Almost every home has pets, mostly cats. What to do if a newborn child has a rash, redness of the skin and other symptoms after contact with an animal. How is an allergy to cats manifested in infants? The article will discuss the symptoms, signs of the disease and how to treat this condition.
How the baby's immune system reacts
How does an allergy to cats manifest itself in babies? The emerging condition is manifested by a number of symptoms. An allergic reaction is a specific response of a child's immune system to an allergen. In this case, cat hair is the irritant. The body perceives it as a danger, and the baby's immune system begins to defend itself.
How do infants become allergic to cats? Nasal congestion, skin rashes and coughing occur.
Allergy does not appear on the wool itself, but on the protein that is present in the saliva and urine of the animal, as well asexudes on the skin in the form of dandruff. The structure of this substance is perceived by the body as a harmful foreign body. An allergy in a baby is manifested not only through direct contact with an animal. But even if the child is put on a chair where the cat was sleeping, then the baby's immune system will also quickly respond to wool.
Allergies are not particularly dangerous, but they can cause complications that seriously worsen the condition, such as swelling of the larynx or suffocation.
A feature of allergies is its seasonality. It manifests itself sharply in the spring. Parents of a baby need to be especially attentive to his he alth at this time.
Before getting rid of an animal, it is necessary to establish the exact cause of the allergy. After all, pollen, mold and dust that a cat brings from the street can act as irritants.
Allergy Causes
Main factors include a specific protein in cat hair, dander and body fluids.
Another reason could be an allergy to the animal's food. In this case, the components of the cat's food cause a negative reaction of the baby's body.
Another reason is considered to be parasites living inside or outside the cat. It is they who provoke the appearance of helminths in a baby. A child can become infected through direct contact with an animal, through its habitats or objects, clothing or hands of an adult or child after they have touched it.
Allergy to cat hair in infants is most often manifested, since they have not yetthe correct functioning of the immune system is formed. The body perceives all external factors that get inside as dangerous, so it begins to show its protective functions.
There is a group of children who are most prone to allergies. Includes:
- Premature babies.
- Babies who have a hereditary predisposition to allergies.
- Children treated with antibiotics.
- Chronic and congenital neonates.
Diseases that increase the risk of a negative reaction of the body include atopic dermatitis, hay fever and individual intolerance to certain products.
Sometimes the environmental situation in which the woman and the child live affects the occurrence of allergies. Also, the risk of a negative reaction increases with the mother’s malnutrition during lactation.
Is it possible to be allergic to hypoallergenic cats
Sphynxes, as well as Rex, Javanese, Oriental and Balinese belong to such animal breeds. There is an opinion that they secrete the least specific protein. But that doesn't mean they can't cause an allergic reaction.
Cats and kittens produce the least amount of protein. Therefore, if a small animal occurs in the house, negative reactions in the child do not occur immediately. There are ways to reduce cat allergies:
- Ventilate the apartment more often and carry out wet cleaning at least 2 times aweek.
- Wash your hands after every contact with animals.
- Bowls, toys and other items of the cat need to be cleaned at all times.
- The animal must be washed 2 times a week with hypoallergenic products.
Thus, you can reduce the manifestation of an allergic reaction, but it will not be possible to completely eliminate it.
Symptoms of disease
Signs of pathology in infants appear in the same way as in adults. They can disguise themselves as other diseases, so it is important for parents to detect them and seek help from specialists.
Symptoms of cat allergy in babies:
- Rhinitis. Manifested by nasal congestion.
- Frequent sneezing.
- Rashes that appear as red dots and spots.
- Redness and itching in the eyes.
- Drowsy, lethargic and moody baby.
- Occurrence of shortness of breath and shallow breathing.
- Edema in the eye area.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Discharge of mucus from the nose.
Signs of the disease are in many ways similar to bronchitis, SARS and other diseases. Self-medication is strictly prohibited, so as not to cause serious consequences.
How does an allergy to cats manifest itself in babies? The immune system response develops in 4 stages:
- Immune. Occurs when an irritant enters the body.
- Patochemical. Appears from the moment of secondary penetration. The immune system protects the body by secreting eosinophils.
- Pathophysiological. Mucosal and skin cells incorrectlyfunction for a long time, causing swelling and mucus.
- Clinical. At this stage, acute symptoms appear. In infants, they are especially noticeable.
Outwardly, the disease can manifest itself only at the 4th stage. The main thing is not to start the pathology.
Diagnosis
If symptoms of an allergy to a cat occur in a baby (see photo in the article), contact with the animal should be reduced or limited. The cat can be temporarily given to friends or relatives.
Immediately blame the pet for the appearance of pathology should not be, initially establish the exact cause of the allergy. Only a specialist can do this.
Parents of a newborn are initially required to see a pediatrician who will conduct an initial examination and send for a consultation with an allergist.
Specialist suggests donating blood from a vein, and also take it from parents to determine whether allergies are hereditary.
After establishing an accurate diagnosis, the necessary therapy is prescribed.
When to get rid of a pet
If a cat is the culprit of an allergic reaction, and the symptoms are acute, then it should be given at least for a while. After all, pathology has many complications, such as asthma and suffocation, that parents would not want to see in their children.
If babies are allergic to cat hair, it is necessary to remove the irritant, in this case homepet.
If after a few weeks the symptoms of the disease appear again, then give the animal in this case forever.
There is another opinion that the cat itself can get rid of allergies. Often, when playing, she bites and scratches, thereby launching an allergen under the skin. At this point, the baby's immune system produces antibodies to help heal the condition.
Medicated treatment
If a baby has symptoms of an allergy to cats, he needs urgent help. Newborns are given the following:
- antihistamines;
- eye drops;
- nasal sprays;
- local ointments.
All drugs are prescribed by a specialist, taking into account the age of the child, so they cannot harm him. Treatment is carried out at home, in a hospital only with a complicated course of the disease. The course continues for the required number of days, even if obvious improvements are noticeable during therapy.
There is no cure for cat allergies, but treatment can reduce symptoms and avoid complications.
Folk remedies
How does an allergy to cats manifest itself in babies? If a rash and other symptoms of the disease occur, folk remedies can be used. It is allowed to use them only after consulting a specialist.
Decoctions and infusions of herbs and plants are used to alleviate the condition of the baby. It can be chamomile, St. John's wort, celandine and others. Babies are sometimes prescribed s alt baths to get rid of negative symptoms. The use of traditional medicine does not harm the patient's body, but they are usually used in combination with drug treatment.
Possible Complications
When a baby is allergic to cats, a small organism reacts sharply. This is the main danger of the state. Allergic reactions that occur during contact with cats can lead to the following consequences:
- Quincke's edema;
- anaphylactic shock;
- bronchial asthma;
- skin diseases.
Allergies significantly weaken the immune system. As a result, the baby's body becomes susceptible to various infections and viruses.
Prevention
Due to the fact that the presence of cats in the house often provokes the appearance of allergic reactions in newborns, experts do not advise parents to have them in the house until the baby is 3 years old.
If a pet has already lived in the apartment, then with the advent of the baby, pediatricians advise doing the following:
- Make daily wet cleaning.
- Ventilate the room often. The use of an air purifier and an ionizer is recommended.
- Limit contact between baby and cat. Keep pets out of the newborn's room and keep toys and baby items away from them.
- Remove curtains and rugs from the child's room becausecat fur settles on them.
- All family members should take care of their hand hygiene.
- Strengthen the baby's immunity.
All these recommendations will significantly reduce the symptoms of an infant's allergic reaction to cats. If signs of pathology appear in a child constantly after contact with a pet, then in order to prevent this, you should find a new home for the pet.
