Literally two centuries ago, no one in the world even knew such a word as "allergy", and there is no need to talk about the disease at all. Allergic reactions of the human body were first noted only at the beginning of the twentieth century. Currently, almost every third child is faced with one or another type of allergy. How dust allergy manifests itself in children, we will consider in this article.
What is this?
Allergy is a high sensitivity of the body to any substances. Such hypersensitivity manifests itself in the form of pathological reactions that occur when interacting with various provoking factors. Most often, the allergen is ordinary house dust. If a child has an allergy of this kind, then it has a clear clinical picture and requires serious treatment. Symptoms of dust allergy in children are listed below.
Allergy Causes
When an allergen enters the body, antibody secretion is activated. Physiological processes are replaced by a strong release of inflammatory mediators and histamine. If the allergen re-enters the body, then excess histamine entails too high excitation of nerve branches and certain symptoms.
How does dust become an allergen? To answer this question, you need to know its composition, and the cause of allergy to dust in children (we will analyze the symptoms later) can be any type of dust, for example, the following:
- Street. Such dust contains wood elements, exhaust gases, etc. The body reacts to any of its components, with good reason perceiving them as dangerous to humans. During the flowering period, a large amount of pollen, which is a strong allergen, is also mixed into the dust.
- Homemade. No matter how much a person wants it and no matter what he does, however, the dust settles immediately after the cleaning and gradually accumulates in all corners of the house or apartment. The child is allergic to such dust because it contains particles of animal hair, paint, mold, etc. In addition, a lot of dusty substances enter the room from the street. Signs of dust allergy in children should be detected promptly.
Paper. Such dust is observed in high concentration if there are a large number of books in the house. Among allergy sufferers, a fairly common reaction is an allergy to dust inlibrary, especially in cases where mold develops on books. In children, this reaction is based on frequent visits to the library. Library dust can also contain components of the vital activity of various microorganisms and even mites
Of course, dust is all around us. However, not every child develops allergies. Why is it so? The answer lies in the risk factors that influence the occurrence of the reaction. Household dust allergies are the most common.
Low immunity. Due to diseases that weaken the immune system, as well as the unfavorable environmental situation in the human habitat, vitamin and trace element deficiencies affect the body's sensitivity. Since the child's body is just beginning to form, such factors exacerbate the situation even more. It has been found that children living outside the city are much less likely to experience allergic reactions to dust.
High amount of dust. The more particles of it in the environment that surrounds the child, the higher the possibility of a painful reaction.
Influence of heredity. If sensitivity to dust was noted in parents, grandparents, then the risk of a similar problem in the offspring also increases. Dust allergy symptoms in children are characteristic and difficult to confuse.
Pyroglyphid mites, that is, dust mites. There are more than a hundred of their varieties, but only two of them can provoke an undesirable reaction. These microorganisms cannot be seen, they are fed by keratinized skin elements that are part of the dust. These mites live in warm and humid environments. Mite dust is present in especially large quantities in carpets, on beds, shelves, etc. It is terrible to think, but in just one gram of dust there are over ten thousand mites. Although they do not bite or spread infection, the child's allergies are caused by their waste and the chitin components that coat these organisms.
Factors of a psychophysiological nature. Allergies are influenced by depression and emotional fears. Strong experiences that are felt on a subconscious level also have an impact. If a child has negative memories associated with a toy or thing, an allergic attack may occur even when they are completely cleared. So, what are the symptoms of dust allergy in children?
Symptoms
Allergies can manifest differently for every child. The most common symptoms are:
- rhinitis (clear discharge);
- teary;
- itch inside nose;
- headache;
- frequent sneezing;
- burning eyes;
- conjunctivitis;
- eyelid swelling;
- redness of the whites of the eyes;
- dermatitis, manifested in rashes, swelling and redness of the skin. Allergy to book dust manifests itself in this way.
With allergies, it is often difficult tobreathing, wheezing is heard in the chest area, a cough of an unproductive nature occurs. Such allergic manifestations can cause the appearance of bronchial asthma. Such symptoms can cause inconvenience to the child throughout the year, but most often exacerbations occur in autumn and winter, since dust mites breed mainly during this period. In addition, the severity of the manifestation of signs of allergy to dust in children is noted in those moments when they are present during the cleaning of the room.
How do I diagnose a child with an allergic reaction to dust?
Diagnosing diseases of this kind is within the competence of an allergist. To make the correct diagnosis, he uses an integrated approach, taking into account: symptoms, examination results, results of dermatological tests, anamnesis, information from an immunological blood test. Certain difficulties in diagnosis are experienced because the symptoms of dust allergy resemble other diseases. For example, cough and rhinitis can be attributed to a cold, and skin rashes can be attributed to dermatological diseases. In order for the diagnosis to be made correctly, it is necessary to resort to the help of differential diagnosis.
How dangerous is an allergy to household dust?
Potential Complications
If there is an allergic reaction to dust, then it must be treated. Otherwise, a negative impact on the fragile children's body may be exerted. In the running formthe likelihood of an allergy developing into a chronic one. In this case, the following possible complications are noted:
- Quincke's edema;
- bronchial asthma;
- inflammation of the cornea of the eye.
Treatment of dust allergy in children is discussed below.
Most of the time, dust allergy causes asthma, which is caused by the typical way the allergen enters, that is, through the respiratory tract. As soon as the allergen is localized in the bronchi, an active struggle immediately begins in the immune system. It results in bronchospasm, and if such manifestations are regular, asthma develops.
How can parents treat a child themselves?
Therapy of an allergic reaction to dust needs medical supervision. If the child has its characteristic signs, you need to make an appointment with an allergist. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, all recommendations must be followed. Close attention should be paid to creating a hypoallergenic household environment, as well as strengthening children's immunity. In addition, you need to minimize the child's interaction with dust. Regular maintenance of cleanliness in the room, scrupulous cleaning, regular change of linen in the children's bed, getting rid of various kinds of “dust collectors”, daily airing of the room, as well as frequent washing of soft toys will help in this. In addition, parents can alleviate certain allergy symptoms in a child. So, if you have a runny nose, you can help get rid of it with the help ofrinsing with saline.
Treatment of dust allergy in children should be comprehensive.
What action does the doctor take?
Because dust allergy is one of the pathological reactions of the immune system, in most cases, treatment with medications will be required. It is not prescribed only with a weak manifestation of allergies, and also when, while minimizing the interaction with the provoking factor, the symptoms disappeared altogether. If this does not happen, the allergist will prescribe drugs such as antihistamines, sprays to combat the common cold, ointments that heal inflammation on the skin. Since a certain amount of allergens enters the intestines along with saliva, enterosorbents are prescribed. In addition, you need to take vitamins that will support the immune system.
How to prevent book dust allergies?
Even one book off the shelf can cause an allergic reaction. It is best for people suffering from this ailment to use electronic formats so that their well-being does not worsen. Symptoms in this form can be similar to a normal allergy: accompanied by a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes.
Prevention
There are many measures to help prevent your child from becoming allergic to dust. They are relevant for any home in which there are children, but it is most important to follow such rules if there is a predisposition. For prevention it is necessary:
- wet clean regularly and scrupulously clean all surfaces;
- ventilate the room byopportunities often;
- respect minimalism in your interior (that is, do not use heavy curtains, carpets, fewer open shelves with books, furniture and various accessories);
- wash pillows, blankets and soft toys as often as possible;
- do not have pets and fish;
- introduce a taboo on smoking in the house;
- strengthen children's immunity through sports, a he althy diet, hardening and good sleep.
Because the child's well-being should always come first, every possible effort must be made to prevent an allergic attack from developing.
Diet for dust allergy in children
Recommended diet to promote he alth. All fatty, fried, smoked, any fast food, chips are subject to an exception. The menu needs fruits, vegetables, various cereals, purified water. If the child is breastfed, then it must be continued. This will help to cope with any allergic reaction, but at the same time, mom should watch her diet.
