Conditions
Allergies
Researchers believe nearly 40 per cent of kids in the UK suffer from some sort of allergy, and there can be a bewildering array of causes. Food, environmental factors, chemicals in new products and even the weather can all trigger allergic reactions which range from mild, to very serious. The sheer range of possible causes can make it difficult for parents to work out what’s affecting kids, and what to do about it. So what sorts of things are kids allergic to, and what are the signs to look out for?
A common cause in kids is food. Nuts, eggs, milk, soya, wheat and fish can all provoke reactions, and in the case of peanuts, these can be potentially life threatening. Symptoms of food allergy can include vomiting, diarrhoea, swelling, rashes and other skin conditions, and runny eyes and nose. If any particular food seems to generate a reaction like this, let a doctor see your child in order to run a proper dietary test.
Plenty of ordinary things in the house, at school or outside can provoke allergic reactions too. Pollen in the air causes hay fever. Dust, mites, pets, plants, mould, chemicals in detergent and even certain fibres can all cause cold-like symptoms or skin irritations, and these can be worse if your child already suffers from asthma or eczema. Again, in cases like these it’s best to try and get as good an idea as possible of what you think might be the cause, and then take your child to the doctor.
Some allergies pass naturally as a child grows up, but even after a diagnosis it can be hard for parents to manage the condition. After all, you can’t be with your child all the time. The key here is to make sure kids themselves understand what might be dangerous and to develop a plan on what to do if a reaction arises. Having an allergy needn’t stop your child having a completely normal life, so long as they know what to avoid, and how to avoid it.
Comments and Questions
You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
My 3 year old has bad ezcema on his face, he is constantly rubbing and scratching it, I don't use any soap in his bath and use non bio washing powder, I am dreading the summer as I find the heat flares it up, he is getting very frustrated with it now, I also have been giving him an antihistamine but still it's very bad and not made a difference, please someone if they have any advice it would be much appreciated, thanks
Hi my son is 14 an suffers from heavy snoring , he sound like he has a cold but nothing comes out his nose when he blow his nose , his breathing is very heavy. its like the cold is on his chest.
MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAS BEEN SUFFERING FROM A DRY COUGH AT NIGHT TIME FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS. WE HAVE SEEN OUR GP WHO PERSCRIBED ASTHMA INHALERS BUT THESE HAVE NO EFFECT ON HER NEITHER DOES COUGH MEDICINE. DURING THE DAY SHE IS A VERY ACTIVE CHILD AND SUFFERS NO SYMPTOMS WHATSOEVER WHICH MAKES ME QUESTION WHETHER IT IS ASTHMA OR COULD BE SOMETHING ELSE. ANY IDEAS?
My daughter is 1 year old and smells of vinegar all the time I wash her hair and it still smells of it can seem to get rid of it plz help
hi my friend son is 5yrs and he has a very dry face skin and it is getting woste under his yes and now also his leap. what may this be? thanks if someone can help me
In reply to Claire, we have now taken our son to the doctors and has been diagnosed with rhinitis caused by an allergy, still do not know what he is allergic and doctor said even if we did it may not help. He has been prescribed with a nasal spray which has really helped. He was prescribed with antihistimine tablets first but these did not work. The doctor had said if he stops using the spray it will come back.
I have a 5 year old girl who has bad problems going for a poo. I have also noticed small raised bumps on her arms there all the time and every now and again a pin prick rash comes up on her ribs. i have seen my gp who referred her and they have said her pooing is just physological but im not convinced. Is there anything i can do prove this? and can this be an allergy?
I'm 21 and for as long as I can remember I've had lots of small raised bumps on the skin of my arms and behind my shoulder. I had it a lot more as a child, it was also on my legs but as I got older they disappeared from there. They die down in the sun. I've been to the doctors who prescribed me tablets but they did nothing. I think it may be a wheat allergy as I recently had a baby and for 2 weeks afterwards I didn't eat bread or pasta and the bumps really died down but almost a day after eating white bread they flared up as bad as I had them when I was a child and now they're occasionally itchy!
for as long as i can remember i have had a rash on my left wrist that scars over and comes back if i touch certain things, i cant work out a connection but a list is sticking plasters doctors examination gloves aloe vera (in anything) all hand creams including E45 wool polished wood to name a few. it would be lovely to finally have and answer from someone
my son is 2 years old and he has a cows milk allergy which was confirmed with a blood test i now think he is allergic to fruit, is there a allergy test what could be done without him having to eat the fruit to test it
hiya i have just found out my son whos 5 cant have cows milk, How is it any advice is greatful xxxx
Are you sure your little boy is not sensitive to the naturally occuring histamine in some fruit?
He may be sensitive to salicilytes (sensitivities can be difficult to diagnose). Talk to your specialist (we see a paediatric immunologist).
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here