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Allergic Children - 5 Common Allergens That Trigger Pediatric Allergies

Allergies, or the body's overreaction to a substance that it mistakenly views as dangerous, can trigger allergic reactions in children that range from mild to life threatening. A specific protein is usually at the root of the problem even though the triggers may vary. Here are 5 common allergy triggers to which your child is most often exposed, and some tips for managing them.

Food - An increasing number of children have allergies that are food related and the most common foods seem to be peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, eggs, milk, cheese, crab, lobster, fish, and soybeans. With such a wide variety of possible products, one of the best ways to determine which foods cause problems is to keep a food diary. Then should an allergic reaction occur, you have a record of what was eaten and can better pinpoint the food that may possibly be causing a problem for your child.

Try avoiding the suspect food and make a note if there is no further occurrence. If there is another occurrence, continue on by eliminating other foods that may possibly contain the allergen. Involve your pediatrician in the process, and get advice for developing an emergency plan should you need it.

Pet Dander - 80 million American homes have pets as part of the family. Is there any wonder that pet dander is a common allergy trigger for children? Dander is invisible to the human eye and the protein in the dander can also be found in the pet's saliva, and urine. Pet hair can also attract dander which is sticky, and so just rubbing a pet's coat can cause a reaction.

If your pet pre-dates your child and there is a problem try bathing your pet to get rid of the dander, but consult your vet first. Make your child's room off limits to the pet, wash clothes and linens frequently to remove any dander that might have found its way into the room. Use a high efficiency particle arresting air purifier to provide an extra layer of protection against airborne dander that often attaches to other airborne pollutants in your home.

Environment - Seasonal allergies to tree, grass, and weed pollen are tough to avoid, particularly during the peak of the season. Curtail outdoor activities on dry windy days when pollen is more able to spread. Plan outdoor activities for days when the pollen count is low, and if possible avoid the outdoors during early morning hours when pollen counts are generally higher.

Keep your child's school informed of allergies, write a note on days when it is not advisable for your child to be outdoors, and if necessary get a note from a doctor to have on file should questions arise. Make sure all of your child's care givers have emergency contact numbers, and a clear procedure to follow should an emergency arise.

Insect Sting - Wasps, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Black Flies and other insects can pose a serious threat to those who are allergic. Symptoms that often indicate your child's body is in overdrive are extended swelling, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, and headache. Should these symptoms occur, seek immediate medical attention. Afterwards, make a follow up appointment with your pediatrician, and ask about an Epipen that could be used in emergencies to counteract the severe and sometimes life threatening symptoms.

If in fact your child does have a sting allergy, find out all you can about the insect, when and where it is most prevalent, and help your child avoid places and activities that might expose your child to it.

Household - Pollutants such as household dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, pollen, bacteria, and viruses are present in the cleanest of homes. They are a constant aggravation and irritation to an allergic child. Many of these irritants are too small to be seen, but your child's body knows they are there and produces histamines as a reaction which often presents as a runny nose, congestion, sneezing, coughing, dark smudges under the eyes, and an overall lack of energy.

One of the best ways to combat these invisible airborne triggers is to constantly eliminate them with a high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) air purifier that, by definition, can remove sub micron particles as small as .3 microns. And even though you may not be able to see the difference, your child's body will feel the difference.

By Debbie Davis

An excellent HEPA air purifier to remove allergens from your child's air is offered by PurerAir.com-- the Baby's Breath Purifier See it now at http://purerair.com/babys_breath.html

Tips to Manage High Fever in Children

Temperature more than 102°F - 103°F in children is considered as high fever. Cold sponging of the body and head is of paramount importance in small children as they can get convulsions (fits) during high fever.

If the baby has a fit during fever, lay him on the stomach over a pillow to prevent choking. Vomiting during a fit can cause the secretion to go into the lungs.

During such a fit, arms and legs will shake with jerky movements and the child might go blue in the face. The fit lasts for a few seconds.

Call your doctor and while waiting for medical help, try to reduce the body temperature by cold water sponging.

During high fever, remove the clothes and starts sponging the body with cold water. Put a napkin soaked in cold water on the forehead every five minutes. Sponge the arms, front of chest, abdomen and back frequently. You can keep the fan running while sponging, if required.

Important: Ice cold water can be used for the sponging of the head. Do not apply ice cold water to large areas of the body and the abdomen, as it may cause chills and discomfort to the child.

One tablet of Paracetamol can be taken every 3-4 hours till the temperature comes down. In children (1-5 years) Paracetamol Syrup, two teaspoonfuls every 3-4 hours can be given safely. In very small children ½ teaspoonful or 8-10 drops of Paracetamol should be given.

Do not cover the patient with heavy blanks or put on too many clothes during high fever. One bed sheet over a shirt is enough.

Give plenty of cold water sips and fresh water to the child during high fever, It will help to bring down the temperature very fast.

Remember: If you do not give water to the child the temperature will not come down in spite of the best medicines.

Noting the temperature every 5-10 minutes is useless. Every half an hour is ideal during high fever.

Diet During Fever: Mostly liquid diet like plain water, fruit juices, milk, tea, coffee, besides bread, cornflakes, porridge and various soups can be given. Avoid heavy, fried and spicy foods. If there is vomiting, wait for 1-2 hours and then give food. Breast feeding can be done during fever.

By Gopal Tripathi

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