At present, more and more children suffer from allergies. How does it manifest itself? Signs such as watery and red eyes, itching, skin rashes indicate that the child may have a disease such as allergies. The increased incidence of this disease is primarily associated with the deterioration of the environmental situation. At risk are people who live in problem regions where many industrial enterprises are located. There are also other factors for the appearance of allergies in a child, for example, hereditary predisposition. The easiest way to get rid of this disease is to exclude the source of its occurrence. But the problem is that identifying the causative agent of allergies is not so simple.
What is the child allergic to?
When an allergy starts in an adult, it is much easier to determine the source of its occurrence than in a child. This is due to several factors. First, an adult can determine for himself what causes such reactions in him.
And the child does not focus on the reasonoccurrence of these symptoms. Secondly, the baby's body is not yet strong and at the stage of growing up it is difficult for him to resist allergens. Therefore, there are cases when the childhood form of the disease goes away on its own.
Adding new foods to the diet can trigger allergies
The most common allergy in babies is a reaction to the introduction of new foods into the diet. Therefore, nursing mothers are advised to start complementary foods with one spoon and carefully monitor for any rashes on the skin. As a rule, these reactions pass as they grow older. There is an opinion that before the child reaches the age of 3, it is not worth taking tests for allergens in children, since this makes no sense. If a small child has severe allergic reactions, then parents are advised to exclude foods that can become a source of their occurrence from the diet, and not to be tested for allergens in children. It is not always possible to accurately diagnose by blood. First, you need to protect the baby from citrus fruits, chocolate, red berries, caviar.
Also, products such as cow's milk, fatty meat can also cause this disease. You need to act by the method of exclusion, that is, remove products from the child's menu that can cause an allergic reaction. If a source is identified, it is recommended not to give this product until the child is 3 years old.
Analyses. Species
When allergy symptoms are detected, do not delay and better turn todoctor. The specialist must first find out the patient's lifestyle, namely in what conditions he lives, whether there are animals in the house, what clothes he wears, what he eats, and so on. This is due to the fact that this disease can be a reaction to various things. Therefore, it is important to consider all possible risk factors. Next, tests for allergens in children are prescribed. They can be of two types:
- Analysis, which consists of a skin test.
- Analysis of blood serum.
Also, patients are prescribed skin prick tests to determine if there are antibodies in the body, and tests.
Testing for allergens in children. What are scratch tests?
Scarifications are scratches that are made on the skin. As a rule, they are applied to the forearm, then a liquid containing the allergen is dripped onto them. Or the child is given a special injection that contains the allergen. There is also a special patch that is glued to the skin. If a child has a positive reaction in the form of a tumor of the skin or itching, then this means that the test is positive and the allergen has been identified. This diagnostic method has contraindications:
- Age limit up to 5 years.
- Any diseases, for example, nervous, cardiological and others.
Antibody testing
The essence of this method is that in the normal state in the human body there is a limited amount of lgE. And whenthe onset of an allergic reaction, their number increases several times. Such a blood test for allergens in children allows you to identify not one, but the entire group. As a rule, this study is done in conjunction with tests.
But in the case when tests are contraindicated, then this type of examination is prescribed. In order to determine the amount of antibodies, blood is taken from a vein 3 hours after eating. Unlike the above methods for detecting an allergen, this one is considered the simplest.
Recommendations for donating blood
If there are any allergy symptoms, the child should be tested for allergens. Material for research is given in the morning on an empty stomach. If the child is taking antihistamine medications, then it is necessary to stop drinking them a few days before the analysis. In the case when the medication has not been abandoned, the doctor should be warned.
Testing for allergens in children. From what age do they do it and where?
This type of analysis is prescribed by an immunologist to identify the source of the allergy. You can contact the doctor in the district clinic, or in a private medical institution. When contacting a paid clinic, it is better to take an interest in customer reviews and see the qualifications of a specialist.
Depending on the type of analysis, it is decided at what age it can be done. For example, blood from a vein can be taken from a one-month-old baby. And the tests have an age limit. For deliverytheir baby must be over 5 years old.
Conclusion
It should be said that you can be allergic to anything. For example, on dust, wool or plants. There are specific analyses. They allow you to more accurately establish the product or substance that is the source of the disease. Allergies should not be taken lightly, as they can develop into a more serious disease. Therefore, removing its signs with medication is not the best way out of the situation, it is necessary to identify the cause of the occurrence.
