How Can Parents Help
For kids who show signs of mild dehydration, doctors recommend giving oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte, Enfalyte, or a store brand. It has the right amount of water, sugar, and salt to help with dehydration. These are available in most grocery stores and drugstores without a prescription. Your doctor will tell you what kind to give, how much, and for how long.
Dont give kids with diarrhea sports drinks, soda, or full-strength juice. They have too much sugar and can make some symptoms worse. Also, dont give water alone.
In some cases, kids with severe diarrhea may need to get IV fluids at the hospital treat dehydration.
What’s The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies
When exposed to certain particles such as animal dander, pollen, trees and grasses children may have an allergic response. This occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens, triggering the release of histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream.
This response causes common allergy symptoms, including:
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Fever, in some cases
Diagnosis Of Toddlers Diarrhea
Doctors may suspect toddlers diarrhea in children with chronic diarrhea who are six months to five years old and are gaining weight, developing normally and otherwise healthy. The doctor will ask questions about your childs symptoms and the frequency of diarrhea to make a diagnosis. A detailed dietary and fluid intake history is often very helpful when evaluating causes of diarrhea.
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Talk To Your Doctor About Benadryl And Alternatives
Its always a good idea to consult your childs doctor before giving an antihistamine. Your childs doctor may give you the green light to go ahead and try a dose of Childrens Benadryl if your child develops an allergic reaction to something. But its also possible that your childs doctor will ask you to steer clear of this particular medication.
If your child does have seasonal allergies, your doctor might also talk to you about trying another type of that they can take on an ongoing basis. Benadryl is really designed for short-term use.
Depending on your childs age, weight, and allergies, possible options might include:
Signs That Your Child Has Allergies Not A Cold
Because the symptoms of nasal allergies are much like cold symptoms runny nose, watery eyes, cough, nasal congestion, sneezing it can be tough to tell the difference. There are some telltale signs of allergies, though.Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does it seem like your child always has a cold? Colds usually wind down in a week to 10 days allergies don’t.
- Is your child’s nose continually stuffy or running?
- Is she constantly wiggling, wiping, or pushing her nose up in what doctors call the allergic salute?
- Is the mucus that drains from her nose clear and thin ?
- Does she seem to sneeze a lot?
- Are her eyes itchy, red, and watery?
- Does the skin under her eyes look dark or purple or blue what doctors call allergic shiners?
- Does she breathe through her mouth?
- Does she have a persistent dry cough?
- Is her skin irritated or broken out in an itchy red rash?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, there’s a good chance your child is allergic to something in her environment. Kids with nasal allergies are also more prone to ear infections, asthma, and sinus infections.
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Moderate diarrhea. 6 or more watery stools in the last 24 hours.
- Stomach pain that do not go away after each diarrhea stool
- Loss of bowel control in a toilet trained child occurs 3 or more times
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Close contact with person or animal who has bacterial diarrhea
- Contact with reptile in past 14 days
- Travel to country at risk for diarrhea within past month
- You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
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When Kids Should Take Antihistamines
Most experts say you should take these meds before symptoms start in order to keep them at bay.
Ask your pediatrician whether you should give your child allergy medicine:
Before bed.Allergy symptoms are often worse between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. If you give them medicine before they go to sleep, it could control their morning symptoms.
Before allergy season. If your child is allergic to pollen, you may want to start an antihistamine before pollen season, for 3 to 10 days.
All the time. If your little one has year-round allergies, they may need to take allergymedication regularly to prevent symptoms.
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Be Mindful Of The Weather
Of course, you cant keep your child inside all the time to avoid potential allergen exposure nor should you. There are lots of benefits of being outside, including getting exercise and vitamin D, learning to appreciate nature, developing risk-taking skills, and many more .7
Rather than completely avoiding outdoor time, be strategic. You can limit your risk of exposure to allergens while outdoors by monitoring the pollen countand avoiding peak allergen hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
You may also notice that certain weather conditions bring out the worst in your child. Dry, windy days are typically toughest for seasonal allergy sufferers because these conditions allow pollen to circulate more freely.8The best weather for allergies is generally after a good rain, because the moist, humid air weighs down pollen, making it stay relatively put.9When the pollen does not circulate as freely, your child will not inhale as much of it. For more tips on how to avoid exposure to outdoor allergens, check out our guide to helping your child avoid pollen and other outdoor allergens.
Seasonal Allergy Symptoms In Toddlers And Children
Symptoms of seasonal allergies in young children and adolescents may include any combination of the following:
- Scratchy or sore throat
- Wheezing or trouble breathing
Symptoms of seasonal allergies can affect various organ systems, explains Salma Elfaki, MD, a board-certified pediatrician at Lake Nona Pediatric Center in Orlando, Florida. Some children can have runny nose, cough, itchy nose. Some patients can also develop itchiness and redness and watery discharge from eyes.
These are fairly common symptoms of allergies, but some children will have a more acute reaction. More severe allergies can cause wheezing and worsening of asthma, Dr. Elfaki says. Some children can also develop skin reactions such as eczema or break out in hives , which can be mild or very severe.
If your child is struggling to take a full breath, has difficulty swallowing, or develops a rash or swelling, seek medical help immediately. These could be signs of a severe allergic reaction, similar to what you might expect with food allergies.
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Causes In Breastfed Babies
A medical study on 150 babies found that infants who are breastfed only have less diarrhea than babies who are partly or completely formula-fed. About 27 percent of breastfed babies got diarrhea often while almost 72 percent of babies who were on formula exclusively got diarrhea often.
There are still plenty of reasons why your baby might get diarrhea even if youre breastfeeding them. These include:
Changes in your diet
If youre breastfeeding your baby, a change in your diet can trigger diarrhea in your baby. For example, if you eat a lot of spicy food or sugar desserts one night, it might change your breast milk. This can make your babys tummy rumble and move along milk too quickly, leading to diarrhea.
Medications
If youre taking medications like antibiotics, these can also get into your breast milk and trigger diarrhea in your baby. Some nutritional supplements like vitamins and protein powders might also leak into breast milk and stir up your babys tummy.
While you breastfeed, its safe to assume just about everything you consume can change breast milk. Even a tiny change can trigger diarrhea in sensitive baby tummies, though it is not common for this to happen very often.
How To Help Relieve Your Toddlers Allergy Symptoms
Avoidance is the first step to treating allergies in toddlers. Pollen and environmental allergens might seem difficult to avoid, but there are steps you can take to reduce your childs exposure.
Bathing
Look for scent-free and gentle cleansing options cleansers for your toddlers baths. A bath before bed each night helps to remove any allergens from the day and keeps them off of your childs bedding and pillows. Perfumes and dyes can be irritants for little ones skin and are not necessary.
Laundry
Use gentle cleansers and detergents when laundering clothes. If your toddler has frequent rashes or eczema spots, go for a free & clear detergent in the laundry, and add an extra rinse to your wash cycle. We recommend drying clothes in a dryer or inside. Wind can blow pollen and other allergens on clothes that dry on an outside clothesline.
Clothing
If your child is allergic to pollen, dress your child in long pants when they are going out to play. This can protect their skin from pollen and other allergens. Its a good idea to have them change clothing or shower after playing outside.
Cleaning
Bedroom
Use allergen-proof covers for your toddlers mattresses and pillows will help protect against dust mites, pet dander, and other allergens while your child sleeps.
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Care Advice For Nose Allergies Or Hay Fever
How Common Are Allergies In Kids
According to figures released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011, based on the agency’s National Health Interview Survey, 4.5 percent of children younger than 18 years of age have a food allergy , 10.7 percent have a skin allergy , and 16.6 percent have hay fever or a respiratory allergy.
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Treating Seasonal Allergies In Children
- Minimize symptoms at home by washing clothes after being outside, vacuuming often and using air filters and purifiers.
- Try a non-sedating oral antihistamine, such as Zyrtec or Claritin. Your child should get relief within a day or two.
- If the antihistamine helps, but not much, add a nasal steroid such as over-the-counter Flonase which you spray into the nose. Sometimes you need both antihistamine and nasal spray to control allergies.
- You can also try nasal spray only. If your child gets relief, skip the oral antihistamine.
If Your Child Is Under Age 1 It’s Likely A Cold
It is unusual for a child under 1 year old to be diagnosed with seasonal allergies. “With allergies, you typically must be exposed to things a number of times to get an allergic response,” explains Dr. Lee. “It’s not that a baby can’t have an allergic reaction to something during the first year of life, but typical seasonal allergies usually involve older kids.”
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Kids And Allergy Season: A Q& a With Dr Matthew Bell
May 03, 2022
Q: Tell us a little bit about what you do and your medical background.
Dr. Bell: I grew up in Arkansas, went to med school at UAMS, and did a combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at UAMS and Arkansas Childrens in Little Rock. I then went on to complete a fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. After I completed the fellowship, I came back as full-time faculty at Childrens in Little Rock for another two years. Then I moved to northwest Arkansas, where Im part-time faculty at Arkansas Childrens Northwest, in addition to having a private practice here. Ive practiced allergy and immunology for kids and adults for the last nine years and I love it.
Q: How common are seasonal allergies in kids?
Dr. Bell: Some studies in the pediatric population suggest that up to 40% of kids have seasonal allergy symptoms. More conservative studies suggest that number is probably closer to 1520%, when you look at folks who actually have documented evidence of seasonal allergies.
Q: Does seasonal pollen only affect people who have allergies?
Q: What are the symptoms that can help differentiate between allergies and a normal reaction to pollen irritation?
Q: Are there any symptoms specific to children that may not be present in adults?
Q: Can infants have allergies?
Q: As a parent, is there anything that that we can do to keep allergies at bay?
Signs And Symptoms Of Allergies In Babies And Toddlers
Allergy symptoms can vary depending on the type of allergen and your baby’s response to it. Symptoms can be mild or severe, intermittent , or ongoing because of constant exposure to the allergen. Most allergic reactions occur instantly or within minutes, though occasionally they may take hours to appear. Here are some common signs of allergies:
Respiratory symptoms
- Loss of consciousness
- Sudden drooling
See our article on anaphylactic shock in babies to learn more about symptoms and what to do.
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How Can I Figure Out What My Child Is Allergic To
It takes some careful detective work and sometimes the help of medical tests to pinpoint the exact cause of an allergy. One clue may be when the allergy attacks occur.
Mold allergies usually develop during damp or rainy weather and can be hard to distinguish from colds. Dust mites or pet allergies often cause morning congestion throughout the year. Pollen-related allergies are more common in spring, summer, and fall.
Unfortunately, sending Fluffy away for a few days won’t tell you for sure whether your child has a pet allergy. Studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest it can take more than a year after a cat is no longer around for cat dander to degrade to the point that it doesn’t bother allergic people.
On the other hand, if you take your child away from your pet and she seems better, then you have a good but by no means conclusive clue. You’d also want to consider that your child might be allergic to something else in your house.
If your own sleuthing doesn’t give you the answer, it’s time to see the doctor. He’ll examine your child and ask lots of questions. If he believes the problem is allergies, he may refer you directly to an allergic specialist, or he may suggest a blood test to measure levels of IgE antibodies in your child’s blood.
Blood tests may be less accurate than skin tests. So if the blood test does suggest an allergy, the next step for your little sniffler may be a skin test. You’ll need to see an allergist for that.
When Should I Give My Child Allergy Medications
Antihistamines should be given when kids have symptoms. Be sure to carefully read the label, follow dosing instructions, and check in with your pediatrician to discuss what works best for your family.
While seasonal allergies are no walk in the park, they can be safely and effectively managed. Avoiding exposure, reducing continued exposure, and choosing a safe and effective allergy medication can all help get your child back to their old self in no time.
You can learn more about identifying and taking care of your childs allergies with our quick guide: 5 Allergy Indicators that Every Parent Should Know.
Ali Wilkinson is a lawyer and writer based in Portland, Oregon. She has been practicing law for over 15 years, working with clients across a wide range of specialties.
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How Can I Prevent Diarrhea
There are various ways to prevent diarrhea in children. For example:
- Washing hands often, especially before eating and after daycare or school.
- Avoiding contact with people infected with a virus, such as gastroenteritis.
- Avoiding food excesses for example, restricting the amount of juice consumed in a day.
- Handling food safely when preparing meals.
- Avoiding drinking water if it may be unsafe.
- Taking antibiotics with food.
Allergy Medication For Toddlers & Children
Managing your kids allergies can sometimes feel like a balancing act. Though you want to give your child medication for symptom relief, you may feel concerned about keeping him/her safe and healthy during the process.
Knowing how and when to administer your kids medication is vital for managing allergies. This starts with fully understanding allergy medication for toddlers and children, including risks, dosage and more. To help you out, our experts at Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center have put together key information about allergy medication for children.
Note: All allergy medication should be prescribed by a board-certified allergist and administered according to official directions. Be sure to ask your doctor about your childs medication if you have questions or are unsure how to proceed.
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