An allergy is the body’s overreaction to a substance in a food that’s either ingested or just present in the environment. And these culprit substances are called allergens. The causes of allergies in young children aren’t always clear, but allergists have determined that genes can play a strong role. If both parents suffer from allergies, the risk of their child having allergies is about 70 percent. If one parent has allergies, the risk is lower, at about 33 percent. When should you start watching your child for allergies? The timeline varies. “Infant allergies to foods can start as soon as a food is introduced, but infant allergies to environmental allergens are unlikely,” says Heidi Renner, MD, an assistant professor and internal medicine and pediatric specialist at the Loyola University Medical Center in suburban Chicago. “That’s because it takes about a year to develop sensitivities to these types of allergens.” Infant Allergies to Foods “Foods are the most common cause of allergies in children under age 1,” explains Dr. Renner. “Mothers who breastfeed may see signs of food allergy when they start to introduce solid foods at about 4 to 6 months." The most common food allergies in young children are:
MilkEggsFish and shellfishNutsSoyWheat
An infant allergy to cow’s milk may show up as soon as the parent introduces formula, because about 80 percent of formulas are milk-based. Up to 7.5 percent of infants can develop this allergy. So how will you know if your child is one of them? “Symptoms of child or infant food allergies may include skin rashes, hives, wheezing, nasal congestion, and digestive problems,” Renner notes. As a child’s immune system matures, some food allergies will go away on their own. “About 85 percent of children outgrow food allergies to milk, egg, soy, or wheat by age 5,” says Renner. Allergies that are more likely to persist in later years include fish, shellfish, and nuts. Child Allergies to Environmental Allergens By the time your baby reaches toddlerhood, at about 18 months, you may see sensitivity to indoor and outdoor allergens show up. Symptoms can include itchy nose and eyes, nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing, and asthma. The most common causes of toddler allergies are:
Dust mitesOutdoor pollensMoldsPetsCockroaches
Children are less likely to outgrow environmental allergies than food allergies. While about 50 percent of children who have asthma symptoms caused by allergies appear to outgrow their symptoms by adolescence, when their lungs have matured, the asthma never really goes away, and symptoms often reappear. If You Suspect Child Allergies According to Renner, most of the traditional, allergy-type symptoms, such as a rash or nasal congestion, when experienced by a very young child, are not due to an allergy. “If babies have allergy symptoms when new foods are introduced or if a parent suspects toddler allergies, the parent should start with a visit to their pediatrician,” she says. Here are some ways pediatricians test for infant and toddler allergies:
Asking about the child’s symptoms and about any family history of allergiesDoing a physical examTesting the skin (usually done with older children)Testing the blood (more common for infants and young children)Eliminating items from the diet to check for food allergies
Once the allergy causes are found, a pediatrician or an allergist can help you come up with a plan to help your child avoid the allergens or to treat the symptoms.
