Allergies are a fairly common condition in children — a condition related to the body's immune response, causing symptoms such as hives, itching, runny nose, and watery eyes, with anaphylactic shock being the most dangerous form of allergic reaction.
Parents should pay particular attention to the following 5 common allergic conditions in children:
1. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
This is a chronic inflammatory skin condition commonly seen in young children, characterized by tiny blisters on a background of red skin, concentrated mainly on the face and arms or scattered across the body.
The blisters are often itchy and painful; when they burst and ooze fluid, this creates conditions for bacteria to enter and cause infection in the child. Atopic dermatitis can recur repeatedly over many years, though in some cases it gradually improves over time with proper care and management.
2. Bronchial Asthma
Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that makes a child's respiratory tract more sensitive to environmental triggers.
Parents should be attentive when a child has two or more of the following signs:
Chest tightness
Wheezing
Coughing
Recurrent difficulty breathing
Factors that can trigger or worsen an asthma attack include intense physical activity, exposure to dust and smoke, pollen, other respiratory allergens, certain foods, medications, and respiratory infections or allergic rhinitis.
3. Allergic Rhinitis and Allergic Conjunctivitis
This condition tends to be persistent and uncomfortable for the child, with symptoms including sneezing, itchy nose, runny nose, and nasal congestion, causing the child to frequently rub their nose, breathe through the mouth, and sleep restlessly.
Allergic rhinitis may accompany allergic conjunctivitis, causing itchy eyes, frequent eye rubbing, and watery eyes.
4. Food Allergies
This condition can occur in both breastfed infants (milk allergy) and older children. Children can be allergic to any food, but the most common triggers are peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shrimp, eggs, soy, milk, and wheat.
Allergic symptoms may appear within minutes or hours after eating, including itching, swelling of the tongue or mouth, red rashes scattered across the body, along with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and loose stools.
5. Acute and Chronic Urticaria (Hives)
Urticaria is a condition of itchy red welts scattered on the skin due to an allergic cause. These welts may appear for a short period (acute urticaria) or recur over a period longer than 6 weeks (chronic urticaria). The cause is usually related to the body's exposure to an allergen such as food, medication, weather, insects, or other underlying allergic conditions.
Advice from a Pediatric Specialist
"During seasonal transitions, especially in early and late May, allergic conditions in children tend to increase due to unpredictable weather changes and humidity, creating an environment prone to allergy triggers. When a child shows signs suggestive of an allergy, parents should take them for a medical examination to receive proper advice and specific medication, avoiding worsening of the condition. Parents should not buy and give medication to children on their own without a doctor's prescription."