An allergy is a reaction (like itchiness or sneezing) to certain substances or foods. Find out more about allergies...
Itchy eyes and a stuffy nose are common symptoms of allergy, particularly an allergy to hair from animals such as dogs or cats, pollen from flowers, house dust or certain foods such as wheat or dairy products. Allergies can also cause more severe symptoms in some cases.
Common allergies
The most common chronic childhood disease is allergic rhinitis, also known as hayfever.
The most common allergy among young children is to cow's milk protein. This normally occurs during the child's first year.
To develop an allergy, a person must first be exposed to the substance that causes the reaction, which is called the allergen.
As the child grows, their chances of developing allergies increase because of their exposure to allergens like pollen, weeds or grass outdoors.
Genes and hereditary factors play a big role in whether or not a child will be allergic.
If one or both parents are allergic, there's more chance of the child developing allergies - but children with no family history can still develop allergies from enviromental factors.
Children who are allergic may often suffer from sore throats, severe stuffy noses and ear infections, and because excess mucous is produced, the nasal tissues swell and breathing is particularly difficult when lying down.
This can cause babies to gasp for breath or cough, which disturbs their sleep and sometimes means that the child is sleepy during the day when he should be more awake.
Development can suffer
A child's ability to learn and play can be affected by allergies. If he gets drowsy, whether from lack of sleep or from medication, it's harder for him to pay attention and concentrate. In some cases, allergies have also proved to be the underlying cause of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Studies have shown that children with severe allergies are more likely to be aggressive, depressed or irritable than children with no allergies.
If your child's allergic...
If you suspect your child might be allergic, take him to a doctor who might do tests to find out what he's allergic to. You can then get rid of the cause of the allergy (for example, cut wheat or dairy out of the diet). Children do grow out of some allergies, while others (such as bee-sting allergy) can get worse over time.
If your young baby has allergies, introduce one food at a time and wait to see if there's any bad reactions before trying a new food so you'll immediately know which foods are bad for your baby.
Symptoms of allergies
- Crying, colic, vomiting, diarrhoea, skin problems, difficult breathing.
- Red ears or cheeks, breathing through the mouth (stuffy nose), rubbing the nose, sniffing, sneezing.
- Frequent sore throats/ear infections.
- Discoloration around eyes, puffiness or irritation under the eyes.
Is your child having problems breathing?
If your child often suffers from a stuffy nose and has problems breathing, you can humidify his bedroom by boiling a kettle in the room with the lid on so that the steam fills the room. Never leave your child alone in a room with a boiling kettle, though.
You can also take him to the bathroom, run a hot bath or a basin full of hot water and sit with your child on your lap. When he goes to bed, make sure his head is slightly raised (give him a bigger pillow or two pillows).