What are the most common allergies in children? Allergy in a child: why professional treatment is necessary? Climatotherapy and other additional methods
Allergy is the panacea of the 21st century. If even in the last century such a diagnosis was voiced to units, now a record of an allergic reaction can be found in every outpatient card of a child. The causes of allergies in children are very diverse, and every parent will need to know them. If you correctly identify the allergen or the causative agent of the disease, you can get rid of allergies as soon as possible.
Causes of food allergies in children
Food allergy is a fairly common phenomenon, and it is also difficult to diagnose. It is practically impossible to identify the very allergen that caused a rash or dermatitis without special tests. In the case of young children, experts advise keeping a food diary, recording all new foods and the baby's reaction to them. But later, at preschool and school age, it is not possible to keep track of what the baby ate in kindergarten or at a party, so you can’t do without allergy tests or allergen analysis.
Possible allergens
The first thing the parents of an allergic person see in their eyes is a list of possible allergens. This list is quite large, it's all red vegetables and fruits, milk and dairy products, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, sweets, chocolate. And a common reaction of compassionate parents is the exclusion of these products from the child's diet, even if the baby did not have an allergic reaction. But not everything is so simple.
The link between immunity and allergies
The causes of food allergies are not so much in the product itself, but in the work of the baby's gastrointestinal tract, the quality of the microflora and the degree of immunity. This explains the fact that half of the children eat, for example, kilograms of strawberries without any consequences, a third will feel discomfort only by abusing the treat, and your baby with a hereditary allergy needs only one berry to redden his cheeks for the next week. When the child's immunity is weak, the predisposition to diseases increases, the microflora changes in the direction of pathogenic microorganisms, the digestive tract is disturbed, all kinds of allergens are freely absorbed into the blood and cause allergic reactions. If the immune system initially worked without failures, toxins and allergens would be quietly removed from the body, and the protective gastric mucosa would not let them into the circulatory system. Therefore, refusal of products is not an option, additional examination and correct treatment are necessary.
Cross allergy
Another nuance is cross-allergy. A child who has an allergic reaction to sunflower blossoms is most often diagnosed with intolerance to unrefined sunflower oil.
Helminths and allergies
The cause of food allergies in children can be worms or Giardia. Allergies are caused by toxic products of their vital activity and decomposition products after their death. Itching, urticaria, rash, sinusitis and even bronchial asthma- all these are the consequences of infection of the body with helminths. One of the signs is an allergic reaction to a familiar product that was previously well received by the child's body.
Causes of contact allergies in children
An allergy that occurs as a result of direct contact with an irritant is defined as a contact allergy. There are several causes of allergies in children by contact.
- plant pollen. Ambrosia, birch, poplar, alder, walnut, sunflower, wormwood, hemp, quinoa. There is a possibility of pollinosis on the flowering of garden plants, such as chrysanthemums and tulips. It is necessary to revise the list of indoor plants, for example, geraniums and ornamental ferns are the strongest allergens.
- Metals. An allergic reaction occurs in places of contact with metals, it can even be an area on a child’s tummy where the jeans button touches.
- Chemical substances. Dermatoses and urticaria may appear after contact with clothes and bedding washed with poor-quality powder or treated with formalin. The latter is actively used to disinfect second-hand goods. Allergies can be caused by air fresheners, cosmetic and hygiene products, perfumes and decorative cosmetics.
- household dust. The child's body reacts to household ticks, fluff, mold spores.
- Animal fur. An allergic reaction is caused not so much by the wool itself, but by the proteins found on the skin and in the saliva of pets. Please note that an allergic baby will not be comfortable even with a Sphynx cat.
- Insect bites. Allergic reactions to insect stings are a seasonal problem, the best way to deal with them is prevention and the use of insect repellents.
- Meteoallergy. Sometimes children show a skin reaction to the sun's rays, or, conversely, cold. Urticaria should go away after the transition to comfortable conditions, solar or frosty urticaria do not have an allergic nature.
Often enough to eliminate the allergen for the rash or itching to go away. Such manipulations can be carried out with a cat or metal jewelry, but what about the plants that surround the child, or household dust, which is almost impossible to completely get rid of. After examining and diagnosing allergies, specialists may offer your child alternative treatment- SIT therapy. The basic principle is to develop the resistance of the baby's body to the irritant by gradually introducing the minimum dose of the allergen.
hereditary allergy
One of the reasons for the manifestation of allergies in a baby is heredity. If one of the parents has an allergy, then 30% of the fact that the child will have it too. In the variant with a couple of allergy sufferers, the probability percentages are doubled. From birth, the baby's immune system is attacked by all kinds of allergens, and having an innate predisposition to a certain irritant, the likelihood of the disease is high. When a mother sneezed in the neighborhood of a cat, the baby is likely to react to the fluffy in the same way. Heredity is one of the main causes of allergies in children under one year old.
Allergic reactions in infants are very common these days. According to some reports, four out of ten children of the first year of life suffer from them. Often, breastfeeding mothers mistakenly believe that in this case the child is immune from allergies. This is not the case, because allergens can also be found in breast milk.
A food allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a food that acts as an allergen. What is the mechanism of an allergic reaction? In response to an allergen, immunoglobulins E (IgE) are synthesized in the body, which activate a cascade of reactions leading to the development of allergic symptoms. Usually, allergic reactions occur shortly after eating a product to which there is an increased sensitivity, but sometimes allergies can also be delayed (slowed down), manifesting themselves only a few hours after eating.
Food allergens are able to change their properties during cooking, while some lose allergenicity, while others, on the contrary, become more allergenic.
What is the likelihood of a food allergy in a child?
In the first place, heredity predisposes to the development of allergic reactions. An increased risk of food allergies exists in children in whose families cases of allergies have already been recorded.
Also, allergic reactions in a newborn can lead to fetal hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) during pregnancy and childbirth, acute respiratory viral and intestinal infections transferred by the baby, followed by a violation of the composition of the intestinal microflora.
A negative role is played by the mother's smoking during pregnancy, the presence of chronic cardiovascular and bronchopulmonary diseases, as well as infectious diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy, and the antibiotic therapy carried out in connection with this. It is believed that children whose mothers abused highly allergenic foods during pregnancy are at risk of becoming allergic.
The occurrence of food allergies in infants is associated with the functional features of their digestive tract: still low enzyme activity, low production of IgA (immunoglobulin A) - protective antibodies located on the surface of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. They provide local protection of the intestinal mucosa from foreign agents. And since the newborn is characterized by increased permeability of the mucous membranes, allergens easily penetrate into the blood. And of course, allergic reactions are associated with malnutrition of a nursing mother, with her excessive consumption of highly allergenic foods.
Most common cause of food allergy- the usual overfeeding of the child. With regular overeating, allergic reactions can occur even to those types of food (including mother's milk), which until recently were well tolerated by the baby.
Any food can cause food allergies in babies.(it is not uncommon for green apples or rice flour, considered hypoallergenic products, led to the development of severe allergic reactions in children of the first years of life). Known even allergy to mother's milk. And to his substitutes. These mixtures are usually prepared on the basis of cow's milk (with the exception of specialized mixtures), therefore, with an early transfer of a child to artificial feeding, milk protein intolerance often occurs.
There are a number of foods that doctors classify as allergens:
- animal milk- the most common cause of food allergies in the first year of life;
- Chocolate, coffee, cocoa- may be present as flavoring additives to some foodstuffs;
- chicken eggs- sometimes included in grain products such as cookies or pasta;
- Fish, fish caviar, seafood(shrimps, squids, lobsters and other marine life);
- Mushrooms- UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN IN ANY FORM, INCLUDING SAUCES, SOUPS, ETC.;
- nuts- avoid all varieties in any form;
- Honey- may be part of some baby food products and cause severe allergies;
- Fruits, berries and vegetables of bright red and orange colors, as well as juices from them(citrus fruits, beets, strawberries, raspberries, etc.);
- Soya- is part of seasonings, sauces, certain types of vegetable purees and breast milk substitutes.
So In no case should a child of the first or second years of life be given caviar, chocolate, mushrooms and nuts.
The main signs of food allergy are skin lesions. This food allergy is called "diathesis" (the most common variant of atopic dermatitis). Allergic skin lesions:
- various rashes on the body,
- redness,
- itching and peeling of the skin of the cheeks,
- persistent diaper rash, despite careful hygiene measures (eczema),
- profuse prickly heat with slight overheating,
- excessive dryness of the skin (neurodermatitis),
- gneiss (scaling, peeling) on the scalp and eyebrows, urticaria.
- regurgitation
- vomit,
- frequent and loose stools with foam or an admixture of greenery,
- constipation,
- intestinal colic,
- stomach ache,
- flatulence.
- allergic nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis,
- shortness of breath, bronchospasm (with bronchospasm, air does not enter the respiratory tract or enters with great difficulty - this is the most dangerous outcome of allergic edema).
There are also combined lesions of the skin and intestines, skin and bronchi. With simultaneous damage to the skin, digestive system and respiratory system, the child may require urgent hospitalization.
Food allergies can be the forerunner of other allergic diseases: atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, etc.
Treatment
Before starting treatment, it is necessary to identify food allergens.
To identify causally significant allergens, the following is used:
Such studies should be carried out before or after antiallergic treatment.
Sometimes it is enough for the doctor to have the data of the examination of the child, the interview of his parents, as well as the results of the analysis. food diary. Many pediatric doctors ask mothers whose children suffer from food allergies to keep a so-called "food diary". In it, you need to regularly (during the time agreed with the pediatrician - usually at least 3-7 days) mark all types of food and drink received by the baby during the day, with the obligatory indication of the composition of the dishes, the characteristics of their culinary processing, the amount of food and time feeding, as well as the appearance of unwanted reactions (loose stools, regurgitation, skin rashes, etc.). Keeping a food diary allows you to identify those foods whose consumption is accompanied by allergic manifestations. Remember that short-term recordings (within 1-2 days) usually do not provide any valuable information.
The tactics of treatment in each case is determined by the doctor (pediatrician, allergist or nutritionist). Do not self-medicate! Uncontrolled treatment of food allergies is dangerous and can lead to a severe exacerbation of the disease.
The first place in the treatment of food allergies is given to diet (diet therapy). In most cases, it is necessary to take “antihistamine” drugs (antiallergic drugs), ointments, as well as symptomatic treatment.
diet therapy
Diet therapy includes strict control of the number of meals with appropriate intervals between them, as well as the exclusion of real and potential allergens from the diet of an infant. An unbalanced, monotonous diet often in itself causes the development of allergies.
The diet must be complete. In order to avoid nutrient deficiencies, it is necessary to replace all “allergenic” foods with hypoallergenic ones that have a similar nutritional value.
Usually, the diet therapy of children suffering from food allergies includes the sequential implementation of three main stages.
Stage one. For 1-2 weeks, it is necessary to follow a “non-specific” hypoallergenic diet - to exclude all potential allergens from the diet. Do not give industrial products containing crystalline sugar, antioxidants, preservatives, fat emulsifiers and artificial colors. Salt, like sugar, is completely excluded. You should refrain from eating foods with strong flavors (strong broth, etc.), since they usually irritate the mucous membranes of the children's gastrointestinal tract. Limit the amount of dairy products.
Stage two. At this stage, as a rule, the main source of the allergy is already detected. Therefore, the previously conducted hypoallergenic diet is combined with an individually selected diet and should be observed for 1 to 3 months.
Stage three. If the signs of allergy have disappeared or clearly decreased, you can gradually expand the baby's diet (obvious allergen foods are still completely excluded).
If your baby has an allergic reaction to mother's milk, don't hesitate to start looking for a suitable formula to replace this valuable product.
Children's diet
Cow's milk, chicken eggs, citrus fruits, wheat products, fish, seafood, nuts are best introduced into the child's diet after 1-2 years.
Should avoid giving complementary foods the moment the child reaches the age 6 months; besides, should start with those types baby food that is not likely to cause an allergic reaction and consist of one component.
Fruit juices and purees never introduce into the diet of children with food allergies before 3 months of age. The fruits used should not be brightly colored (for example, apples should only be of light varieties). Chicken eggs it is more expedient to replace with quail. vegetable puree(first complementary foods) are given at 6–6.5 months, cereals (second complementary foods) - after 1–2 weeks and they are cooked only on water, and added to them butter melt! meat broth replace with vegetarian soup (vegetable broth). Meat(if indicated) can be given from 7 months of age (and only lean pork or beef, horse meat or rabbit meat). fish do not give until the end of the first year, and cow's (whole) milk- up to the second year of life.
At preparation of vegetable purees and cereals Avoid using formula and milk. Vegetables for mixed puree are preferably soaked in cold water for 12 hours (previously cut into small pieces).
It is important to form a child's eating habits - avoid sugar, salt and different kinds of jam.
During the period of exacerbation of food allergies, if possible, go without industrial baby food(they are not intended for allergic children).
You must follow the recommended feeding volumes and spaces between them, and drinking regimen. Absolutely necessary comply with the deadlines in the diet of infants complementary foods and complementary foods.
Intestinal dysbacteriosis is a symptom that almost always accompanies food allergies, and its treatment is not enough to get rid of the allergic reaction!
Necessary monitor regular bowel movements if the child has constipation that exacerbates the manifestations of the disease or is its main cause (allergens do not have time to leave the intestines in a timely manner, are absorbed into the bloodstream and cause allergies), solve the problem with the help of a doctor.
Better not to use pharmacological agents in the form of syrups containing a variety of additives (dyes, flavors) that can cause or increase allergies.
The water temperature during water procedures should be moderately warm, and the duration of the procedure should not exceed 20 minutes.
Bathing water is best filtered or settled for 1-2 hours in order to dechlorinate, followed by the addition of boiling water. Avoid swimming in pools with chlorinated water or taking moderately warm showers using mild cleansers after the session.
The use of synthetic detergents(toilet soaps with additives, bath foams, shower gels, etc.) should be limited or labeled "hypoallergenic"
You can not rub the skin of the child with washcloths, after bathing, the skin should be gently blotted with a soft towel and apply a moisturizer that softens the skin. In this case, only specialized children's hypoallergenic cosmetics (pH-neutral) can be used.
The child's clothes should be made of natural materials; in case of severe allergic skin reactions, it can be ironed; pillows and blankets should have synthetic fillers. The baby should be rationally dressed, avoiding overheating that provokes allergic dermatitis.
The materials from which toys are made must meet all safety requirements.
The air in the housing should be clean, cool, moderately humid. It is desirable to walk more with the child.
medicinal products.
If a baby located on artificial or mixed feeding most likely cause of food allergies were cow's milk proteins ( special examination will allow you to establish this for sure) found in infant formula. If a food allergy caused in the baby cow's milk protein intolerance it is necessary to partially or completely replace the milk mixture with specialized hypoallergenic mixtures (they are prescribed by a doctor) based on soy protein or special mixtures in which the protein is split to the level of individual amino acids (hydrolyzed mixtures). But there are also disadvantages in such a diet: a child may develop intolerance to soy protein, and hydrolyzed mixtures have an unpleasant taste and are expensive. There are quite a few such mixtures prepared using soy protein isolate. For example, the American Enfamil-soy and Izomil, the Swiss Alsoy, the German Humana-SL, the Dutch Nutrisoy, the Finnish Bona-soy, etc. Among the most famous protein hydrolysates are the imported products Nutramigen, Pregestimil, Alfare and Pepti Junior.
Despite the therapeutic efficacy, these types of therapeutic nutrition have two drawbacks: high cost and unpleasant taste. But the protein hydrolyzate "Frisopep" partially solves the last problem - pediatricians sometimes call it "the most delicious among the tasteless hydrolysates."
The diet of a nursing mother whose child suffers from food allergies or is prone to it.
In breastfed babies, food allergies can be caused by foods consumed by a nursing mother. If the baby is breastfed, then all potential allergens are excluded from the mother's diet for 1-2 weeks, including industrial products that contain crystalline sugar, preservatives, fat emulsifiers and artificial colors (on the label, these substances are and are marked - emulsifiers, dyes). Limit the amount of dairy products. Note that for a child with food allergies, it is important to maintain natural feeding.
If your baby has a food allergy, do not eat citrus fruits and juices from them (straight-pressed and pasteurized). Eliminate melons, watermelons, pineapples and grapes from your diet. The restrictions also apply to many gourmet products and smoked meats: soft cheeses, noble fish, ham and carbonate, smoked sausages, sausages and sausages, any nuts, seeds and chips, mushrooms and any seafood except fish.
It goes without saying that a breastfeeding mother should refrain from drinking ANY alcoholic liquids. Sparkling wines are considered especially harmful and hyperallergenic for a child's body.
Most moms know to go without fried foods. It is dangerous if a nursing mother abuses refined foods such as sugar, honey or jam, as well as confectionery, chocolate, as well as cocoa and coffee. It is also necessary to limit the consumption of whole milk (only in cereals), sour cream, bakery products and pasta made from premium flour, semolina. Carbonated drinks must be completely excluded, since the vast majority of them contain caffeine that is harmful to the child. It is better to refuse even carbonated mineral water.
Excluded:
- Highly allergenic foods: fish, seafood, caviar, chicken eggs, mushrooms, nuts, honey, chocolate, coffee, cocoa, bright red and orange fruits and berries, radishes, radishes, kiwis, pineapples, avocados, grapes, strong broths, fried dishes, marinades, sauerkraut, salty and spicy dishes, canned food, spices, onions, garlic.
- Products containing dyes and preservatives (canned food, semi-finished products): mayonnaise, sauces, adjika, tkemali, ketchups, chips, soft cheeses, smoked meats, ham, sausages, sausages, glazed drinks, kvass, beer.
Many breastfeeding mothers begin to drink cow's milk heavily, believing that this will improve the quality of their own milk and increase its quantity. It's a delusion. If milk was not part of your diet before pregnancy, there is no reason to consume it in large quantities. It is better and safer to use other dairy and fermented milk products.
Plant foods (vegetables, fruits and berries), if possible, eat only fresh. You can regularly prepare salads from them. From seasonings, you should mainly use vegetable oil and low-fat sour cream (in moderation). In winter, frozen fruits and berries (without sugar) are quite suitable.
It is better to limit the amount of sugar or completely replace it with fructose. Instead of jam, pureed fruits are good (again, without sugar). From confectionery choose unleavened biscuits, muffins, homemade cakes (no custard). From drinks - juices (preferably apple), homemade fruit drinks from berries, weak tea, compote from fresh and dried fruits.
Be sure to regularly eat cereals, bread (rye and wheat without additives), vegetable or weak meat soup, pasta, and more.
Allowed:
- Dairy products: cottage cheese, kefir, biokefir, bifidok, acidophilus, yoghurts without fruit additives, hard cheeses, low-fat sour cream, etc.
- Cereals: buckwheat, corn, rice, oatmeal, etc.
- Vegetables and fruits: mostly green and white (apples, pears, bananas, plums, currants (any color), kiwi, cherries, yellow cherries and apricots).
- Soups: vegetarian and cereal.
- Meat: low-fat varieties of beef, pork, turkey fillet, chicken in boiled, dried form, as well as in the form of steam cutlets.
- Low-fat varieties of fish: cod, hake, pike perch, etc.
- Vegetable oil.
- Bakery products: wheat bread of the 2nd grade, rye bread, unleavened biscuits, pastries without custard.
- Drinks: tea, compotes, fruit drinks, still mineral water
Many parents wonder if a child's food allergies will stop with age. With growth, the functions of the liver and intestines, the immune system are improved, which allows us to hope for an end to allergies to milk, eggs, vegetables, etc., especially if parents take anti-allergic measures. Only 1-2% of children develop food allergies into adulthood.
A big problem for parents and pediatricians can be a sudden allergy in a child. The disease affects infants and older children.
It is quite difficult to identify it immediately, and only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Let's talk about the types of allergies, their symptoms and treatment in more detail.
How to detect a disease
A distinctive feature of allergies - the appearance in children characteristic first signs:
- hyperemia (redness);
- itching, burning;
- swelling of soft tissues (on the face, abdomen, arms, back, legs, buttocks);
- rashes (vesicles, papules, blisters).
So, if an allergy manifested itself in a child during the flowering of trees, then after contact with the plant, edema and hyperemia will appear on the baby's face.
The first sign of a food allergy in an infant is a rash near the cheeks and lips:
- plaques (flat formations);
- spots (discoloration of the skin without compaction);
- pustules (cavities of a small size, inside of which there is pus);
- papules (dense tubercles that are well palpable when pressed with a finger);
- vesicles (small formations containing fluid);
- bubbles (formations with a diameter of more than 0.5 cm).
Without medical examination it is difficult to determine what caused the allergy in a child. The first symptoms are noticeable almost immediately after contact with the irritant. This fact and what the skin pathology looks like help to understand what you have to deal with.
Why does the disease appear
An allergy in a child is often a reaction to various irritants. Depending on this, the following types of disease are distinguished:
- (it is caused by the pollen of flowers - lily, geranium, ambrosia - and trees - alder, willow, birch);
- (berries, citrus fruits, nuts,);
- (usually the child's body reacts negatively to antibiotics, certain types of vitamins and antiseptic drugs), this type of allergy is often confused with drug intolerance;
- on chemicals contained in low-quality cheap toys, detergents;
- (allergens are microscopic dust mites that enter the child's body through the respiratory tract);
In addition to the listed types of allergies, allergic children may not have the same reaction to a bee (wasp) sting, sunlight or cold air as other babies.
Treatment of allergies in children older than 3 years involves the elimination of symptoms (this method is also used for children younger age) using "", "Claritin", "Cetrina", "".
The second stage is the treatment of the disease. From the age of 5, a child can be given SIT (specific immunotherapy). Its essence is as follows: an allergen is dosed into a small patient, which leads to a strengthening of the immune system and a decrease in sensitivity to an irritant.
It is impossible to protect the baby from all adverse factors, but following simple rules will help to avoid serious complications.
- strengthen the baby's immunity;
- carefully introduce foods that can cause allergies into his diet;
- keep the house clean (it is important that there is as little dust as possible);
- use hypoallergenic household chemicals;
- dress your child in clothes made from natural materials only.
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Conclusion
Allergy in a child may appear on different reasons. Babies who have a hereditary predisposition to this disease are at risk. When an allergic rash appears, you should not self-medicate.
You should show the child to a doctor who will select a diet, an effective and safe antihistamine, an ointment for local treatment skin pathologies.
The child fell ill with a sore throat - they took a course of antibiotics, gargled his throat - and again you can play football, ski. But there are chronic diseases, and among the latter there are those that cannot be eliminated either with the help of an operation or with the help of injections. It is necessary to adapt the lifestyle of both the child himself and the whole family to such diseases. Allergy is referred to this group of chronic diseases.
Degree of danger. Usually, allergic reactions are mild, and therefore it is quite possible to treat them at home, but if the reaction is too fast and severe, especially if breathing is difficult, then immediately call an ambulance.
Symptoms and signs of allergies in a child
The mucous membranes of the mouth or nose may swell, there will be a burning sensation in the eyes, breathing will become difficult and noisy, a rash may also appear (small, but sometimes even large, in the form of blisters), with a stronger reaction, abdominal pain may appear, various intestinal disorders in the form of vomiting, diarrhea. In extremely severe cases, a state of shock occurs.
Why did the child develop allergies?
It is simply impossible to answer this question unambiguously, each child has his own causes of allergies. Allergy is a disease, the formation of which depends on many and not always the same factors. But almost always it is a disease with a hereditary predisposition. The risk of developing allergies is always high in a child from a family in which other relatives suffer from eczema, neurodermatitis, urticaria, hay fever or bronchial asthma. If the child's father has atopic dermatitis, and the brother is allergic to drugs, you can always assume a high probability of developing an allergy in the child himself.
However, risk does not mean disease. Hereditary predisposition may not manifest itself. For this child, you should try to protect yourself from additional trigger (from the English trigger - trigger) environmental influences and factors that exacerbate the effect of triggers. And these impacts are by no means extreme. Just during pregnancy, the expectant mother ate a lot of citrus fruits or honey. After the baby was born, she quickly ran out of breast milk and the baby had to be fed infant formula. Dad was nervous and therefore smoked without leaving the apartment. To make the child more comfortable, a rug was hung near his bed. And so that the baby does not grow up as an egoist and gets used to taking care of others from childhood, they brought a cute puppy. Familiar situations, right? But for some reason, the neighbors in the same environment are growing healthy baby, and your child had dermatitis at an early age, and bronchial asthma developed by school age. And the reason is that in the family of neighbors there were patients with strokes and heart attacks, but there were no patients with allergies, and in your family there were and are such patients.
You can say that “the train has left”, the child is already sick and is it worth it now to stir up “what and from where?”. It is worth it, because, firstly, the situation can still be changed and, secondly, what if you decide to have more children? Well, you will certainly have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And, remembering the peculiarities of your pedigree, you will certainly be careful, try to protect children from exposure to trigger factors, and the children will be healthy.
What can be inherited with allergies?
As already noted, it is not the disease itself that is inherited, but the tendency to it. Children usually look like their parents. Take a closer look at the color of the eyes, hair, shape of the nose, ears. Find out - this is your child! But there is a similarity and hidden from your eyes - these are the features of metabolism and reactions to external influences, which are largely determined by the individually inherited traits of the child's immunity. It has been established that if one of the parents has an allergy, then the child develops it in 30-50%, and if both have it, in 70% of cases.
Immunity is the main system that provides protection against the penetration and development of foreign substances in the body. Due to this, in particular, immunity to infections is formed, tumor cells are destroyed. But in some people, the immune system is overly vigilant and unreasonably violently reacts to the body's contact with seemingly completely harmless substances for it: house dust, plant pollen, animal hair, etc.
The immune system healthy child when a foreign product (for example, cow's milk protein) penetrates into the body, it ensures its rapid destruction. The first contacts with such a substance of an altered immune system make it alert, in its depths the production of powerful weapons (antibodies) begins, designed specifically against this substance - a specific sensitization to the substance is formed (from Latin sensibilis - sensitive). The number of contacts required for sensitization depends on how intensively the immune system produces antibodies. The child's body becomes not just sensitive, but hypersensitive to a substance that does not cause any extreme manifestations in other children. Such hypersensitivity, dependent on the characteristics of the immune system, is called atopy (from the Greek atopia - strangeness, unusualness).
And now, at the next contact, even with a small amount of this substance (allergen), a violent reaction occurs between the substance and the antibodies directed against it. At the same time, mast cells, on the surface of which antibodies are located, are damaged and emit a huge amount of biologically active substances that cause allergic inflammation, - plethora, swelling of tissues develop.
Allergy is the hypersensitivity of the immune system of the whole organism, but it manifests itself in the hyperreactivity of its individual organs, called the shock organ or the target organ. The hyperreactivity of the organ may be due to heredity. For example, a mother suffers from neurodermatitis and in a child the allergic process affects mainly (although not necessarily) the skin. But more often, the hyperreactivity of the organ is formed during the life of the child. For example, a child suffers endlessly from colds, during which allergens (say, particles of house dust) easily penetrate the inflamed mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, causing an immune system response. The sensitivity of the respiratory tract increases both to dust and to other factors: temperature and humidity changes, etc.
At an early age, the target organ for allergies is predominantly the skin. In children after 3 years, along with the skin, the respiratory organs and other body systems are involved in the allergic process. With age, a change in target organs is possible.
However, other developments are also possible. If the allergen could be established and on long time exclude contact with it, then the immune system “forgets” about it over time. Sensitivity to this substance gradually decreases. There is another way to rectify the situation: having established the allergen, actively influence the child's immune system in order to reduce its sensitivity to this allergen.
Without your help, no doctor will be able to establish the allergens to which your child is sensitive. Only your close attention to the child will help to suspect an inadequate reaction of the child to some factors. But to confirm or dispel your fears and choose a way to correct violations is the task of the doctor.
The air we breathe contains dust, plant pollen, and a variety of chemicals. In most cases, the child's body does not react in any way to these stimuli. But for many children, these seemingly harmless impurities become insidious enemies. Sometimes an allergic reaction can be provoked by one or another food product, contact with pets.
Many children are sensitive to so-called allergens (dust, pollen, mold, food, pet dander). Sneezing, runny nose, sore eyes, skin rash, shortness of breath are typical symptoms of an allergic reaction. The child has a feeling that he is haunted by a constant, never ending cold.
Every sixth child suffers from some form of allergy. Symptoms of the disease significantly affect the child's lifestyle, his daily activities at home and at school.
The immune system of children suffering from allergic reactions reacts violently to substances that are completely harmless from the usual point of view. When a child comes into contact with an allergen (for example, street dust), his body begins to produce antibodies. Antibodies trigger the mechanism of an allergic reaction.
There are many types of allergens. In particular, pet dander (and not wool, as is commonly believed) can cause an allergic reaction in some children. Certain foods (cow's milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish, nuts, and eggs) can also cause allergies. Rash, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath are its typical symptoms. In especially severe cases, the child develops an allergic shock. About some specific diseases associated with allergic reactions (asthma, hay fever, eczema), we will tell you in more detail.
If your child's allergy symptoms are particularly severe, your pediatrician will likely recommend that you see an allergist. The allergist will examine your child and talk to him. He can ask the child the following questions: When did the unpleasant symptoms begin? What medications did he take? What potential allergens (plants, pets) are in the house or in the surrounding area?
Remember: the most effective remedy in this situation is to avoid contact with the allergen. Many children are allergic to dust mites (microscopic insects that live in house dust). If your child's problem is related to dust mites, you need to regularly wet clean the house and especially the child's bedroom. If your child is susceptible to allergic reactions, you must help him avoid contact with some of the most common allergens. In particular, pay attention to barely blowing tips and tricks.
- If your home has steam heating, change the filters in your central steam boiler as often as possible. You can put an electrostatic filter. If your financial resources are limited, put an air purifier in the child's room - it will be much cheaper.
- As often as possible, carry out wet cleaning in the house (and especially in the child's bedroom). It is necessary to clean floors and furniture daily with a vacuum cleaner, and it is desirable to carry out general cleaning at least once a week. Wipe the dust with a damp cloth - this is the most effective method get rid of pathogenic bacteria. You should not cover the entire space of the room with carpets.
- Do not keep pets in the house, even if your child does not suffer from allergies. Children very quickly develop hypersensitivity to a particular allergen, and pet dander can trigger this process.
- You should not keep objects with a pungent odor in the house (perfume, moth balls, tar, paints, camphor).
- For the sake of your child's health and for your own health, refrain from smoking. Do not smoke in the presence of a child.
- Close windows and doors in the child's bedroom (especially when no one is in the room).
- Put plastic pads on the mattress. The pillows of the child should not be stuffed with feathers, but with foam. Do not use woolen and wadded blankets, which collect a lot of dust. Prefer bed linen made of cotton or special fabrics.
- Remove toys made from wool and other fleecy fabrics from your child's room.
- When buying a particular drug, carefully read the information on the label. Does it contain ingredients that your child might be allergic to?
Appropriate medications usually help to relieve the symptoms of the disease. Most often, antihistamines are used in this situation. Sometimes the doctor may recommend decongestant medicines for the child. If the child's symptoms persist for a long time, your pediatrician or allergist will prescribe other, more effective drugs. In some cases, allergists perform allergy skin tests to help identify the allergen. This test is carried out as follows: the doctor makes a microscopic incision in the skin of the child, and then applies a small amount of potential allergen to the wound. This method allows multiple potential allergens to be tested simultaneously. If your child has symptoms of an allergic reaction (reddening of the skin), this means that the test drug is an allergen for him.
In especially severe cases, the allergist may recommend to the child injections containing microscopic doses of the allergen. Gradually, the sensitivity of the child's immune system to the allergen decreases, the body adapts to new conditions. Such treatment is quite effective: when a child encounters an allergen in Everyday life, he does not develop characteristic symptoms allergic reaction.
Allergies can be inherited. In some children, the symptoms of this disease disappear completely with age. In many cases, however, these symptoms persist throughout life. What's in store for your child? Unfortunately, it is impossible to answer this question: the reactions of the immune system are unpredictable.
What is an allergy?
Allergy - pathological condition, characterized by an increased and qualitatively altered reaction of the body to the re-penetration of antigenic substances (allergens) into the body, which do not cause painful effects in ordinary people. Allergy is based on an immunological mechanism - the production of antibodies by the body and the reaction of the combination of an antigen (allergen) with a specific antibody.
The concept of "allergy" (Greek alios - another + ergon - action) was introduced by the Austrian doctor Pirke in 1906 to characterize the altered reactivity of the body.
Substances that cause allergies are called allergens-antigens (Greek anti - a prefix meaning opposition, and genos - giving birth).
Antigens -. These are substances that are foreign to the body, then “foreign”, against which the immune system works. Any cells that are not “our own” for the body are a complex of antigens for its immune system.
Antigens are divided into strong, causing a pronounced immune response, and weak, under the influence of which the intensity of the immune response is low. Strong antigens, as a rule, are proteins and have a molecular weight of more than 10 thousand daltons.
Antigens have two main properties
- They are able to induce (cause) the development of an immune response, when they enter the body, they cause the production of antibodies.
- They are able to interact with the products of the response (antibodies) caused by the same antigen. This property is called specificity.
All allergens have a wide spectrum of activity. For example, the same allergen can provoke the appearance of atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma.
In most cases, a person develops an allergy under the influence of several allergens at the same time - such patients suffer from a polyvalent form of the disease (they have an increased sensitivity to several allergens at the same time).
However, allergic reactions can cause not only substances that have the properties of full-fledged allergens (substances of a protein nature that are characterized by macromolecularity), but also substances that do not have these properties, but are also alien to the body - they are called defective antigens, or haptens. Haptens include many micromolecular compounds (some drugs - penicillin, amidopyrine, etc.), complex protein-saccharide complexes, plant pollen, etc.
When entering the human body, haptens do not immediately lead to the launch of immune mechanisms, but become full-fledged antigens only after they combine with body tissue proteins, forming the so-called conjugated (complex) antigens.
Allergens can also be the body's own tissues proteins, then they are called "self-allergens" (self-antigens).
Antibodies are serum proteins formed in response to the action of an antigen. They belong to serum globulins and are called "immunoglobulins" (Ig). Through them, a humoral type of immune response is realized.
Antibodies have two main properties
- Specificity, that is, the ability to interact with an antigen, an analogue of the one that induced (caused) their formation.
- Heterogeneity in terms of physical and chemical structure, in terms of the genetic determinance of education (that is, by origin).
In an immunological reaction, an antigen interacts with a specific antibody and an antigen + antibody complex is formed.
There are two types of allergies - seasonal and year-round. This is due to the nature of the antigen.
For example, "dusting" (flowering) of trees occurs in April-May; flowering of lawn grass and cereals - for June-July; flowering of composite plants (meadow grasses, wormwood) - at the end of summer.
The list of allergens is extremely extensive, they differ in origin, place of distribution, method of entry into the body.
Allergens can enter the body through the respiratory tract - these are aeroallergens (pollen, dust, etc.), through gastrointestinal tract- these are food, medicinal allergens, through the skin and mucous membranes - medicinal substances that are part of ointments, creams, etc. Drug allergens can be in the body and with parenteral administration (subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous administration of drugs, sera, etc.).
In the antenatal period (during fetal development), a significant allergenic load on the fetus can occur as a result of taking by a pregnant woman various medicines, with excessive use food products with allergenic activity (eggs, oranges, smoked meats, etc.), when smoking. Then the antigens enter the child's body from the mother's blood through the placenta.
Allergens of non-infectious and infectious origin are distinguished. The most common allergens of non-infectious origin include pollen, household, epidermal, food, medicinal, etc. Infectious include allergens derived from bacteria, viruses, fungi.
Pollen allergens represent a large group of non-infectious allergens and are the cause of allergic diseases - hay fever. Pollen is a male germ cell and consists of many pollen grains with morphological features specific to specific plant species. Each region has its own "dusting schedule" of plants. In central Russia, among pollen allergens, the most common cause of disease development are tree pollen allergens (alder, birch, hazel, willow, oak, poplar, maple, pine, linden, etc.); from pollen of cereals and meadow grasses (timothy grass, meadow fescue, bluegrass, rye, corn, etc.); from pollen of composite herbs (wormwood, dandelion, coltsfoot, plantain, etc.).
Among household and epidermal allergens, the most significant are the following: household allergens - house dust, library dust, etc. According to statistics, about 6 mg of dust settles daily for every 1 m 2 of our house. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of dust particles are constantly in the city air, and we are surrounded by an invisible dust cloud. The allergenic activity of house dust largely depends on the presence of micromites and their metabolic products in it. Dermatophogoidoid.es jazinae mites are microscopic and not visible to the naked eye. They feed on scales of the stratum corneum of human skin, actively multiply in bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets, and soft toys. Ticks live 3-4 months, one individual produces about 300 offspring and excretes excrement, 200 times its own weight. Up to 10 million mites live in any mattress. The waste products of mites dry out, mix with dust, creating a highly allergenic mixture that affects humans all year round.
Epidermal allergens - feather, down, hair of cats, dogs, sheep, rabbits, horse dander, etc. There are no non-allergenic animals. Cat allergens are especially strong, which are excreted in saliva in cats, and in urine in cats: cats are more dangerous for sensitive people than cats. Its allergenicity depends to a small extent on the degree of wooliness of a cat: smooth-haired and bald cats can also become a source of the disease. Dog allergens excreted with saliva, urine and dander are somewhat weaker than cat allergens. Allergens are human hair.
Household allergens also include household chemicals, especially laundry detergents with bioadditives.
Drug allergy can be caused by almost any medicine (antibiotics, vitamins, antipyretic drugs, etc.). Most often, allergic reactions occur with the use of penicillin and other antibiotics of the penicillin group, and the frequency of reactions increases with repeated courses of treatment.
Insect allergens enter the body with poisons when stung by wasps, bees, bumblebees and in direct contact with insects (cockroaches, ants, etc.).
Almost all foods can be food allergens. The most common food allergens are milk, fish, eggs, meat of various animals and birds, food cereals, legumes, nuts, strawberries, tomatoes, chocolate, etc.
Industrial allergens are various substances that people have to deal with in production (turpentine, mineral oil, various varnishes, dyes, a number of metals, in particular nickel, and many other substances).
Infectious allergens are various microbes (staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci, dysentery bacillus, etc.), viruses, mold allergens.
Food allergy is a “starter”; it develops in children during the first months of life. As a result of the impact of adverse factors on the mother (malnutrition, the use of various medications, smoking, adverse environmental conditions), the child, along with mother's milk, receives allergens, which cause food allergies. Clinical manifestations of food allergies can be in the form of regurgitation, vomiting, loose stools, intestinal spasms (the child is worried, knots legs), as well as allergic skin lesions (extensive diaper rash, itching, rash, etc.). These children easily develop allergic reactions to various medications and preventive vaccinations.
With age, food allergies in children decrease, but by the age of 3-5, household allergies develop in the form of allergic diseases of the respiratory tract (respiratory allergy).
Somewhat later, often at school age, pollen allergy appears.
Allergy treatment
- Removal of the patient from contact with the allergen.
- specific immunotherapy.
- Nonspecific therapy. Patients may be prescribed medications that protect against allergies (intal, ketotifen, zaditen, kropoz). In the acute period, antiallergic drugs are prescribed (suprastin, tavegil, claritin, claridol, zirtek.
- fenistil, fenkarol, pipolfen, etc.). These medications are to be taken as directed by your doctor.
- In the case of a severe course of allergies, hormonal preparations are used as prescribed by a doctor.
- Depending on the manifestations of allergies, it is possible to use other methods of treatment and drugs (for more details, see the relevant chapters).