Your Guide to Pediatric Allergies
At our Allergy Program at our Pediatric Lung Center, board-certified pediatric allergists and pediatric immunologists diagnose, treat, and educate families about allergies in children including:
- Environmental allergies (indoor/outdoor allergies)
- Food allergies
- Drug allergies
- Anaphylaxis in children caused by allergens
What Are Allergies?
An allergy is a reaction by your body's immune system to something that should be harmless.
The pediatric allergists at our Lung Center will test your child for allergies by pricking the skin with a needle or through a blood test.
What Causes Allergies in Children?
Medications, pollen and certain foods are just a few things that can cause an immune response that result in an allergic reaction.
Below is more information about each type of allergy:
Pediatric allergies can be caused by a variety of things found either indoors or outdoors.
The most common allergens include:
- Animal dander
- Dust
- Mold
- Mountain cedar
- Oak
- Pollen
- Use nasal sprays, which reduce swelling
- Take oral medications
- Get allergy shots
Children with food and drug allergies have an immune system that fights the specific food or drug product because it thinks the product is harmful to the body.
The most common food allergens include peanuts, eggs and milk.
How Do I Know if My Child Has a Food or Drug Allergy?
The most common signs of food/drug allergies and anaphylaxis in children include:
- Redness or swelling of the face
- Stomach pain or diarrhea
- Vomiting or reflux
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing
Bring a list of foods that cause a reaction in your child, as well as the type of reactions that occur, to your appointment. Our staff will give your child an allergy skin test. For food allergens, an oral food challenge may be administered to determine what he/she is allergic to.
There is no cure for food allergies except avoiding the foods that cause reactions in your child.
An epinephrine auto-injector will be prescribed for you to carry in case your child ever has a severe allergic reaction. Additionally, a dietitian (nutrition specialist) will help to develop a special diet for your child to avoid known allergens.
