Identifying allergies

Sometimes it will be easy to recognize the cause of allergies in a toddler. If one or both parents suffers from allergies, there’s a good chance that the child suffers from similar allergies.

40% of kids have allergies

As many as 40 percent of kids are bothered by common indoor allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and mold.

Air Quality and asthma

If your toddler has asthma, then you may already be familiar with air quality alerts. Poor quality air is fertile ground for asthma attacks, a serious summer health risk for toddlers with asthma.

Allergies and hereditary

The tendency to develop allergies is often hereditary. However, just because you or your partner might have allergies doesn’t mean that all of your kids will definitely get them.

Dust and allergies

Dust mites are one of the most common causes of allergies. These microscopic insects live all around us and feed on the millions of dead skin cells that fall off our bodies every day.

Allergy contrbutors

Dust, cats, peanuts, cockroaches all contribute to allergies. Up to 50 million Americans, including millions of kids, have some type of allergy. In fact, allergies account for the loss of an estimated 2 million schooldays per year.

Outgrowing allergies

The majority of kids with milk, egg & wheat allergies outgrow them 5. About 20% of kids with peanut allergies, outgrow that too.

Allergic causing foods and diet

It was common to delay giving dairy until 1, eggs until 2 & seafood & nuts till 3, the American Academy of Pediatrics changed its thinking in 2008, suggesting that these foods can be introduced together.

Explaining food allergies

A food allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to something in a food or an ingredient in a food – usually a protein.

Top allergens

The most common allergen foods are often called the “Big 8”: are peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, crustacean shellfish, and tree nuts like walnuts & almonds.

Combatting allergy attacks

You can’t control everything that goes in toddler’s mouth. Be prepared for allergy plagued kids by having children’s antihistamines on hand.

Millions with food allergies

If your child has a food allergy, they’re not alone. It’s estimated that up to 5 million children in the US have a food allergy.

Allergies and family history

If one parent has allergies, your child has a 25% chance of having them.

Dust mites

Dust mites congregate where moisture is retained and food for them (human skin scales) is plentiful. They are especially numerous in bedding, upholstered furniture, and rugs.

High pollen-count days

Those with allergies might want to avoid going outdoors on high pollen-count days. Check the pollen count daily on the local weather reports.

Identifying food allergies

Symptoms that occur repeatedly after eating a particular food that may include hives, swelling, gagging or wheezing may point to food allergies.

Allergy or cold?

Repeated cold-like symptoms that last 1-2 weeks, the same time every year, including a runny nose, nasal stuffiness, sneezing, throat clearing, and itchy, watery eyes may be the signs of allergies.

Allergy Season

If your toddler is allergic to pollens, she will be more likely to have an allergic reaction during the spring, summer, and fall, but not as much in the winter

When allergies hit

Dust mite and pet allergies tend to be worse in the morning than at other times of day.

 

The truth about food allergies

There is no cure for food allergies. They may go away by themselves, but in the meantime the only way to overcome them is to avoid the food altogether.