Summer allergies in children: ways to fight and help

Summer is a great time! Every child is looking forward to it. Holidays, parks, picnics with parents and friends, trips to the sea and nature. But this wonderful time of year also brings with it seasonal allergies. It is in the summer that the most common allergens surround us everywhere: insects wake up, ragweed blooms, counters are littered with berries and fruits. How to recognize an allergy and how to deal with it?

Causes of allergic reactions

Allergy is a consequence of the immune response to foreign proteins, leading to hypersensitivity of the body. Children are prone to allergies most often, as their immune systems are still weak and react to almost everything. The hereditary factor also plays a role. If one or both parents have seasonal allergies, the child is likely to have a predisposition.

The most common summer allergies include:

- food allergies (manifested by skin rashes or gastrointestinal disorders);

- bronchial asthma;
- hay fever or reactions to pollen (tearing, runny nose, swelling);
- anaphylaxis;
- allergic dermatitis.

Summer allergens

Typical summer allergens include:

- Insect bites. The venom of stinging (bees, bumblebees) and blood-sucking (mosquitoes, fleas) can lead to insect allergies.
- Berries and fruits. The consumption of strawberries, raspberries, cherries, citrus fruits and other things so beloved by children can lead to food allergies.
- Pollen. The flowering of, for example, ragweed, every summer darkens the holiday for allergy sufferers and forces many to leave closer to the north.
- Sun rays. Sunlight itself is not an allergen, but in some groups of people, especially those sensitive to ultraviolet rays, it can cause dermatitis, blisters and rashes.

Development of an allergic reaction

Each allergy develops in a different way, and it is important for parents to know this and be able to identify it early.

Delayed allergic reactions are not particularly dangerous, but they can ruin the rest of both the child and the parents. They develop from several hours to a couple of days and continue until the allergen enters the body. These allergies include, for example, food allergies. Often they arise through the fault of the parents themselves, who strive to give the child natural products as early as possible. Fresh berries and some fruits, vegetables have a high allergic potential and can cause an unpleasant immune reaction even in small quantities, especially in children from two to five years old.

Allergic reactions of the anaphylactic (immediate) type develop very quickly, within 5-30 minutes, and require urgent help, as they are life-threatening. Allergens that cause this reaction include insect bites and certain foods (nuts, milk). In the summertime, insect allergies (particularly to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and hornets) are especially common. It can lead to swelling of the neck, face, hives, or shock (decreased pressure, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness).

As for therapy, it is important to cure the allergy itself, and not to deal with odd manifestations. How exactly the treatment of allergies is carried out, read in detail here: https://ehinaceya.ru/immunologiya/allergenspecificheskaya-immunoterapiya-asit-vakcinaciya-ot-allergii-bez-inekcij/

Giving help

If a delayed-type reaction develops, the allergen should be identified and stopped. Further, the use of antihistamines and a doctor's consultation are required. He, in turn, can prescribe a therapeutic diet and drugs for the prevention of allergic diseases.

When an immediate reaction to an insect bite develops, the first step is to call an ambulance. Then remove the sting yourself, apply a tourniquet 15 cm above the bite, if it is a leg or hand, or apply ice. Give the child plenty of water and monitor his condition before the arrival of doctors. In case of swelling of the neck and face, in no case should the child be given water or tablets!

With seasonal hay fever, it is recommended to change the climate in order to prevent the possible development of asthma.