SkiptomaincontentsharethispageshareShareTweetdownload_for_offlineDownloadPDF  AllergiesAAllergiesAllergiesEnglishAllergyChild(0-12years);Teen(13-18years)BodyImmunesystemConditionsanddiseasesCaregiversAdult(19+)Cough;Eyediscomfortandredness;Runnynose;Rash;Wheezing2021-03-23T04:00:00Z8.1000000000000060.80000000000001477.00000000000Health(A-Z)-ConditionsHealthA-Z

Thispageexplainswhatallergiesare,typesofallergens,thesignsandsymptomsofallergies,andalsothecauses.Italsogivesexamplesofcommonallergiesandwhattodoifyourchildhasanallergicreaction.

Whatisanallergy?

Theimmunesystemprotectsusbyattackingharmfulsubstancessuchasvirusesandbacteria.Anallergyistheimmunesystem’sresponsetoasubstancecalledanallergen.

Theallergenisnotharmfulformostpeople.However,whenachildhasanallergy,theimmunesystemtreatstheallergenasaninvaderandover-reactstoit.Thisresultsinsymptomsfrommilddiscomforttoseveredistress.

Allergicdisorders,includingfoodallergies,arecommoninchildhood.Manychildrenwithallergiesalsohaveasthma.

Keypoints

• Anallergyistheimmunesystem’sover-reactiontoasubstancethatisgenerallynotharmfultomostpeople.
• Ifyoususpectthatyourchildhasanallergy,anallergistcandoteststofindoutexactlywhatiscausingtheallergyanddiscusswithyouhowtomanagetheseallergies.
• Toreduceyourchild’sexposuretoairborneallergens,haveapet-freehomeandremovecarpeting.
• Tomanageafoodallergy,makesureyourchildavoidsallfoodstheyareallergicto,learnshowtoreadfoodlabelsandaskabouttheingredientsinservedfood.
• Ifyourchildhasasevereallergy,telltheirteachersandothercaregivers.
• Ifyoususpectyourchildishavingananaphylacticreaction,giveepinephrine(ifavailable)andcall911.

Signsandsymptomsofallergies

Allergicreactionswillvaryfromchildtochildandfromallergentoallergen.Whereyoulivecanalsoaffectthetypeandseverityoftheallergy.

Symptomsforfoodallergensandinsectbitesorstings

Yourchild’sresponsetoafoodallergyorinsectbitewilldependonhowsen