When Can Allergies Develop In Babies

How Is Sinusitis Diagnosed

Generally, your child’s health care provider can diagnose sinusitis based on your child’s symptoms and physical examination. In some cases additional tests may be performed to confirm the diagnosis. These may include:

• Sinus X-rays. Diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.

• Computed tomography . A diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce horizontal, or axial, images of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays.

  Your doctor may perform this procedure:

• If treatment for sinusitis has been effective
• If surgery is needed
• If your child has experienced any complications due to sinusitis

Food Allergies And Intolerance

Few subjects in paediatrics evoke as much controversy as food allergies. Allergic reactions to foods are an important clinical problem because of both their frequency during early life and the potential for life-threatening reactions. Adverse reactions to foods are divided into two general categories: nonimmunological reactions and immunological reactions .

Is My Baby At Increased Risk Of Developing Food Allergy

A baby is at increased risk of developing food allergy if:

• A parent, sister or brother has been diagnosed with an allergic condition like food allergy, eczema, asthma, or hay fever. Allergic conditions tend to run in families.
• They have a diagnosed allergy condition, like another food allergy or eczema.

Talk to your babys health care provider to find out if they are at increased risk of developing food allergy.

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How Old Is Your Child

Most people’s asthma starts by age 6, says Fernando Martinez, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist who leads the University of Arizonaâs Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center.

âIt is rare you will develop asthma . Nothing is impossible, but itâs much more unlikely,â he says.

You can get allergies at any point in your life. But outdoor allergies tend to arrive between ages 4 and 6, McMorris says. Indoor allergies can start as early as age 3, but not always. For instance, âa child can take a while to develop allergies to a pet,â he says.

It may be time for an allergy test if the symptoms seem to be worse when your kid is at home and you have a furry pet.

Also, does your child have eczema? This itchy skin condition often goes hand in hand with allergies. And if your child has eczema and allergies, and they are younger than 6, âthereâs a high probabilityâ they will get asthma, Martinez says.

Testing Baby For Seasonal Allergies

It’s unusual for a baby to be tested for pollen allergies, but an allergist can help decide if a blood test or a skin prick test is necessary. A blood test involves withdrawing blood and measuring antibody levels toward certain allergens to see if the levels are high.

A skin prick test involves a needle or probe coated with a drop of solution containing a certain allergen. The needle is then used to gently prick a baby’s arm or back so the substance can enter under the skin’s surface. The allergist will then wait to observe if there is a reaction to the allergen, such as the appearance of a hive or rash. “The skin prick tests can determine whether the problem is allergens, caused by pollen, or indoor allergens, caused by pet dander, dust mites, and cockroaches,” says David Stukus, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

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Is Introducing Allergens Important For All Babies

In my clinical experience, many families dont feel the need to introduce allergens early because they feel that their child is at low risk for developing food allergies. I often hear that food allergies dont run in our family. While I wish it could be that simple, unfortunately, its not. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, an infant is considered to be at high risk for developing food allergies if the infant himself has allergies or eczema, or if there is an immediate family member with an allergic condition. For example, an infant whose sister has asthma is high risk an infant whose parent has seasonal allergies is also high risk. Bottom lineyour babys risk may be higher than you think. Food allergy can also develop even in babies with no risk factors.

Watch For Breathing Problems

Facial and lip swelling could be accompanied by swelling in the tongue and throat, which can become a medical emergency if it impairs breathing.

Digestive Issues

Food allergies can lead to several digestive symptoms:

• Abdominal pain: Its hard to gauge this in a baby. Some signs may be crying inconsolably and pulling their knees to their chest.
• Vomiting: Be sure not to lay your baby down if theyve been vomiting as they may aspirate .
• Loose stools or diarrhea: This may contain mucus or blood.

If your baby has chronic vomiting or blood or mucus in her diaper, your healthcare provider may want to do some diagnostic testing. They may suggest switching to a prescription hydrolyzed formula.

With vomiting and/or diarrhea, do your best to keep your baby hydrated. If they cant keep anything down or start showing signs of dehydration, get medical help right away.

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How Are Food Allergies Diagnosed

If you think your child may have a food allergy, their doctor may recommend some tests. These could include:

• Skin-prick testing this tests for allergies by placing tiny amounts of the food being tested on your childs arm, and gently pricking it into the skin. The test is positive if a small itchy lump appears on the arm within 20 minutes.
• Blood tests check if your childs immune system has a response to a particular type of food as a sign of allergy. This is useful if your child is taking eczema or allergy medicines, since a skin-prick test would not be reliable.

What Is Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance happens when the body doesnt produce enough of the enzyme lactase to fully break down the sugar found in most dairy products. It is rare in young children and usually only develops after 3 years of age. While some young children adjust to the lack of this enzyme, some will have problems for life.

If your child is lactose intolerant, you can give them the calcium they need by offering lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk.

While none of these items will provide enough calcium on their own, its also healthy to offer:

• fortified soy milk,
• almonds, and
• pinto beans.

Many of these foods do not provide enough vitamin D. Talk to your doctor about whether a supplement of vitamin D would be right for your child.

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What Are Food Allergies

Food allergies in babies are a reaction of the body’s immune system to proteins found in food. For some children, eating certain foods causes the body to make an antibody that triggers the allergic reaction.

Repeated exposure to a food allergen can cause the allergic reaction to become more severe. Remember, a food allergy in a baby is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition.

Should I Wait To Offer Common Food Allergens To My Baby For The First Time

• It isnt recommended that you delay introducing a food beyond 6 months of age to try to prevent an allergy.
• For children considered at high risk of developing an allergy , consider introducing common food allergens at around 6 months of age, but not before 4 months.
• Once you offer these foods to your child, its important to continue to offer them on a regular basis.
• When introducing foods that are common food allergens, try offering no more than 1 per day. Wait 2 days before you introduce another. This makes it easier to identify a food that may have caused a reaction.
• If you have concerns, speak to your health care provider.

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Preventing Allergies Developing In Babies

Although serious food allergies are on the rise, parents can a build a child’s food allergy tolerance even before birth, a Sydney-based gastroenterologist says.

Dr Vincent Ho‘s new book The Healthy Baby Gut Guide looks at what parents can do to help babies develop strong immune responses in their first 1000 days.

He tells Kathryn Ryan there are several ways parents can minimise the risks of childhood food allergies and that diversity of gut microbes from an very early age plays a huge part. Many allergies are on the rise, recent figures show.

The big four allergies are eczema, food allergies, asthma and allergic conjunctivitis, that used to be known as hayfever,” he says. “We know that all of these allergies are on the rise and in fact, both in Australia and New Zealand, we know that the prevalence for asthma is extremely high in children.

Statistics collected by the Ministry of Health identified a rise in the very severe food reaction anaphylaxis.

It is a potentially life-threatening reaction with numerous potential causes, with food allergy being the leading cause in children.

New Zealand figures, from 2002-2011, also found that seafood was the most common cause anaphylaxis followed by nuts.

A common treatment is the administration of adrenaline.

Not all food allergies are the same and many children stop becoming allergic to certain foods as they enter adulthood, he says. But not all foods.

How Do You Treat An Allergic Reaction

No matter how hard you try, it can be virtually impossible to control everything that goes into your baby or toddler’s mouth. That’s why if he does have a food allergy, check in with your pediatrician about possible remedies.

Its possible that he or she may recommend having childrens antihistamines on hand, although this medicine is not for children younger than 2 years of age and only then with approval from the doctor. Never give your child any medication without checking in first with your childs doctor.

If your little one is prone to severe reactions, your pediatrician will give you a prescription for a pre-filled syringe with epinephrine .

A lower-dose epinephrine autoinjector with a shorter needle is available specifically for infants and toddlers weighing 16.5 to 33 pounds.

Make sure you and any of your baby or toddlers other caretakers always know where the injector is and how to use it. And if you ever do need to use it, take your child to the emergency room for follow-up right away, because allergy symptoms can return.

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How Often Should Babies And Children With Eczema Have A Bath Or Shower

Babies and children with eczema should bathe regularly daily if possible, but at least a few times a week if a daily bath is not possible. Bathing in water that is not too warm helps to clean and cool the skin which can help to relieve itching.

Whether bathing or showering, prescribed topical preparations and moisturiser should be applied to the skin as soon as your child has been gently patted dry after getting out of the water.

Home Remedies For Baby Allergies

If baby has minor allergies, such as seasonal allergies or an allergy to dust, there are ways to help relieve the discomfort on your own. In addition to discussing the problem with your pediatrician, consider trying some of these tried-and-true home remedies for baby allergies:

Go hypoallergenic. Babies who have a dust mite or dander sensitivity may benefit from hypoallergenic bedding.

Keep your home clean. Remove carpets, keep pets out of babys bedroom, vacuum the house frequently with a HEPA filter, wash bedding in hot water once a week and be sure all vents are free of dust and mold, Parikh says.

Dont track the outdoors inside. Pollen cant be avoided, but removing babys outdoor clothes and giving him a bath after going to the park or playing outside can be helpful, Parikh says.

Get an air purifier. My son has been rubbing his eyes, coughing and is congested. Our pediatrician said its definitely possible my son has an environmental allergy. We put an air purifier in our sons room, and we change the air filters often, which helps, one mom says. Experts say an air purifier cant filter out pollen but it can help filter pet dander and mold.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

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How Do Allergies Happen

An allergy happens when the immune system& overreacts to an allergen, treating it as an invader and trying to fight it off. This causes symptoms that can range from annoying to serious or even life-threatening.

In an attempt to protect the body, the immune system makes antibodies called immunoglobulin E . These antibodies then cause certain cells to release chemicals into the bloodstream to defend against the allergen “invader.”

It’s the release of these chemicals that causes allergic reactions. Reactions can affect the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Future exposure to that same allergen will trigger this allergic response again.

Some allergies are seasonal and happen only at certain times of the year others can happen anytime someone comes in contact with an allergen. So, when a person with a food allergy eats that particular food or someone who’s allergic to dust mites is exposed to them, they will have an allergic reaction.

Allergies Take Time To Develop

Even though it may seem like your childs symptoms popped up suddenly, allergies actually take time to develop in children, pediatric allergist Kathryn Ruda Wessell, DO, says.

Allergic rhinitis can be caused by either an indoor or outdoor allergen, Dr. Wessell says. With outdoor allergens, you have to live through the season a few times to become sensitized. We tend to see outdoor triggered seasonal allergy symptoms in children after age 3, classically ages 5 to 6. Indoor allergen triggered symptoms can be seen earlier, as early as 1 year of age because of things theyre exposed to in the home on a regular basis, such as dust mites and pets.

According to Dr. Wessell, some people are exposed to a foreign substance or allergen and have no symptoms, while others come into contact with an allergen and have allergic reactions, including a runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.

Age also matters. Allergic reactions that are triggered by allergens, such as pollen, dust or pets are more common in children up to 20 years old. After that, its usually thought to be non-allergic rhinitis, which isnt caused by allergens, but rather by substances like smoke, chemicals, environmental irritants, hormonal changes and/or physical defects of the nose.

The way that allergies evolve in children even has a name, says Dr. Wessell.

The allergic march includes these conditions:

These four diseases can overlap or appear in different order in a childs life, Dr. Wessell says.

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What Is Hypoallergenic Formula

Hypoallergenic formulas have been clinically tested to virtually eliminate allergic reactions in most babies allergic to cow’s milk protein.

Some hypoallergenic formulas are made with cow’s milk that is broken down into tiny pieces to virtually eliminate allergic reactions in cows milk-allergic babies.

If your child is diagnosed with a food allergy,her doctor will likely suggest a hypoallergenic formula, such asSimilac® Alimentum®.

Discuss with your pediatrician whether a hypoallergenicformula may be right for your baby.

Shop now for Similac® formula.

Infants And Allergies: What Should Parents Watch For

While infants rarely suffer from environmental allergies, they can experience traditional allergy symptoms, like rashes and nasal congestion, from other causes. Learn the signs of infant allergies and how to monitor them as they get older.

As any parent can attest, when your young child comes down with a stuffy nose or a rash, it can be difficult to pinpoint the actual cause is it due to a cold, an allergy, or something else? In fact, allergies are the most frequently reported chronic medical condition children experience and food allergies may affect as many as 8 percent of all children.

An allergy is the bodys overreaction to a substance in a food thats either ingested or just present in the environment. And these culprit substances are called allergens. The causes of allergies in young children arent always clear, but allergists have determined that genes can play a strong role. If both parents suffer from allergies, the risk of their child having allergies is about 70 percent. If one parent has allergies, the risk is lower, at about 33 percent.

Infant Allergies to Foods

“Foods are the most common cause of allergies in children under age 1,” explains Dr. Renner. Mothers who breastfeed may see signs of food allergy when they start to introduce solid foods at about 4 to 6 months.”

The most common food allergies in young children are:

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After A Successful Challenge

Once your child has successfully tolerated an age-appropriate sized serve of the new food, it is important to keep this food in their regular diet to help promote allergen tolerance. This means the food must be given at least weekly.

Some suggestions for including new foods in your childs meals:

• Tree nuts: Ground nuts added to cakes and cookies, slices or savoury dishes and tree-nut paste spread on crackers, vegetables or bread.

Once you have trialled each nut separately, you can make a ground-nut blend and add this to family foods such as yoghurt, savoury dishes and baking.

• Peanuts: Ground peanuts/peanut butter added to cakes and cookies, slices or savoury dishes peanut butter spread on crackers, vegetables, bread or added to cakes and cookies and meals with peanut sauce .
• Dairy: Milk or yoghurt as a snack milk or grated cheese into mashed potato or mixed with minced meat a toasted cheese sandwich smoothies made with yoghurt or ice-cream and white sauce.
• Fish: Fish patties with mashed potato steam fish mashed with vegetables homemade fish fingers fish mornay and sushi rolls.
• Egg: Boiled, poached or scrambled eggs, omelettes, quiches, frittatas, egg in fried rice, fresh or dried egg pasta, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pancakes and pikelets.