Toddler Allergies
Severe toddler allergy can be life threatening for children, and correct information about its symptoms and treatments can save their life. Allergies in toddlers are caused when a child’s body finds some harmful substances (allergens) in the environment to be dangerous. And as a result, the body attacks it by releasing certain histamines and chemicals into the body. These released chemicals irritate the body and results into the various symptoms of allergies.
Allergens include drugs, food, insects, pollen, mold, animal dander, dust mites, etc. A child can come in contact with allergens either by breathing it, having it injected, eating it or touching it. The symptoms of toddler allergies are similar as that in elders such as, stuffy or running nose, sneezing, coughing and itching, breathing problems, etc. When a toddler suffers from allergies at any part of the body, it firstly shows only simple symptoms like minor swelling, itchiness or slight redness which later extends to severe symptoms.
Some common allergies that can affect toddlers are food allergies, nasal allergies, hay fever, asthma, etc.
Toddler food allergy
When some new food is introduced to the toddlers, they fail to digest it and suffer from symptoms of toddler food allergy. This allergic reaction in toddlers causes symptoms like unusual crying, itchy mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbances, diarrhea, constipation, etc. If these allergic reactions are not treated at proper time, it may lead to extreme conditions.
Toddlers can be allergic to different sorts of food but most likely to cause reactions are nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, fish and soy. Many toddlers outgrow their allergy to foods as they grow younger. The best way to avoid food allergy is to avoid the food or take general antihistamine drugs.
Other Allergies (Toddler nasal allergies, Hay fever, asthma)
Toddler nasal allergies, hay fever and asthma are mainly caused due to dust mites, animal dander, mold, pollen, tobacco smoke, etc. These allergies causes allergic symptoms like cough, nasal congestion, watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, breathing problems, etc.
The proper ways to reduce these allergies are:
- Reduce amount of dust in the house. It can be done by proper cleaning of house, bedding and baby toys. Also, by preventing your child from doing any outside activities in early morning, as pollen count is often highest in the morning. You can also bathe your toddler before bed as it washes away the dusts and pollens accumulate during whole day, and thus allow your child to take complete sleep without any allergic symptoms. Well, if toddlers have asthma, keep them away from tobacco smoke, pets and dust. And should keep asthmatic inhalers with you every time wherever you go.
- Provide your toddler with allergy medications regularly as prescribed by the doctors such as non-sedating drugs like Claritin, Zyrtex, Allegra, Clarinex, etc.
However, the best and perfect way to stop toddler allergy is to prevent toddlers coming into contact with any allergens that may affect their body.