Contents
What if your baby is allergic? Allergy is the result of disproportionate reaction of the immune system. Faced with an allergen, the body overreacts with a series of inflammatory signs: eyes that weep, a runny nose… Whatever the causes of this strong progression, it is important to diagnose a respiratory allergy as early as possible.
More in children under 5-6 years of age, screening is not so easy. Toddlers tend to have a series of ENT diseases such as rhinitis, nasopharyngitis, which are manifested by a runny nose, a cough, sneezing, watery eyes… Symptoms similar to those of respiratory allergies.
Recognize the symptoms
However, there are some signals that should alert you. If your child has rhinitis at certain times of the year (often from March to September), it can be hay fever. But he can also have recurrent rhinitis, whatever the season. This can then be linked to an allergen present all year round, this is the case with dust mites for example. Likewise, if your child coughs repeatedly at night and does not have a fever, it may be a manifestation of allergic asthma. “Moreover, we do not think enough about asthma, notes Dr. Étienne Bidat. Because at this age, this disease is most often manifested by a persistent dry cough, and not by a significant crisis. ”
In the presence of these symptoms, it is important to take into account the family history, since the hereditary factor plays a role in the development of allergies. Indeed, if one of the parents is allergic, the child has a 30% risk of being allergic, if both parents are, the risk climbs to 60%, and if both parents have the same allergy, it reaches 75%. “But even if the hereditary factor is important, a child whose parents are not allergic still has a 15% risk of being allergic! », Adds the doctor. In addition, children who have a food allergy, or babies who have had eczema more often develop a respiratory allergy. Finally, you should also know thata respiratory allergy can appear as early as 12-18 months.
Hence the advantage of not waiting to consult an allergist at the first warning signs. It can target the responsible allergen (s), in particular by skin tests, “prick-tests”. In practice, the doctor places a drop of allergen on the skin and pricks it with a micro-needle to make it penetrate. The reaction appears in about fifteen minutes. These tests can be done from birth.
Hay fever, pollen allergy … limit exposure
Once those responsible have been identified, you will not be able to prevent allergic manifestations, but it is possible to reduce them. The solution: limit your child’s contact with the allergen (s). This can be quite tedious in the event of respiratory allergy. Especially since “in children under 6, the main triggers are dust mites and dust,” explains Dr Étienne Bidat. Pollens can also be allergenic, especially those of grasses (weeds) and those of trees of the Betulaceae family (birch, hazel…). In other words, we must adopt preventive actions on a daily basis.
For dust mites, clean the house regularly and opt for a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA outlet filter, which rejects less dust mites and particles in the ambient air (Dyson, Rowenta, Electrolux, Miele, etc.). Air the house, especially your child’s bedroom, for at least 30 minutes every day. Do not heat too much, maximum 19 ° C. Limit sources of humidity in their bedroom. Choose slatted bases, synthetic pillows and mattresses and use dust mite covers. And of course, do not smoke inside the house, passive smoking sensitizes the bronchi of the youngest and aggravates allergic manifestations.
If your child is allergic to cat or dog hair, it will be necessary, depending on the degree of the allergy, to find another foster family for the animal, or simply prohibit the animal from going to its room. “On the other hand, it has not been proven that removing the animal from the home would prevent the onset of a respiratory allergy in a child,” says Dr Étienne Bidat. Pollen side, avoid walks during pollination peaks and when it is very windy. Check the pollen weather forecast on the website www.pollens.fr. In the evening, rinse your child’s hair to avoid depositing pollens accumulated during the day on his pillow.
>>> To read also: My child has a cold, what should I do?
Will my child still be allergic?
But just because your little one is allergic from their early years, doesn’t mean they’ll be allergic throughout their life. Symptoms may decrease spontaneously, this is particularly the case for asthma. Or the respiratory disease may improve markedly with a desensitization, possible from 5-6 years old if the child is sensitive to a main allergen (dust mites, pollens, etc.). It’s about gradually get used to the body to be in contact with the allergen without triggering a reaction. Painless, this technique consists of placing drops under the tongue for a few minutes. But it takes patience, the treatment can last for several years. In any case, it is important to detect respiratory allergies as early as possible to offer appropriate treatments.
>>> To read also: True / false about summer allergies
To simplify your life
The Individualized Reception Project (PAI). It is essential as soon as your allergic child is in community care (nursery, school, etc.). Developed at the request of parents with the attending physician, it allows those who take care of them to learn more about the disease, treatment and emergency care, in the event of an asthma attack for example.
Therapeutic education. Asthma schools are organized in network with a hospital establishment. They allow parents and children to learn how to cope with their illness: recognize the symptoms, know which allergen to keep at bay, react in an emergency … Find a school near you with the Asthma and Allergies association on www.asthme-allergies.org).
The intervention of a medical adviser in indoor environment (CMEI). A professional comes to your home to help you target risk areas and eliminate the main allergens. This visit can be reimbursed if it has been prescribed.