Can A 3 Month Old Have Allergies

How Can I Treat My Babys Allergies

There are many different ways to treat baby allergies. Some common treatments include antihistamines, decongestants, and general avoidance of allergens. It’s important to work with your pediatric allergist to find the best treatment for your baby.

If there is a family history of allergies your baby could have allergies as well, even as an infant, says Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgias Dr. Hurwitz.

It’s also important to help your baby avoid things that may trigger their allergies. Some common triggers include pollen, dust, and pet dander. You can help keep your baby away from these things by keeping them inside when the pollen count is high, vacuuming regularly, and keeping your pets out of the bedroom.

Do Kids Even Need To Be Vaccinated For Covid

Children are less likely to experience severe illness than adults, but some have become extremely sick. The omicron wave was specifically hard on children, leading to an increase in juvenile hospitalizations. Between December 2021 and February 2022, nearly 90% of children 5 to 11 who were hospitalized were unvaccinated, according to the CDC.

Of those children, 30% had no underlying medical conditions that would have made them more susceptible to more serious complications. An found that 75% of children age 11 and younger showed evidence of previous coronavirus infection, with roughly one-third becoming newly seropositive since December 2021. But having antibodies for the virus “should not be interpreted as protection from future infection,” the agency said in a statement.

“Vaccination remains the safest strategy for preventing complications from SARS-CoV-2 infection, including hospitalization among children and adults.” Kids 5 to 11 who have COVID-19 also have a higher risk of multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, a rare but potentially serious complication that can involve inflammation of the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes and other organs. More than 2 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in children 4 years old or younger in the US, according to the CDC, resulting in 442 deaths.

Tips To Relieve Seasonal Allergy Symptoms In Babies And Toddlers

Allergy symptoms are no fun for kids, and if left untreated, they can lead to sinus and ear infections. See an allergist, who can figure out the triggers causing your little ones symptoms and recommend effective and safe treatments.

In the meantime, the best way to relieve sneezing, itching, runny nose and coughing in babies and toddlers is to try to avoid allergens whenever possible.

Here are a few tips to prevent and relieve seasonal allergy symptoms:

Also Check: Clairatin

How Long Have The Symptoms Lasted

Colds tend to go away in 2 weeks or less. Allergies stick around longer. âItâs not going to be 3 days and youâre done,â McMorris says.

Nasal allergies can hang around for much of the year, especially in the plant-growing months, if youâre allergic to some kind of pollen.

Your child could also be allergic to something thatâs indoors, such as dust mites, pet dander, indoor mold, or cockroaches. Those are year-round triggers.

Treating Allergies In Babies And Toddlers

Your child’s treatment may depend on the type of allergy they have. In general, the doctor may recommend the following to help with symptoms:

• Pills or liquids called antihistamines to ease skin rashes or a runny nose
• Inhalers to use when your child has trouble breathing
• An EpiPen for emergency treatment of a life-threatening reaction
• Administering peanut immunotherapy drops under the tongue

Show Sources

Don’t Miss: Do Allergies Make Lymph Nodes Swell

What Is Allergic Colitis

Allergic colitis is a condition in which your baby’s immune system overreacts to the proteins found in cow’s milk, leading to inflammation in the colon.

Babies differ in how sensitive they are to milk. Some have very few symptoms, and others might experience blood in the stools if a breast-feeding mother has even a small splash of milk in her morning coffee.

Allergic colitis isn’t uncommon it affects between two and 3 percent of infants. Babies from families with a history of food allergies, asthma, or environmental allergies seem to have a slightly higher risk of developing the condition.

Allergic colitis often has few symptoms, but may be associated with irritability, gassiness, and with blood or mucus in the stools can make eating very uncomfortable for a baby, so they may not get the nutrition they need.

Symptoms Of Nasal Allergies

• Clear nasal discharge with sneezing, sniffing, and itching of nose
• Eye allergies also can occur
• Ear and sinus congestion or fullness can occur
• Throat can also feel scratchy or have a tickly feeling at times
• Itchy ear canals, itchy skin or hoarse voice sometimes also occur
• Symptoms happen during pollen season
• Same symptoms during the same month of the last year
• Past diagnosis by a doctor is helpful
• No fever

You May Like: Clararin

When To Introduce Food Allergens To Babies

There is a growing body of evidence that early introduction of food allergensparticularly egg and peanutmay prevent allergies to those foods from developing later in life.1 Yet few babies are being exposed to enough allergens in the first year. 2 Whereas the old advice was to wait up to three years to introduce common food allergens, the general consensus today is to introduce major food allergens early. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends introducing peanuts before a babys first birthday and has declared that there is no reason to delay the introduction of any food allergens to babies starting solids.3

Need a step-by-step meal plan for starting solids and introducing allergens? Check out our First 100 Days Meal Plan.

Have a baby with allergies already? Our First 100 Days Meal Plan, includes a bonus addendum of 100 days of allergen-free meals and recipes in addition to 100 days of allergen introduction.

What Causes Seasonal Allergies In Babies And Toddlers

Seasonal allergy symptoms usually occur during spring, summer and fall. Depending on where you live, the seasons and specific plants causing allergies vary. Unfortunately, no region of the United States is completely untouched by allergy triggers.

When your little one inhales one of the following seasonal allergens, her immune system churns out antibodies that jumpstart the release of a protein called histamine, which causes allergy symptoms:

• Spring allergies : Tree pollen. The most common culptrits cedar, birch, oak, maple and pine are found in most parts of the U.S. The farther south you live, the earlier the season usually starts.
• Late spring to summer allergies : Grass pollen. Grasses, including Bermuda, orchard, brome, rye and Timothy, are more likely to produce symptoms in late spring and early summer in the northern states, but are always problematic in the South, since grasses there pollinate year-round.
• Late summer to fall allergies : Weed pollen . Ragweed grows in nearly every climate and is the biggest source of hay fever symptoms.

You May Like: Are Twix Nut Free

Can Babies Get Hay Fever Symptoms To Look Out For And How To Treat Them

Hay fever is a common ailment amongst adults but can babies get hay fever too?

Hay fever and its symptoms are irritating enough for adults, let alone little ones. And while there are plenty of hay fever remedies for adults, its not quite as straight forward with babies.

We know that children can suffer from hay fever, so knowing if your baby could have hay fever too, and identifying what the symptoms are, could help you spot if your little one is allergic to pollen so you can help them by doing things to ease their symptoms.

Diagnosing Allergies In Children

Allergic reactions are commonly seen immediately after exposure to the allergen. The very first symptoms are extensive sneezing, watery eyes and stuffy nose. They recur each time the child is exposed to those allergens.

There are several tests for different allergies. But the best way to know is to observe and identify the allergen causing them.

Recommended Reading: Zyrtec Vs Claritin D

Colds Vs Baby Allergies

Can you tell the difference between a cold and an allergy? It’s not easy, because the symptoms are similar on the surface. These symptoms will help you distinguish a cold from an allergy:

Upper Respiratory Tract

A runny nose with cloudy nasal discharge and fever is probably a cold. The symptoms should go away in a week or so. But persistent, thin, watery nasal discharge may indicate allergies.

A rare and severe allergic reaction results in rapid swelling of baby’s airways. This prevents baby from breathing or swallowing. If you think this is happening to your child, call 911.

Lower Respiratory Tract

Coughing and wheezing are common in infants and toddlers. Babies have small, sensitive airways in their lungs. When the airways swell up as a result of a respiratory virus, babies tend to cough or wheeze. Sometimes coughing and wheezing are the result of asthma, a lower respiratory disease that affects about 15 percent of children in the United States.

Allergic babies are prone to respiratory viruses and have trouble getting rid of coughs or colds. In response to allergens and viruses, the muscles of baby’s airways haves spasms and swell, leading to a dry, hacking cough. This can progress to wheezing.

• RELATED: What to Do When Your Baby Has a Cold

Eyes

There are, however, some things you may notice that are more specific to allergy-induced pinkeye. Babies with allergies may rub their eyes frequently , tear excessively, have dark circles under the eyes, and be irritable.

Skin

Why Are Allergies On The Rise In Babies And Children

There is no specific reason as to why allergies are on the rise in babies and children. The rising pollution levels make us prone to pollution outdoors. In general, it is believed that the clean indoors and lesser exposure to harmless germs may be a cause for the increase in allergies because the babys body lacks an opportunity to build a defence mechanism in such an environment. It would be good to allow children get dirty once in a while. Being overly protective can do more harm than good.

Recommended Reading: Can Allergies Cause Lymph Nodes To Swell

How Are Baby Allergies Diagnosed And Treated

Diagnosis

When an allergy is suspected, an allergy test is necessary. An allergy test finds out specific allergens that your baby might be allergic to.

• A skin prick test consists in dropping specific allergens on your babys arm. In each drop, a tiny prick is made in order to check how the skin reacts to these allergen drops.
• Another way to detect 3 month old allergies is through a blood test. Blood tests are specific IgE tests which consist in measuring the amount of IgE antibodies in the blood. These antibodies have been produced by the immune system of your baby as a response to a specific allergen.

Whenever you think that your baby has an allergy, seek professional medical help. Dont use commercial testing kits as it has not been proofed that these kits really work. You want just the best for your baby, dont you?

Treatment

The best treatment possible is to keep your baby away from the allergen that is causing an allergic reaction in the first place. However, in most of the cases, this is impossible to do.

Often, medications such as antihistamines and corticosteroids are recommended. These medications cant cure the allergy, but they can help manage its signs and symptoms. For 3 month old allergies, many medications are not appropriate. Talk to your healthcare provider for any concern that you might have. Ask your healthcare provider what is the best solution for your baby when it comes to dealing with allergies.

Whats Up With Their Buddies

Your childâs friends could be a big clue. Have you noticed any of them sniffling lately? Kids tend to pass colds and other illnesses back and forth.

âMost parents know who their kids have been around. We know whatâs going through the community,â McMorris says.

If other children aren’t sick around your child, then you may have to think of other issues that might be causing their symptoms.

Recommended Reading: Can Allergies Cause Swollen Lymph Nodes

If Your Child Has An Allergic Reaction

If your child has symptoms of an allergic reaction, follow the food allergy action plan your doctor gave you.

If your child has symptoms of a serious reaction :

• Give the epinephrine auto-injector right away. Every second counts in an allergic reaction.
• Then, or take your child to the emergency room. Your child needs to be under medical supervision because, even if the worst seems to have passed, a second wave of serious symptoms can happen.

What’s The Difference Between The Moderna And Pfizer Vaccines

While both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been approve for children, there are differences between the two.

There are several key differences between the two vaccines, including potential side effects and proven effectiveness.

Side effectsBetween 21% to 26% of kids age 6 months to 5 years developed a fever after each dose of the Moderna vaccine, more than in adolescents and adults. Fever was less common in the Pfizer trial, reported in only 7% of children ages 6 to 23 months after each shot.

In the Moderna trial, 62% of kids 3 to 5 years old experienced fatigue, compared with just under 45% of children age 2 to 4 years old in Pfizer’s trial.

EffectivenessTwo doses of the Moderna vaccine are 51% effective in preventing infection in children 6 months to 2 years old, the company reported, and 37% in kids 2 through 5. The vaccine’s ability to prevent serious illness or hospitalization is expected to be higher.

Pfizer has reported its three-dose vaccine was 80% in preventing infection, but its research was based on a very small pool of subjects. More data will become available as its vaccine is rolled out widely.

Also Check: Can You Take Robitussin With Allergy Medicine

Can Any Baby Have A Food Allergy

Yes. However, babies with a close family member with a food allergy are at higher risk for developing one themselves. Its especially important to watch for signs in these children.

About 3% of infants and almost 9% of 1-year-olds are allergic to at least one food.A child can have a reaction from eating a problematic food or from consuming breast milk that contains proteins from the food, which come from a mothers diet.

Thankfully, most food allergy reactions are mild. However, some can be severe and require immediate medical attention.

How Is Allergic Colitis Diagnosed

If your baby is extremely irritable and you notice vomiting and gassiness, it’s a good idea to make an appointment to see a pediatrician. The doctor will check for blood in your baby’s stool. This might be blood that can only be seen through a microscope. If blood is found, the symptoms are most likely caused by an allergic reaction.

You May Like: Dextromethorphan Is An Antihistamine Used To Dry Up A Runny Nose.

Covid Vaccines For Children Under : What Every Parent Needs To Know

Jessica Rendall

Jessica is a Wellness News Writer who wants to help people stay informed about their health. She’s from the Midwest, studied investigative reporting at the Missouri School of Journalism and is now based in NYC.

Dan Avery

Writer

Dan is a writer on CNET’s How-To team. His byline has appeared in Newsweek, NBC News, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, The Daily Mail and elsewhere. He is a crossword junkie and is interested in the intersection of tech and marginalized communities.

What’s happening

A CDC panel has unanimously endorsed FDA recommendations that COVID vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna be given to children as young as 6 months old.

Why it matters

To date, younger children haven’t been able to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

What’s next

Infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers could receive their first dose as early as the week of June 20.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration have authorized COVID vaccines for children as young as 6 months old.

The agencies approved backed emergency use authorization of Moderna’s a two-part vaccine for children ages 6 months through 5 years, and Pfizer-BioNTech’s three-dose vaccine for children ages 6 months through 4 years.

The CDC encourages parents to vaccinate all eligible children, including those who have already had COVID-19.

What To Do For A Baby With Seasonal Allergies

If the blood test or skin prick test determines your baby does have allergies, the doctor might prescribe medication or suggest a treatment plan. Otherwise, you can take certain measures to prevent your baby from coming in contact with pollen.

Avoid going outdoors at peak pollen times, usually the middle of the day instead, head outdoors in the early morning or late evening, and try not to go outdoors during windy days. If you do need to run errands with Baby during peak times, be sure to wash your hands and your baby’s hands after you come back inside to remove any pollen, or bathe your baby to wash away traces of pollen. Keep windows closed and air conditioners on in the warmer months.

Limit dust and pet dander at home by laundering sheets and towels in hot water, and avoid line-drying clothes, as pollen can stick to them. Vacuum floors and carpets at least once a week, and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which removes some allergens. These simple changes to your routine can help you and your baby enjoy the outdoors in all seasons.

Recommended Reading: Claritin Medication