Kids’ developing immune systems make them vulnerable to respiratory and digestive ailments. The symptoms of these conditions are often similar to many allergy symptoms. The transitory nature of some children’s allergies, in turn, can make them difficult to diagnose.
Distinguishing the signs of an allergic reaction from general cold, flu or digestive disorder symptoms may depend on their context. Learning whether a child has been handling pets or weeds, or eating certain foods, may reveal the cause of illness.
Sniffles
A runny or stuffy nose is most often associated with children’s allergies to pollen, known as hay fever. KidsHealth notes that this form of allergic rhinitis comes and goes as the seasons change.
Perennial rhinitis, an allergic reaction to indoor dust mites, mold or animal dander, arises when kids are exposed to these allergens any time of year. KidsHealth adds food allergies to this list of possible causes for the sniffles.
Itchy Skin
Nasal allergy symptoms that are accompanied by itching, especially in the mouth or throat, may be due to a food allergy, the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) reports. Hives may occur simultaneously, as they do in cases of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction to touching an irritating substance such as poison oak. Insect stings may cause hives and itching. Itchy eyes, nose or throat may indicate either type of allergic rhinitis, notes the UMMC.
Swelling
Foods present common children’s allergies, some of which pass with time, such as sensitivity to eggs. KidsHealth reports that milk, shrimp and peanuts are other instigators of allergy symptoms that include swelling of the mouth, lips or tongue. Swelling around an insect bite indicates an allergy to bee, wasp, hornet or ant venom.
Upset Stomach
Parents can distinguish a child’s food allergy from an everyday tummy ache if allergy symptoms recur after eating a suspected food. The UMMC lists nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and stomach cramps as signs of a food allergy, especially when combined with some of the other symptoms listed above.
Trouble Breathing
Coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are serious symptoms on their own. They can also initiate anaphylaxis, a total-body reaction that can be life threatening. During anaphylaxis, breathing trouble can add to cardiovascular changes that may result in dizziness, light-headedness or unconsciousness. Respiratory problems due to allergic reactions to insects, foods or drugs pose an extra threat to children with asthma, warns KidsHealth.
