Allergies

Your child doesn’t have to live life fighting with their allergy symptoms every day. At Millennium Pediatrics in Naperville, Illinois, the team of experienced pediatric specialists delivers the personalized treatment you need to get your child relief. For more information about how you can help alleviate your child’s allergies, call your nearest office or book your appointment online. 

What causes allergies?

As children grow, their immune system responds to threats to their health. However, in the case of allergies, your child’s growing immune system may fight too much – such as when the substance entering their system isn’t dangerous. Your child’s body misreads the allergen as a health hazard and puts the immune system to work at ridding the body of it.

In kids with pollen allergies, this means a runny, stuffy nose and sneezing as the body tries to force out the inhaled pollen. 

In those with food allergies, the improper immune response often exhibits as a stomach ache as the body works to fend off what it perceives to be the danger in the stomach. 

There are different types of allergies, and each comes with their own unique set of symptoms. The most common types of allergies include:

• Hay fever
• Pet and animal dander
• Food (nuts, shellfish)
• Certain medications
• Contact dermatitis, or the skin’s allergic reaction to certain substances
• Insect stings

The symptoms of these allergies can range from mild but frustrating (like itchy eyes and ears, a rash, and sneezing) to life-threatening. 

Severe allergies to food or insect stings can send the body into anaphylactic shock, which is characterized by lightheadedness, a weak pulse, shortness of breath, and even loss of consciousness. 

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. If your child experiences these symptoms, seek emergency medical care right away. 

How do I know what’s causing my child’s allergies?

It can be challenging to self-diagnose allergies in your child. With so much exposure to potential allergens throughout the day, from the food they eat to the air they breathe, allergy testing is often the best course of action. Allergy testing is essential to hone in on the root cause of your child’s allergies. 

When you provide the results of a simple scratch or blood test to your provider at Millenium Pediatrics, they can analyze your child’s reaction to specific allergens and tailor an allergy treatment specific to your child’s needs. 

How are allergies treated?

There are many options to treating your child’s allergies, and it all depends on the allergy and its severity. In some cases, simply knowing your child’s allergen so you can avoid it is all you need to put a stop to your allergic symptoms. In others, being aware of the allergen helps you make lifestyle changes to minimize your child’s exposure to it. 

Pairing those changes with allergy medication as needed ensures your kiddo can enjoy their life without contending with allergy symptoms. Given the amazing resilience of children, it’s also possible that your child will outgrow the allergies as they age. 

If your child has a severe allergy, Millennium Pediatrics can also prescribe emergency medication (i.e., epinephrine or “epi-pen”) to give you the confidence and ability to protect your child should they go into anaphylactic shock. 

Don’t let allergies shape your child’s day. Call the practice or schedule your appointment online today.