What is Allergy?
Allergy is caused by reaction from the immune system. Our body responds automatically when allergens enter into it which could overreact to the allergens. Consequently, this causes inflammation within the body such as skin, eye, and respiratory organs or digestive organs.
Risk Factors in Children
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- Genetic factors: Patients with a history of allergy causes the risk to their children by 20-40% while parents who are having allergic to the same or different allergens causes the risk by 50-80% .
- Environmental Factors: 15% of patients have no parents with a disease, but caused by several inevitable factors in daily basis such as, dust,pet and pollution. Moreover, soil milk for 6 month old baby also creates allergy to the baby.
Allergies Commonly Found in Children
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- Asthma, caused by swollen or obstructed airways triggered by allergic reactions including other causes. The main symptoms are the sound of breathing which quite loud together with feeling of the chest being oppressed. Patients may feel the oppression at night, during exercising or while having a cold.
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- Allergic Rhinitis: Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, chronic runny nose with mucus. These can only happen during rainy season or a whole year.
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- Rash: Symptoms include chronic skin rash, found in small children and mostly triggered by sweat, food etc.
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- Urticaria: Symptoms include itchy feeling, swelling mostly caused by allergy of drug use and certain food. Apart from that, being infected by bacteria is also counted as one reasons.
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- Food Allergy: It occurs due to allergic reactions of the food with proteins which result in different symptoms impact on the gastrointestinal tract for example, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stool, rashes as well as respiratory tract problems like nasal congestion. Foods that considered as stimulants are cow’s milk, soy milk, eggs and wheat flour. The symptoms usually start during the first year of age and may happen periodically.
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- Conjunctivitis: It is a symptom of eye irritation with tear, and itchy feeling around its area. In addition, it is often found while patients are having Allergic Rhinitis.
Treatment
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- Avoid allergens to block the stimulation so that patients can have less dose of medicines.
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- Take medicine regularly and follow doctor’s instructions,including do not forget to clean the nose with saline solution. Using the nose spray correctly is counted, moreover, doctor always supervise if there is a problem during self-care.
- Take care of the body as well as mind well by eating five group foods and avoid food that cause allergic reaction. In addition, patients require to have enough sleep and regular exercise. Apart from that, try not staying in environment where there is filled with pollution.
Skin Allergy Test
Diagnosis and treatment of allergic patients apart from history and physical examination, patients should also be tested for specific types of allergy. This can be done by blood tests or skin test. In general, skin prick test often be an option as it is fast helps direct to the optimal treatment method.
Preparation Before The Test
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- Stop using Antihistamine 7 days before the test.
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- Patients with heart disease and hypertension required to inform doctors about medicines used recently as certain types of them may affect the test.
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- Patients should stop using steroid medicinces as well.
- No need to stop eating or drinking before the test.
How Vaccine Protects You from Allergy ? ?
Current treatment for allergies by vaccines injection can be provided to only two types of allergy: Allergy caused by weather and Allergy caused by asthma. The doctor will inject allergens and will gradually increase its amount to make the body less react to it which means symptoms are less painful. Time for the injection is at least in every week about 3-5 years. If the patient’s symptoms still remain means this type of treatment is not effective which will not be used after that.
Indications for Patients
1. Patients with allergic symptoms include allergic rhinitis, eye allergies, asthma or even skin allergies that require them to receive skin prick test or specific IgE to detect types of allergens.
2. Patients still have mild or severe symptoms of allergy due to inevitable factors or side effects from taking medications.
3. Receive vaccination regularly is recommended for at least 3 years as the treatment should continuously be provided.
Types of Treatment
Subcutaneous Immunotherapy; more than 1 allergens will be injected through this method it is suitable for patients who are allergic for more than one type of it. There may be side effects such as Anaphylaxis as it is an injection of allergens that patients body are allergic to.
Sublingual immunotherapy; currently, the use of vaccines need to be put under the tongue increasingly used. However, results were similar to the vaccination and there is less side effect as well.
How to Prevent Your Children from Allergy
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- Pet like dogs and cats should not be in a house.
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- The bedroom and other bedding should be cleaned regularly.
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- Parents should not smoke around their children.
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- Parents should not smoke in the home or children’s area.
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- Children with asthma, parents should make them exercise regularly. When symptom occurs please immediately consult the doctor and provide spray to relieve its severity.
- Get rid of food waste and place that may contribute to breeding of insects.
PROF.DR.JARUNGCHIT NGAMPHAIBOON
Pediatrician
Phyathai2 Hospital
Pediatric Center
Tel: +66617-2444 ext. 3219-3220
