Allergies Health Article

Prevention

Avoiding allergens is the best means of limiting allergic reactions. For food allergies, there is no effective treatment except avoidance. By determining the allergens that are causing reactions most people can learn to avoid allergic reactions from food, drugs, and contact allergens such as poison ivy or latex. Airborne allergens are more difficult to avoid. Preventive measures for airborne allergens include the following:

• staying indoors with windows closed during the morning hours, when pollen levels are highest
• keeping car windows up while driving
• using a surgical face mask when outside
• avoiding uncut fields
• learning which trees are producing pollen in which seasons and avoiding forests at the height of pollen season
• washing clothes and hair after being outside
• regularly cleaning air conditioner filters in the home
• using electrostatic filters for central air conditioning

For mold spores, the following steps will help:

• keeping the house dry through ventilation and use of dehumidifiers
• using a disinfectant such as diluted bleach to clean surfaces such as bathroom floors and walls
• having air ducts cleaned and disinfected
• cleaning and disinfecting air conditioners and coolers
• throwing out moldy or mildewed books, shoes, pillows, or furniture

For house dust, the following steps will help:

• vacuuming frequently and changing the bag regularly; using a bag with small pores to catch extra-fine particles
• cleaning floors and walls with a damp mop
• installing electrostatic filters in heating and cooling ducts and changing all filters regularly

For animal dander, the following steps will help:

• avoiding contact if possible
• washing hands after contact
• vacuuming frequently
• keeping pets out of the bedroom and off furniture, rugs, and other dander-catching surfaces
• bathing and grooming pets frequently

Parents may find it helpful to keep an allergy journal for their child to track occurrence of allergic responses. For seasonal allergic rhinitis, they may use a calendar to note when symptoms begin and end. Documenting the level of seasonal allergens at the time can help determine when seasonal allergies tend to occur and what allergens affect the child. Local weather reports on television and on Web sites provide detailed allergen maps of pollen and mold/mildew spores. Antihistamines can then be taken as a preventive measure before symptoms begin each season. For children with allergies to foods, keeping a journal of foods eaten can help identify specific food allergens.

Parental concerns

For children who resist taking pills, many antihistamines are available as flavored chewable tablets, tablets that easily dissolve on the tongue, or flavored syrups. Because many over-the-counter allergy medicines contain multiple drugs, parents should be sure to read the prescribing and dosage information for any antihistamine their children are taking to ensure safe use.

Parents of children and adolescents with severe food and insect sting allergies that might result in sudden anaphylactic reactions should make sure that their children and any other family members and caregivers fully understand the severity of the allergic response and the need for immediate administration of epinephrine. Parents should consider having children with these severe allergies wear a medical alert bracelet.

Children with severe food allergies to whole food groups, such as milk or wheat, may require dietary management by a dietitian or nutritionist to ensure they receive the proper nutrients and a well-balanced diet. Breastfeeding mothers of highly allergic infants may need to eliminate suspected food allergens from their diets, because food proteins ingested by a mother can be transferred to the infant via breast milk. Special formulas are available for infants sensitive to breast milk, cow's milk, and soy milk.