DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE ALLERGIES?
An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from some type of allergy. Most allergies begin in infancy or childhood – making allergy the No. 1 chronic disease of children and the No. 1 reason for absences from school. Yet many allergies in children go undiagnosed and untreated. In some cases, allergies can lead to serious life-long problems. Take the following test from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) to learn more about allergies and whether your child may be susceptible to allergic disease. The more “yes” answers you have, the more likely it is that your child suffers from allergies.
1. Do allergies run in the family?
2. Does the child suffer from chronic nasal congestion or runny nose, or frequently have colds that last for more than 10 days and are not accompanied by fever?
3. Does the child often breathe through his or her mouth, especially while sleeping?
4. Does the child have unexplained aches or itching in the ears? Do his ears pop or does she complain of a “stuffy” feeling in the ears?
5. Does the child have bouts of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath, especially at night or during exercise?
6. Do the child’s symptoms worsen at certain times – such as while playing outdoors, during sleep, or while in the same room with pets?
7. Are there seasons of the year when the child is unusually irritable or has trouble concentrating in school?
8. Does the child have unexplained skin rashes, eczema or hives?
9. Does the child suffer from an upset stomach or other gastrointestinal complaints, skin rash or hives, or respiratory problems after eating certain types of food?
ANSWERS TO SELF-TEST FOR PARENTS
ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN
DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE ALLERGIES?
Read the explanations below and learn why your “yes” answers to our questions may indicate that your child has an allergy.
1. Do allergies run in the family?
Not all allergies are inherited, but there is a strong tendency for allergies to run in families. If the child’s mother, father or other close family members have allergies, the child has a better than average chance of having them, too.
2. Does the child suffer from chronic nasal congestion or runny nose, or frequently have colds that last for more than 10 days and are not accompanied by fever?
A cold can be caused by any one of more than 200 known viruses. Most colds are relatively short-lived, lasting from three to seven days and are often accompanied by a fever. Children may have eight to 12 colds a year, with the frequency lessening as the child produces immunity to the viruses in the environment. If cold-like symptoms last longer than a week or two and there is no fever, allergies may be to blame.
3. Does the child often breathe through his or her mouth, especially while sleeping?
Sometimes allergies cause nasal congestion that obstructs the nose so that the child habitually breathes through the mouth, especially when asleep. If the congestion is left untreated, the force of air currents through the mouth may even change the way the soft bones of the face grow. In some cases, this can cause the teeth to come in at an improper angle or lead to chronic dental disease.
4. Does the child have unexplained aches or itching in the ears? Do his ears pop or does she complain of a “stuffy” feeling in the ears?
Allergy can cause inflammation and fluid accumulation in the ears, leading to earaches, ear itching, popping and congestion. Sometimes the child’s hearing can be affected. If this happens when the child is learning to talk, poor speech development may be the result. Children with unexplained chronic or recurring ear problems should be tested for allergies.
5. Does the child have bouts of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath, especially at night or during exercise?
Coughing, wheezing and breathlessness may be symptoms of asthma, a disease that is often triggered by allergies. Asthma symptoms also may be worse when the child is subjected to general air pollutants such as smog or cigarette smoke. Asthma attacks may worsen during times of strenuous exercise, stress or strong emotions. Children who exhibit signs of asthma should be evaluated by an allergist-immunologist. If neglected, asthma tends to recur and become chronic.
6. Do the child’s symptoms worsen at certain times – such as while playing outdoors, during sleep, or while in the same room with pets?
When sneezing, sniffling, wheezing, congestion or other symptoms seem to occur only at specific times or in certain places, allergies should be suspected. Symptoms experienced while children are outdoors – especially in the spring, summer or fall – are signs of allergies to tree, grass or weed pollens. Nighttime symptoms may point to allergies to dust mites that thrive on bedding, carpets, upholstered furniture or soft toys. Household pets – particularly cats and dogs – also are common causes of allergies.
7. Are there seasons of the year when the child is unusually irritable or has trouble concentrating in school?
Children who are experiencing painful or annoying allergy symptoms may not be able to talk about their discomfort and, instead, will exhibit changes in behavior. If the child has bouts of irritability, temper tantrums or decreased concentration – especially during hay fever seasons – he or she may have allergic irritability syndrome.
8. Does the child have unexplained skin rashes, eczema or hives?
Dermatitis, or eczema, is a dry, flaky non-contagious rash that is frequently triggered or aggravated by allergies. It is often seen in the creases of the arms, legs and neck, but it may appear anywhere on the body. Allergy to certain foods is often the cause. Some rashes, called contact dermatitis, result from direct skin contact with an allergy-causing substance such as an animal, plant, chemical or mineral. Poison ivy is the most common cause of contact dermatitis.
Hives are outbreaks of itchy welts of varying size. Hives may appear on the skin of the body or face, on the lips, tongue, eyes or ears. Allergy to foods such as strawberries or shrimp, or to drugs, especially penicillin and aspirin, are well-known causes.
9. Does the child suffer from an upset stomach or other gastrointestinal complaints, skin rash or hives, or respiratory problems after eating certain types of food?
Food allergies can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, indigestion, diarrhea, hives, eczema, headaches, asthma, earaches or rhinitis (stuffy, runny nose and sneezing). Highly allergic children may experience severe and life-threatening reactions such as swelling in the throat, tongue and lips, while others may only suffer a mild case of sniffles. Just about any food can cause an allergic reaction, but the most common culprits are eggs, milk, nuts, soy, seafood, fish, corn and wheat. Some childhood food allergies are easy to pinpoint – your daughter eats a strawberry and promptly breaks out in hives or your son drinks a glass of milk and immediately vomits. Other allergies are more difficult to diagnose and may require consultation with an allergist-immunologist to pinpoint the proble