In the last decade the number of people suffering from allergies has increased significantly. Children have been the most affected, it is estimated that approximately 30 percent of them are allergic. There are more and more cases of childhood allergies and they last longer.
Although allergies have a hereditary component, they are also associated with environmental factors (known as "hygienic theory"), the abandonment of breastfeeding before six months, since it acts as a protective shield, and early introduction food. We will review then by the most frequent allergies in children.
What is an allergy?
An allergy is a disproportionate reaction of the immune system to a specific agent, called an allergen, which can be a substance, a food, pollen, mites, insects, etc. For the organism they are invaders, therefore it reacts causing certain symptoms, from itching or hives to more serious problems such as an anaphylactic reaction that can be life-threatening.
Allergies cannot be avoided, although there are certain measures that can prevent them. When a person develops an allergy, it will accompany him for some time, sometimes for several years or a lifetime. In children there are allergies that improve and even disappear when they grow.
The most common childhood allergies
Food allergies They are the first that can appear in the baby when the complementary feeding is introduced, from the age of six months.
Among food allergies, cow's milk It is the first cause of allergy in children. Specifically, it is caused by an allergy to cow's milk proteins, which is different from the picture of milk intolerance. Cow's milk and its derivatives are followed, in order, egg and fish allergy.
Peanuts, peanut butter, soybeans and wheat can also cause allergies, and less frequently, chocolate, strawberries, tomatoes or shellfish. That is why it is recommended to delay the introduction of these foods after the first year of life, and even more in the case of nuts, also because of the risk of choking.
When introducing new foods in children, always do so after six months and preferably offered when the baby is still breastfeeding could reduce allergies. With each new food that is introduced, do it one by one and stay tuned for the symptoms that can make us suspect a food allergy.
Also among the most common childhood allergies we find atopic dermatitis, which in some cases is related in turn to a food allergy.
It is an inflammatory skin disease that affects 18% of the child population in Spain. It is characterized by a skin rash when exposed to irritating factors such as plants, pollen, industrial chemical solvents, detergents, tobacco smoke, bleaching paints, wool, acidic and / or astringent foods, skin care products that contain alcohol and some soaps and perfumes.
It is common for children with atopic dermatitis to develop other diseases in the long run, especially allergies, rhinitis or asthma, so early detection is very important.
Between the first year and five years, episodes of asthma in the child, although it is not an allergy in itself, but it accompanies catarrhal processes or flu, and that can be a sign of a child's predisposition to develop the allergy.
Allergic rhinitis, characterized by inflammation of the nasal mucosa, is a very common condition in children, especially in younger children. The responsible allergens can be very varied, they can be typical of certain times of the year, such as pollen allergy ("hay fever"), or be present throughout the year such as mites or the hair of domestic animals.
We can not forget to mention among the most common allergies among children, allergy to insect bites and medications.
The truth is Allergies are increasingly common among the little ones, being the ones we have named the most common. The prevention of allergies, within what is in our hand, consists of a combination of measures that we must take in terms of cleaning at home, the clothes that the baby wears and of course, the mother's feeding during pregnancy .
Photos | Thinkstock On Babies and more | Eczema in children multiplies by four the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Babies born by caesarean section would have a higher risk of allergies
