Allergies in children

Allergies happen when your child’s immune system reacts to an allergen such as food, dust mites or pollen and more. Symptoms of a mild or moderate allergic reaction include rash, swelling, tingling mouth or lips, sore stomach, vomiting, hay fever and asthma. Signs of anaphylaxis include difficulty breathing, a tight throat, a persistent cough and fainting. Seek urgent medical attention If you think your child has severe allergy.

How allergies happen

Allergies happen when your child reacts to something in the environment. The thing that causes the reaction is called an allergen. It might be something like food, dust mites or pollen.

Allergens cause your child’s immune system to produc specific antibodies (IGE antibodies) that cause the release of histamine and other substances into his body. This leads to allergy symptoms.

Mild, moderate and even severe allergic reactions are common, but deaths from allergic reactions are rare. Deaths can happen when there’s a delay in giving life-saving medication to the person having the reaction.

Children who have family members with allergies or allergy problems like asthma, eczema and hay fever are at increased risk of also developing allergies.

Allergic reactions: how quickly do they happen?

An immediate allergic reaction usually happens within minutes or up to 1-2 hours after your child comes into contact with or eats the substance that she’s allergic to.

A delayed allergic reaction usually happens several hours after exposure. It can even happen up to several days after your child comes into contact with the substance he’s allergic to.

Mild or moderate allergic reactions: symptoms

If your child is having a mild or moderate allergic reaction, her symptoms might include one or more of the following:

  • rash, hives or welts
  • swelling of the face, eyes or lips
  • tingling or itchy mouth
  • eczema, hay fever or asthma – these symptoms might be worse than usual
  • diarrhoea, stomach pain or vomiting.

Note that if your child has diarrhoea, stomach pain or vomiting after an insect sting, it means he’s having a severe allergic reaction.

Severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis: symptoms

A severe allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Symptoms might include one or more of the following:

  • difficult or noisy breathing
  • tongue and throat swelling or tightness
  • difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
  • a wheeze or persistent cough
  • persistent dizziness or fainting
  • paleness and floppiness (in young children)
  • diarrhoea, stomach pain or vomiting after an insect sting.

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction and needs urgent medical attention. If your child is having an anaphylactic reaction, first lay her flat. Don’t let her stand or walk around. Next use an adrenaline auto-injector like EpiPen® if one is available. Then call an ambulance.

Testing for allergies

The usual tests for detecting an allergy for specific cause include:

  • Skin-prick test: your child’s skin is pricked with a special device that looks a bit like a toothpick and that contains a drop of a specific allergen. If a hive comes up where your child’s skin has been pricked, your child probably has an allergy.
  •  Blood tests: aim to find out if your child blood contain specific IgE antibody directed against certain allergens (such as pollens, huose dust mite etc). If your child’s blood has a high amount of antibodies, he probably has an allergy. Your child might have this test if he can’t have skin-prick testing..

You might hear about tests like IgG food antibody testing, Vega testing and hair analysis. These tests haven’t been scientifically proven as allergy tests.

 

Treatment for mild to moderate allergic reactions

 Giving your child a dose of antihistamine (in tablet or syrup form) is appropriate if your child is having a mild to moderate allergic reaction, including a skin rash, tingling mouth or swelling.

In fact, having some antihistamine syrup in your home first aid kit or in your bag is a good idea – this way it’s handy when you need it.

 

Other treatments for allergies

 Depending on the kind of allergic reaction your child has, she might need other treatments. For example:

  •  In some cases your dctor might also prescrive corticosteroids to treat allergic reaction.
  • If your child has eczema, he might need corticosteroid ointments.
  • If your child has hay fever, she might need corticosteroid nose sprays.
  • If your child has asthma, he might need an inhaler like Ventolin (salbutamol) or Bricalin (terbutaline).

Children who have persistent and troublesome allergies to insect stings, house dust mites and grass pollen might have immunotherapy to reduce their symptoms.

Treatment for anaphylaxis

Children at significant risk of anaphylaxis are often prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors – for example, EpiPen®.

If your child is prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector, it’s important that both you and your child learn how and when to use it. Your child’s adrenaline auto-injector should be easy to reach at all times. You can also teach others – family, friends, teachers and carers – how to use it.

It’s also a good idea for your child to wear a medical bracelet to let other people know about his particular allergy.