How Are Allergies Treated?
There’s no cure for allergies, but symptoms can be managed. The best way to cope with them is to avoid the allergens. That means that parents must educate their kids early and often, not only about the allergy itself, but also about the reactions they can have if they consume or come into contact with the allergen.
Telling all caregivers (childcare staff, teachers, family members, parents of your child’s friends, etc.) about your child’s allergy is also important.
If avoiding environmental allergens isn’t possible or doesn’t help, doctors might prescribe medicines, including antihistamines, eye drops, and nasal sprays. (Many of these also are available without a prescription.)
In some cases, doctors recommend allergy shots (immunotherapy) to help desensitize a person to an allergen. But allergy shots are only helpful for allergens such as dust, mold, pollens, animals, and insect stings. They’re not used for food allergies.
Airborne Allergies
To help kids avoid airborne allergens:
- Keep family pets out of your child’s bedroom.
- Remove carpets or rugs from your child’s room (hard floors don’t collect dust as much as carpets do).
- Don’t hang heavy drapes and get rid of other items that allow dust to build up.
- Clean when your child is not in the room.
- Use special covers to seal pillows and mattresses if your child is allergic to dust mites.
- If your child has a pollen allergy, keep the windows closed when pollen season is at its peak, have your child take a bath or shower and change clothes after being outdoors, and don’t let him or her mow the lawn.
- Keep kids who are allergic to mold away from damp areas, such as some basements, and keep bathrooms and other mold-prone areas clean and dry.
Food Allergies
- Kids with food allergies must completely avoid products made with their allergens. This can be tough as allergens are found in many unexpected foods and products.
- Always read labelsto see if a packaged food contains your child’s allergen. Manufacturers of foods sold in the United States must state in understandable language whether foods contain any of the top eight most common allergens. This label requirement makes things a little easier. But it’s important to remember that “safe” foods could become unsafe if food companies change ingredients, processes, or production locations.
Cross-contamination means that the allergen is not one of the ingredients in a product, but might have come into contact with it during production or packaging. Companies are not required to label for cross-contamination risk, though some voluntarily do so. You may see statements such as “May contain…,” “Processed in a facility that also processes…,” or “Manufactured on equipment also used for ….”
Because products without such statements also might be cross-contaminated and the company did not label for it, it’s always best to contact the company to see if the product could contain your child’s allergen. Look for this information on the company’s website or email a company representative.
Cross-contamination also can happen at home or in restaurants when kitchen surfaces or utensils are used for different foods.
As always be sensible with your choices and don’t over react. Severe allergies are rare and with a little care you should be able to avoid allergens. For peace of mind and overall health use fresh natural ingredients and make your own food. This is always the healthiest choice and the best way to ensure all your families health!
