How To Treat Dog Allergies In Babies
As they say, prevention is better than cure is the best policy. Keep the dogs away the moment you observe the sign of dog allergy in your baby. The treatment may vary based on the severity of the symptoms.
- Saline Nasal sprays often help for mild nasal symptoms line nose blockages.
- Do not give over-the-counter medicines to your kid. Always ensure to consult the childs physician.
- For severe symptoms, the allergist may prescribe antihistamine medicines to the baby.
- The doctor may prefer to use immunotherapy for grown-up kids, where antiallergic shots may be given for faster relief. This is not given to babies.
Remove Carpets Or Restrict Your Pets To Carpet
Carpets and rugs, especially those with longer fibers, can trap allergens for up to six months. Replacing carpet with hardwood or linoleum makes floors easier to keep clean and remove fur and dander from. If you do not want to do this throughout the entire home or in multiple rooms, at least try removing carpets in your childs room so they have a space that does not hold dander as easily. In the rooms that you keep carpeted, make sure that you vacuum and deep clean the floors often and with filters specialized in eliminating animal dander to help relieve some of your childs allergy symptoms.
Can Babies Be Allergic To Dogs
Yes. Just like adults, even babies can be allergic to dogs and other animals. However, it is not necessary for all babies to be allergic.
Sometimes, the baby might show allergic symptoms for some other allergen, but you might mistake it as an allergy to dogs. Therefore, it is good to see a pediatrician to confirm the exact cause of allergy.
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How Does Pet Allergy Occur
Pet allergens are most concentrated in homes with pets. But they are also found in buildings and public spaces without pets.
The main source of dog allergen is saliva, either directly from licking or from being transferred to their dander or hair. Cat allergens mainly come from glands in their skin and are spread through licking and grooming.
Pet allergens are sticky and can remain for months or years after a pet has gone. They can become airborne and attach to clothes and hair.
People can become sensitive to, or have an allergic reaction to, cats or dogs without ever having owned a pet.
Tips To Prevent Dog Allergies In Infants
To prevent any such allergies in your infant, you can follow these tips:
Dog allergies can run in families. However, it is not necessary that every baby will be allergic to dogs. Kids like adults find pets adorable, and they tend to share a special bond. Keep the prescribed medicines handy at home. Hopefully, the above wealth of information has given you a better understanding of how to stay prepared if your baby gets a dog allergy.
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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.
Can A Child Have A Fever With Allergies
Allergies dont directly cause fever. If your little one has a fever, its a sign of an infection like a cold, ear infection or sinus infection.
Keep in mind, many people confuse seasonal allergies with a sinus infection . While they may be linked, theyre actually two different conditions:
- Seasonal allergies are an inflammation of the nasal passages that’s caused by allergens like pollen and grass.
- A sinus infection often starts as a cold and turns into a bacterial infection, although allergies can also cause sinusitis. Aside from fever, other sinusitis symptoms may include thick, discolored nasal discharge pain and tenderness around the nose, cheeks, eyes or forehead nasal congestion and inflammation and achiness in the jaw.
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What Causes Dog Allergies In Babies
The human immune system is designed to fight bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens . However, in some individuals, the immunity may not differentiate between pathogens and agents like a dogs dander, fur, saliva, and urine. The body takes them to be harmful foreign bodies and keeps up a fight i.e., called immune response, thus causing an allergic reaction. Mostly, it is an acute type of reaction, which means it shows immediate response, symptoms, and signs.
There is no variety of dog, which can be hypoallergenic or non-allergic. Any breed of dog can be allergic. The following are some triggers of dog allergies in humans.
Continuous exposure to a dogs allergens might lead to allergic sensitivity and progress to a full-fledged allergic reaction. It might exhibit allergic rhinitis or asthma .
Pet Allergies In Babies And Children
Bringing a furry friend into the home is a milestone that many parents feel completes the family picture. While many children are born into homes with pets, you may decide to bring an animal in when your child is no longer a baby. With over 70% of homes in the United States housing a cat or dog, having a pet in the home is increasingly common and is something many people look forward to.
However, bringing a pet into the home also comes with the risk that someone will be allergic to it. Somewhere between 10%-20% percent of the population worldwide has allergies from common household pets like dogs and cats. As allergies can develop later in life, the numbers of those allergic to pets fluctuate. Regardless, there is a chance that bringing a pet into your home will cause allergies for your babies and children.
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How To Treat Allergies In Toddlers And Babies
The best treatment for allergies in babies is to identify and eliminate the allergen. Antihistamines are one of the best ways to treat the allergy in a baby. However, most antihistamines are not recommended for children below two years of age. Hydrocortisone cream helps treat different types of skin allergies in babies. For severe insect or food allergy symptoms, the doctor will prescribe you to use emergency epinephrine to treat the allergy.
Breastfeeding Can Help Prevent Them
Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed a baby, if youre able to do so. Breastfeeding your baby for his first 6 months of life, or longer if possible, gives him the best chance at developing a strong immune system, and reducing common infections, skin rashes, serious diseases, and the chance of obesity. It also can significantly lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome .
Additionally, breastfeeding can help prevent allergies from occurring in baby. Breastmilk is easy for baby to digest, unlike formula and cows milk, which can trigger allergic reactions in newborns.
This isnt to say that breastfeeding will, without fail, prevent allergies in your baby. Some allergies exist because of genetics, and no amount of breastfeeding will prevent them from prevailing when theyre ready.
However, studies show a definite link between the prevalence of allergies in children who were breastfeed as babies and those who werent. The longer a baby was breastfed, the less likely she was to develop allergies.
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Mayo Clinic Q And A: Children With Animal Allergies Can Live Comfortably With Pets
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Our young daughter has shown signs that she might be allergic to our dog. We have had our dog for eight years, and the dog seems to be fond of our daughter. Do you have any tips for how we can safely keep our dog without sacrificing our child’s health?
ANSWER: Pets are an important part of many families. In most cases, you should be able to keep your dog while keeping your daughter safe.
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance. Pet allergies often are triggered by exposure to pet urine or saliva. These allergies also can be triggered by dander, the dead flakes of skin that an animal sheds. Dander is a particular problem because it is small and can remain airborne for long periods of time with even the slightest bit of air circulation. Dander collects easily in upholstered furniture and sticks to clothing.
For people with pet allergies, exposure to these allergens can lead to various symptoms. The most common symptoms include sneezing runny nose itchy, red or watery eyes nasal congestion and postnasal drip. In a child, you may see frequent rubbing of the nose. For those with a history of asthma, symptoms also may include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath. In some people, skin symptoms may occur in the form of itchy skin, hives or eczema.
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Things To Expect With Newborn Allergies
New moms want to protect their newborns from anything that may harm them. Unfortunately, newborn allergies are something that cant be predicted.
New moms, of course, want to protect their newborns from anything that may harm them. Unfortunately, newborn allergies are something that cant be predicted, and are usually only found once a newborn has already experienced some kind of reaction to an allergen.
Rest assured, though, that although some allergies can be life-threatening, the majority of them arent. Most of the time, an allergen will cause some mild symptoms, like runny nose, cough, skin rash, or upset tummy. Moderate to severe symptoms may be vomiting, respiratory problems, or severe rash. Fortunately, most symptoms will go away on their own, once a baby is kept away from his or her allergen.
According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, about 6% of children, newborn to age 2, have a food allergy, and over 6 million children get diagnosed with allergic rhinitis every year.
Newborn allergies are much the same as adult allergies, in that they can be environmental or food related. Because the symptoms of an allergy so often relate to the common cold or a stomach bug, it can be difficult to know when to have the baby checked by a doctor for allergies.
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Install Air Filters And Purifiers
Filtering the air in your home can help reduce the levels of airborne allergens. Installing air filters in the heating and air conditioning vents in your home and using air purifiers will eliminate some of the pet dander that gets trapped in the air of your home. Additionally, even if you like the air conditioning in the summer and you need the heat in the winter, try to open your windows and air out your house often. This will both bring fresh air in from the outside and let out airborne particles that may be the cause of your childs allergies.
Pet Ownership When A Parent Has Allergies
Its not unheard of for a dog person to find someone special who happens to be allergic to dogs. Whether you’re the dog person or the sneezing significant other, these strategies can help keep your family happy and sniffle-free.
No pets in bed
Minimize your partner’s exposure to the animal’s hair and dander by banning pets from the bedroom. Wash the bedding, sweep, and vacuum often to reduce animal allergens in the home.
Rethink furniture and air quality
Homeowners might consider replacing carpet with hard surfaces for easier cleaning. Choose furniture with washable coverings and limit upholstered fabrics, which are notorious for collecting allergens. Installing a HEPA-certified air filter also might help reduce airborne hair and dander.
Consider allergy medication
Over-the-counter medications such as an antihistamine or decongestant may help relieve pet allergy symptoms. If the allergies are severe, allergy shots may make breathing and sleeping more comfortable. If you are getting allergy shots and become pregnant, some allergists may continue the shots, but they typically do not increase the dose until after you gave birth. Allergy shots are not typically initiated during pregnancy.
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Pets And Immune Systems
Researchers have been looking into the health effect of pets on babies and children for decades, and some of that data has proven conflicting. But a study reported at the 2020 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology meeting showed that owning a dog while pregnant could positively influence a childs immune system into adolescence.
The researchers have been following 1,193 mother-child pairs since 2003 and found that immunoglobulin E levels were 28.8% lower in children with prenatal pet exposure compared with children whose mothers had no pet.
IgE is a type of antibody made by the immune system that primarily binds to allergens and contributes to causing an allergic reaction. Higher amounts of IgE in a persons blood is associated with increased sensitivity to common allergens and conditions such as asthma, food allergies, and atopic dermatitis .
Dog ownership appeared to have the highest impact, with 26.7% lower IgE levels, a trend that appears to have continued through the childs teen years. Cat ownership, however, did not show a significant effect on IgE levels.
One theory about why dogs influence IgE is that dogs tend to bring bacteria found outside into the home, influencing the child’s early microbiome . This drives the immune system to mature and avoid developing allergies.
And a 2019 study found that infants who lived with dogs were 90% less likely to develop food allergies. Of the babies who lived with at least two dogs, none developed a food allergy.
What Are The Chances My Baby Will Be Allergic To Cats
There are 15 cat allergies. The percentage of children who are allergic to cats is five percent, compared to eleven percent for those who do not have a pet. The percentage of cats and dogs is 6 percent, and the percentage of people is 7 percent. The percentage of households with two or more pets is 7 percent.
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How Does A Doctor Diagnose A Pet Allergy
Your doctor will diagnose a pet allergy based on your symptoms, physical examination, medical history and test results. Your doctor can use either a blood test or skin test to aid in the diagnosis. Allergy testing will show if there is allergic sensitization to the animal.
Some people find it hard to believe that they could be allergic to their pets. The doctor may tell you to stay out of the home where the pet lives to see if your symptoms go away. It does not help to remove the dog or cat, because the allergen will remain. Pet allergens still in the home can cause symptoms months after the animal is gone.
What If Im Not Ready To Give Away My Pet
Giving away an animal is never easy and believe us its something we do not encourage unless it is absolutely necessary. In fact we encourage you to explore ALL other options before giving away your pet! Below, youll find a few suggestions on treatments and practices that can help you live a better life with your furry pal.
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Cat Allergy Tips For Parents
Growing up in London, England, we had a cat, as well as other animals including rabbits, chicken and one tortoise. Since then, we have carried on the tradition with two to three cats at any given time. You can imagine my surprise when my daughter moved away from home only to find out that she is highly allergic to cats!
Are Some Pets More Allergenic Or Problematic Than Others
Although it would seem like some breeds or species of animals would be more problematic than others, there is no scientific evidence to prove that. Even though some say that short-haired animals are less allergenic than their long-haired counterparts, this simply isnt true since its not the fur but the dander that causes the reactions. Even a hairless dog is an allergic dog. Keeping your pet well groomed and washed can help prevent dander shedding, but that wont entirely eliminate the risk of allergic reaction.
One reason people believe cats are more of a problem is because their dander is harder to avoid. Cat dander is smaller and more sticky than dog dander. This allows it travel further through the air and stay on surfaces longer.
Some parents opt for small pets like hamsters or other rodents for their allergic children, but even these animals can lead to allergies when children come in contact with their droppings or other body fluids. Think about their environment: when theyre in their cages they cannot avoid their droppings. This gets in their fur and then can cause reactions when your child handles them.
Birds are a somewhat different story. Although extremely rare, bird droppings can cause a chronic lung reaction known as bird-fanciers lung. Symptoms include progressive shortness of breath, fatigue and scarring of lung tissues. More commonly, we often treat patients who are allergic to the feathers for the bird.
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