The Maryland University Medical Center notes that allergies to cow's milk, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and other foods are more common in infants than adults. Infants may also suffer from environmental and chemical allergies. Symptoms are triggered by exposure to allergens, such as dust, pollen, mold, mildew, household chemicals and animal fur and dander. Accurate diagnosis by a pediatrician is important to treat and prevent allergy symptoms in infants.
Eczema
Baby eczema or atopic dermatitis is characterized by patches of dry, red, scaly and itchy skin that can cause a great deal of discomfort to infants. The patches may crust, crack and ooze fluid, due to scratching and infection. According to MayoClinic.com, allergies to foods, chemical irritants and environmental allergens cause eczema on the skin. Direct contact with allergic triggers such as irritating substances in bath soap and laundry detergent can also cause eczema rashes in infants.
Hives
Hives are the most common symptom of allergies in infants according to the University of Maryland Medical Clinic. These red, raised, itchy spots on the skin can appear due to hay fever, food allergies and chemical irritants and typically subside within one to three hours. Hives appear on the face, chest, stomach, arms or hands shortly after the infant is exposed to an allergen.
Runny Nose, Congestion and Cough
Other symptoms of allergy in infants can include a runny and irritated nose; nasal and sinus congestion; and a cough. These symptoms are often mistaken for the common cold. This group of symptoms is often caused by environmental and household allergens, such as pollen, dust, animal fur, and certain foods.
Asthma
Infants under the age of one sometimes have allergy-related asthma symptoms. The Cleveland Allergy and Asthma Center lists wheezing, difficulty breathing, noisy breathing and chronic coughing as signs of asthma in babies. A reaction by the infant's immune system to allergens can irritate the linings of the airways within the lungs, causing them to swell, spasm and become inflamed. In infants that are allergic to environmental triggers such as pollen, asthma will begin or worsen during the spring when there is a lot of pollen in the air. Other triggers include certain foods, dust mites, mold, mildew, and animal fur and dander.
Digestive Symptoms
Food allergies in infants can be caused by foods that did not initially cause symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms in infants include stomach and intestinal pain, bloating, diarrhea and vomiting. Colic or prolonged and uncontrolled crying may also be a sign of food allergies in infants.
