Solving Allergy Problems

Currently, allergies are a widespread condition affecting people of all ages. In a survey conducted in Thai schools, it was found that the percentage of children with nasal allergies is as high as 30-40%. Moreover, there is a growing trend of children with allergies at a younger age. Some individuals display allergic symptoms just a few days after birth, such as food allergies and milk allergies. The severity of allergies in children these days is increasing because their immune system is not yet strong enough. However, sufficient knowledge and understanding combined with modern medical science can help parents manage or reduce the risk of their children having this condition more effectively.

Why are more and more children developing allergies?

The cause may come from changes in the environment, as well as pollutants and additives in food, which alter children's immune systems. Studies have delved deeper into the mother's lifestyle and diet during pregnancy, as food and the environment can affect gene expression that is passed down to the child. Nowadays, we observe that allergies are becoming more severe over time. For example, there are cases of children who are severely allergic to cow's milk or wheat, which can cause them to go into shock. Such cases were once rare in Thai people, but now they are becoming more common in Thai children. Therefore, it is recommended that everyone return to a natural way of life and use less chemicals, reduce the use of food additives and pay more attention to the food you consume in order to reduce the risk of genetic or hereditary effects on the body, which may affect future offspring.

For expectant mothers, it is important to consume a balanced amount of all food groups. Do not overly emphasize any one particular food group, as commonly believed, such as drinking a lot of milk or eating a lot of eggs. For mothers who have a child with a food allergy, when asked about their medical history, it is often found that they have recently increased their consumption of that particular protein during pregnancy, which the body was not accustomed to receiving in such a large quantity. For example, the body is used to balancing the protein from three eggs per week, but cannot adjust to an excessive amount of protein from seven eggs per week, leading to negative consequences for the baby. Therefore, it is advisable to follow the middle path according to the teachings of Buddhism, as anything excessive, no matter how good it may seem, can still have negative or poisonous consequences. If an expectant mother is unsure how to balance her diet, she should consult with a physician and use her judgment when selecting information. Do not simply believe everything heard, but rather examine information from reliable sources and rely on scientific principles. For instance, some mothers have read advice to eat two raw eggs per day during pregnancy, which may have positive effects on the baby, but it is highly not recommended, as there may be issues with cleanliness and disease, and raw protein is more likely to cause an allergic reaction than cooked protein. In fact, babies born to mothers who consumed a lot of raw eggs during pregnancy often exhibit severe egg allergies. Therefore, before making a decision, it is important to carefully consider and study the information to derive the most benefits.

Choosing products for children with allergies, parents should train themselves to read product labels in detail. For example, if they want to choose lotion for a child with a cow's milk allergy, they should choose products specifically made for children with allergies and avoid lotions that contain milk because they may cause skin rashes for the child.

In the case where the child cannot speak yet, how can one know if the child's allergy is severe or not? In fact, children have their own way of communicating, and we must understand and communicate with them because children are straightforward and don't conceal things. In this regard, pediatricians are trained to observe children's body language until they become proficient. We can detect details even if the patient does not speak by using medical tools and questioning the parents.

For parents, if they want to know if their child's allergy is severe or not, a simple way to observe at home is to see if the allergy affects their eating, sleeping, learning, activities, or growth. If any of these change, such as weight gain or loss, restless sleep, lethargy, not playing or eating, it is considered severe and should be examined by a doctor.

But if parents are unsure, they should take their child to see a doctor to assess whether there is anything abnormal or not because sometimes symptoms can be hidden, such as tonsillitis, stuffy nose, runny nose, or sinusitis.

How can we tell if coughing, sneezing, and runny nose are symptoms of allergies?

Nasal congestion and runny nose are common symptoms in children. To distinguish between the causes of these symptoms, we can observe the following criteria: if the symptoms are caused by an infection, the child will often have a fever and the mucus may be green. Other symptoms may include body aches, nausea, vomiting, or frequent coughing. On the other hand, if the symptoms are caused by allergies, there may be little or no fever, and the mucus will be clear. If the child frequently experiences itchy or sneezy fits that come and go, this may be more indicative of allergies, as infections generally do not cause itching. Additionally, if the child has mild allergies, the symptoms may only occur at certain times of day, such as in the morning or evening, whereas cold symptoms will often last all day. However, if the child has severe allergies, they may experience symptoms all day long.

This information was sourced from Health Today magazine.