescribed (smear 2 times a day):

• Fenistil gel (relieves itching, soothes the skin);
• Bepanten (moisturizes, improves tissue regeneration);
• Weleda (German cream containing natural ingredients);
• Elidel (an anti-inflammatory drug prescribed after 3 months).

Treatment of babies over 1 year old

After the age of 1 year, the list of approved medications increases slightly. However, up to 3 years of age, therapy should be predominantly preventive in nature (the baby should be protected from the irritant).

Antihistamines:

• Erius (suspension);
• Zodak (drops)
• Parlazin (drops);
• Cetirizine Hexal (drops);
• Fenistil (drops);
• Tavegil (syrup), etc.

For skin rashes, the same ointments are used as for newborns, or as individually prescribed by a doctor. To cleanse the body of toxins, absorbents are taken: Polysorb, Phosphalugel, Enterosgel, Smecta. It is recommended to take vitamins.

In case of prolonged or severe course of the disease, doctors resort to taking hormone-containing drugs (Prednisolone). Immunomodulatory therapy at this age is undesirable. As a last resort, a gentle medicine is selected (for example, Derinat drops).

Elimination of symptoms in children over 3 years of age

Starting from the age of 3, it becomes possible to begin to eliminate the problem itself. Medicines only relieve symptoms, but they cannot cure allergies.

An effective method is specific immunotherapy (SIT). It can be used from the age of 5. The allergen is gradually introduced to the patient in precise doses. As a result, he develops an immune defense and loses sensitivity to the irritant. In parallel with SIT, measures can be taken to increase immune defense, improve blood composition, etc.

To eliminate symptoms, you can add to the above medications:

• Suprastin;
• Diazolin;
• Cetrin;
• Claritin;
• Clemastine.

How long does it take for an allergic reaction to last?

How long can an allergic reaction last? This depends on individual hypersensitivity, health status and duration of contact with the irritant.

On average, it can last from several minutes to several days (4-6 days). Seasonal hay fever takes up the entire flowering period and can last up to a couple of months. It is necessary to protect the baby from exposure to the irritant and carry out symptomatic treatment.

How dangerous is a baby's allergies?

Skin allergies in children are potentially dangerous, especially if there is no proper treatment. You cannot ignore diathesis or dermatitis under the pretext that all children have it.

Risk factors:

• transition of an acute reaction to a chronic form;
• the appearance of prolonged atopic dermatitis or neurodermatitis;
• risk of anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema;
• bronchial asthma.

Allergy prevention

It is impossible to completely protect your baby, but you can follow simple rules that will have a positive effect on his health. Proper prevention will reduce the risks of allergies.