Children, the first victims of allergies

Children are particularly affected by allergies, whether respiratory or dietary. How to recognize the symptoms? What are the aggravating factors? ... We take stock.
Affected more than adults, children are the first victims of allergies, the fourth most common disease in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Over the past 20 to 30 years, the prevalence of allergic diseases has also increased considerably in industrialized countries. Today, 15 to 20% of children are affected by rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis or atopic eczema. As for asthma, it affects between 7 and 10% of toddlers. Food allergies are less common because they affect 5% of children, but they are three times more frequent in children than in adults.



Various symptoms. An allergy can sometimes be overlooked. For example, it is not uncommon for some parents to confuse respiratory allergy with flu. Also, it is important to recognize the first symptoms to avoid waiting too long before taking your child to the doctor. For example, a child with respiratory allergy usually coughs, sneezes, tingles and watery eyes, but can also have a runny, stuffy or itchy nose. In case of contact allergy, a rash on the face, forehead and cheeks appears as well as swelling of the head, hands and feet. Although rarer, food allergy is a potentially serious or life-threatening allergy. Most cases of anaphylactic reactions are caused by food. "This serious reaction of the body will often start with allergic signs in the mouth and throat (tingling, edema of the lips, throat) and then continue with difficulties in speech, swallowing and breathing There may even be a drop in blood pressure with a loss of consciousness, "said the statement of the association Asthma & Allergies. Pr Jocelyn Just, pneumo-allergist pediatric hospital Trousseau, advises to take care of asthma and allergies of the child as soon as possible to prevent allergies multiply.

Aggravating factors in our environment. An allergy is due to the combination of hereditary and environmental factors. It can also be aggravated by various factors, including passive smoking. Indeed, it "can aggravate allergies and especially asthma by slowing its lung growth.It should not smoke inside homes, even in the kitchen with the window open, because tobacco smoke passes below the doors and circulates in the rest of these places ", explains Professor Just. The pneumo-allergist pediatrician also advises ventilating every room of the house for 30 minutes daily to reduce humidity, mold and mites. Children allergic to pollen should not be active during a pollen season to avoid an asthma attack.

Teenagers, less observant. If parents are particularly vigilant about the allergy of their child, it is rather at the time of adolescence that problems can arise. Some adolescents will indeed sometimes neglect their disease and put themselves in danger. Thus, "anaphylactic shock is four times more common in adolescents and adults than in children". The association also indicates that "seven out of 10 adolescents do not follow the recommendations of their doctor (taking medication, monitoring and monitoring of asthma, allergen eviction measures ...)" hence the need to integrate "therapeutic education in the course of care from the beginning of the disease".