What Allergies Are Most Common In Childhood?
There are a few allergies that are incredibly common in childhood. The most common food allergies are peanuts and milk. However eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are also incredibly common too.
Children can also be allergic to non-food substances too. These include grass and tree pollen (more commonly known as hayfever), dust mites, animal dander and insect bites or stings. Less common non-food allergens include certain medications and latex too.
There are many different triggers for allergies which is why it can often be difficult to spot an allergy straight away.
How To Spot An Allergy
There are many different signs that could point towards an allergy. These include (but are not limited to):
- Red itchy rash
- Sneezing
- Blocked or runny nose
- Red, itchy, or watery eyes
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Sick often but with no obvious reason
- Skin reaction in certain places – usually the same ones each time
As you can see, many of these signs could also be confused with other things such as coughs, colds, or infections.
Allergies symptoms will generally appear quite quickly. This usually happens with a few minutes of being in contact with the potential allergen. It is important to note that the symptoms can continue if there is increased exposure to the allergen.
What To Do If You Believe You Or Your Child Has An Allergy
You have a few different options. A GP should always be your first port of call however if you can’t get an appointment straight away, you could take a home allergy test to try and identify the allergen. These are available both on the high street in various stores or online. Once armed with the information, you could then take the result to your GP and develop a treatment plan from there.
You could also go straight to your GP by booking an appointment to speak with them. Explain your concerns and they should be able to arrange an allergy test and then put you onto a treatment plan.
How Are Allergies Treated
Once an allergy has been diagnosed, your doctor will be able to identify the root cause and take steps to avoid the trigger in the future. A doctor will generally use a skin prick test for children to identify the allergy due to it being painless and more suitable for their young age. They may occasionally conduct a blood test too.
They will then recommend medication to help your child manage or relieve the symptoms. Depending on the severity of the allergy, the child may have to carry certain medication with them at all times.
I hope these tips have been very helpful for you – it can be tough to spot allergies but once you know what is going on, you can go from there.
