Allergies in children are very common. According to recent statistics, 5.2 million children have seasonal allergies, and 7.6 million have food allergies. An allergic reaction is unpleasant for both the child and their concerned parents. But keeping yourself informed is the key to helping your child deal with it well.
As a trusted provider of pediatric urgent care in San Antonio, we walk parents through health-related concerns for their kids. Read our guide below to learn more about allergies in children.
What Are Allergies?
Allergies are the immune system’s reaction to a specific allergen. An allergen can be many things, from foods and pollen to dust mites and mold. These and many other allergens can trigger an allergic reaction in various ways. They can be eaten, ingested, inhaled, touched, or injected.
Allergies commonly result in a runny nose, watery eyes, swollen lips, shortness of breath, and rashes or hives. A more severe reaction is anaphylaxis which puts the body in shock, causing sudden blood pressure drop and narrow breathing. Either way, you have to remain alert.
The Most Common Allergies
There are many types of allergies in both children and adults. Some people can even be allergic to water and sunlight. To find out what your child is allergic to, you need to do an allergy test. However, allergies are currently incurable — you can only treat and manage the symptoms with proper medication.
These are the four most common allergies:
Seasonal Allergies
Also known as hay fever, seasonal allergies are a reaction to pollen from certain weeds, grass, flowers, and trees. They cause the most intense symptoms in spring and autumn, when pollen is more present in the air. Hay fever can result in serious nasal congestion and asthma attacks.
Food Allergies
A person can be allergic to any type of food. However, nine foods are responsible for most allergic reactions: milk, soy, eggs, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, sesame, and wheat.
Pet Allergies
A person with pet allergies can have a reaction to pet skin cells, hair, urine, or saliva. The reaction is mainly triggered by dander (shed flakes of skin) from cats and dogs.
Insect Allergies
Insect allergies are caused by stings from bees, ants, wasps, cockroaches, and dust mites. Even though they are rare, the allergic reactions can be severe and require immediate medical attention.
How To Recognize Symptoms?
Allergy symptoms can be similar to cold and flu symptoms. Some of the most common ones are:
- Coughing and difficult breathing
- Itchy eyes and sneezing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Stomach cramps
If your child suddenly has at least one of these symptoms, it’s best to visit a facility for kids’ urgent care. San Antonio’s pediatricians are always ready to help.
Choose The Best Kid’s Urgent Care, San Antonio
If you suspect that your child has an allergic reaction, visit an emergency care pediatrician as soon as possible. KidzNow Urgent Care has all the resources to treat your child’s allergies properly.
We provide urgent and non-urgent pediatric care and accept both walk-in and scheduled appointments. With our team of highly qualified and compassionate pediatricians and nurses, we can help you and your child overcome health challenges. Contact us now.