How do babies develop allergies?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The birth of a child is an incredible happiness for parents, but it is often overshadowed by diseases, the most common of which is allergies. Unfortunately, it is difficult to insure against allergic reactions in a baby, but it is quite possible to understand their causes in order to know how to help your child.

What is an allergy?

In medicine, allergy is considered to be the body's sensitivity to external stimuli: microbes, chemicals, food components. The mechanism of allergy is formed as a result of the body's immune response to external or internal factors.

Young children, especially newborns, are most susceptible to allergies, as their immune system is just beginning to develop, digestion is weak, and mucous membranes and skin are tender and vulnerable. The same reasons determine the complexity of the course of allergies in newborns.

Unfortunately, in modern times, allergies in the youngest children have become the norm, since irritating factors, as infood, and in the external environment is becoming more and more. That is why the answer to the question of whether a newborn may have an allergy is unequivocal: yes!

Symptoms and signs of an allergic reaction

Most parents are quite clear about what an allergy looks like in newborns, and believe that the diagnosis of this disease should not be difficult. However, in practice, the manifestations of such a reaction in a newborn can be very different, and it is important to know about them so as not to miss the onset and development of the disease in your baby. The symptoms of newborn allergy, the photos of which are presented in the article, will also help distinguish it from other diseases, but it is better to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction are divided into:

1. Violation of the functions of the digestive tract. Abdominal pain, frequent regurgitation and vomiting, loose stools with an admixture of mucus or a greenish tint, and other accompanying symptoms often indicate to parents not a stomach problem with their blood, but an allergy.
2. Respiratory disorders. Watery discharge from the nose, difficulty breathing, and occasional snoring are often a sign of an allergy in a baby, and not at all the start of a cold. Such manifestations are the most dangerous, as they can lead to bronchospasm and the development of edema, including Quincke's edema in the larynx.
3. Dermatological disorders. The most common sign of allergy among newborns is skin lesions. The disease may be accompanied by redness on the cheeks and face, shine and drying of the skin, various rashes.localization, gneiss in the area of the hairline, diaper rash. Parents often refer to these symptoms as "diathesis" and often do not attach much importance to them.

The way an allergy manifests itself in a newborn can be used as a starting point in determining the causes of a non-standard reaction of the child's body in order to quickly identify an irritating factor.

Causes of an allergic reaction

Knowing what an allergy is, it is equally important to understand the reasons why it can occur, since the treatment of a newborn will directly depend on them.

According to statistics, an allergy in a baby with a 30% chance will manifest itself in a child if one of his parents is prone to such reactions, and with a 60% chance in the case when both parents are allergic. In addition, a predisposition factor for baby allergies is the mother's diet during pregnancy and lactation. In most cases, the cause of allergies in this case is chocolate, exotic fruits, smoked meats, citrus fruits. The good news is that even with this predisposition, food allergies in most cases go away with the maturation of the child's immune system by about two years.

Factors contributing to the development of allergies are also:

1. The use of antibiotics, both for the treatment of the baby and the nursing mother. Taking this type of medication leads to an imbalance in the microflora in the intestines and, as a result, to a decrease in immunity, provoking the development of allergies.
2. Untimely breastfeeding. In modern maternity hospitals, the baby is applied tomaternal breast immediately after birth, to receive the first drops of colostrum. At birth, the baby's food tract is absolutely sterile, and immediately after receiving the first food outside the womb, beneficial bacteria begin to colonize it. Failure of the formation of microflora can cause intestinal disorders and subsequently allergic reactions to various irritants.
3. Violation of the nutritional norms of a nursing mother. Regular consumption of not only potential allergens, but also hypoallergenic products leads to the production of antibodies, which, together with milk, are transmitted to the child and can cause allergic reactions.
4. Vaccinations. Vaccines administered to a child are often the cause of allergies, as they contain a variety of aggressive components.
5. Change in diet. Toddlers are extremely sensitive to new foods, especially cow's milk, which is the most common allergen among children in their first year of life. In addition, switching from breastfeeding to mixed or artificial feeding can also provoke allergies.
6. Intrauterine factors. Everyone knows the ban on alcohol and cigarettes during pregnancy, but few people know that these factors can cause the child to develop severe allergic reactions in the future.
7. Infectious diseases. During a normal viral infection, inflammatory mediators are released from the cells, including histamine, the content of which in the body of an allergic person is already exceeded. For this reason, against the background of respiratory diseases, the development ofallergies.

Types of allergies in a baby

Despite the fact that newborns are more likely to be allergic to food irritants, adverse reactions can also develop under the influence of factors not related to food.

• Dust. Dust mites are saprophytes that actively reproduce in dust masses, leaving a large amount of their metabolic products, which are strong allergens. In addition, dust, including household dust, may contain fungus and mold spores, natural fluff, animal hair, pollen and other components that provoke allergies.
• Pollen. The reaction to pollen is called pollinosis in medicine, which is actively manifested during the flowering period of various trees and herbs. The pollen components are often perceived by the child's body as aggressive, and a protective response is triggered, manifested by lacrimation, runny nose, sneezing and other associated symptoms.
• Medications. Drug allergy is a fairly common phenomenon, since aggressive components, residual cow's milk protein and other allergens are quite common in the composition of drugs.
• Chemistry. Household chemicals, including cleaning products, washing powder, and cosmetics used to care for a baby, can cause allergic skin reactions, less often reactions from the respiratory system. Moreover, a reaction to synthetic fabrics, as well as dyes in their composition, is quite likely.
• Food. Recognizing the cause of a food allergy in a child is the most difficult. Since fordetermining the allergen will have to take turns excluding various foods from his diet and observing the reaction. With breastfeeding, the diet of a nursing woman is worked out by the elimination method.



• Hypoxia. Oxygen deficiency in the prenatal period and during childbirth can cause digestive dysfunction and enzyme deficiency in the newborn, resulting in allergic reactions to most foods, including those consumed by a nursing mother.
• Pathologies of pregnancy. Toxicosis and the use of allergenic foods during pregnancy can cause a violation of the protective functions of the child's body, which after birth will manifest itself with frequent allergic reactions to various irritants.

Danger and consequences of allergies

At first glance, allergies are absolutely not a dangerous disease, and after the exclusion of contact with the allergen should not cause unpleasant consequences, but this does not always happen.

Against the background of allergies, especially with delays in diagnosis and appropriate symptomatic therapy, very unpleasant complications are possible:

• Anaphylactic shock. One of the most dangerous complications of an allergic reaction, as it develops very quickly and, in case of delays in medical care, can cause death. Anaphylaxis is rare in newborns but can occur suddenly without other symptoms.
• Quincke's edema. Suddenand extensive tissue edema, called Quincke, also carries a great danger to the baby, because it forms in the larynx, without timely help, leads to severe suffocation. Edema can be an immediate reaction to an aggressive allergen, which is why all detergents and medicines are marked “keep out of reach of children.”
• Asthma. Bronchial asthma quite often develops as a complication of allergies, after which it complicates its treatment and the child's future life.
• Anemia. Allergies, as well as taking medications to treat them, in some cases cause the destruction of red blood cells and anemia.
• Chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, otitis. Allergy symptoms, if not treated in time, can become chronic and develop into more serious problems in adulthood, such as sinusitis, deafness, etc.
• Atopic dermatitis and skin diseases. The danger of such diseases is a violation of the skin and, as a result, a high probability of penetration of bacteria, infections, fungus. Children's allergic reactions can also cause psoriasis and eczema in adulthood.
• Fatigue. Irritability, constant fatigue, drowsiness are side effects of allergy medications - antihistamines, but are often the consequences of a prolonged course of allergies without appropriate treatment.

Neglecting the first symptoms of an allergy in a baby is fraught not only with further he alth problems, but also with a deadly risk, because most of the consequences andAllergy complications appear suddenly.

Allergy in a newborn while breastfeeding

Allergies in breastfed babies most often occur not on the mother's milk itself, but on allergens that have penetrated into it with the food she eats. That is why when identifying symptoms of food allergies in an infant. First of all, I adjust his mother's diet.

Potential allergens that can cause unwanted reactions in a child's body are:

• chicken eggs;
• seafood and some fish;
• mushrooms;
• nuts;
• honey;
• citrus;
• cow's milk.

The baby's digestive tract lacks the necessary enzymes, so the diet of a young mother should be strictly limited. It is recommended that a nursing woman keep a food diary in which everything that mom eats is recorded, and then it is much easier to determine the allergen and carry out appropriate treatment. If there is no such diary, then all potentially dangerous foods are excluded from the diet until the baby's unwanted symptoms disappear completely.

More often than other symptoms in infants, allergies are manifested by skin reactions in the form of all kinds of rashes, often with itching, drying and peeling of the skin, diaper rash, urticaria, hyperemia, prickly heat.

In the absence of allergy therapy, gastrointestinal disorders join the symptoms:

• regurgitation;
• vomit;
• constipation or disorderstomach;
• bloating and increased gas production.

It is common to suspect an allergy in a newborn when breastfeeding begins at the age of 3-4 weeks, when a rash appears on the body, sometimes quite intense. At this age, the baby's own hormones begin to form, causing an acne-like rash with white contents. Such rashes should not be afraid. Since they are normal and go away on their own within two weeks.

Any symptoms of an allergic reaction in a baby are a good reason to consult a pediatrician and undergo an unscheduled examination.

Allergy to formula food

It's no secret that the best food for a baby is mother's milk, however, for a variety of reasons, it has to be replaced with artificial formulas for feeding, or, if the amount of milk is insufficient for full feeding, add such mixtures in the diet.

It is the mixture that often causes the development of allergies in a child, especially cheap and unadapted. In the composition of such mixtures, instead of the whey protein that prevails in breast milk, there is casein, which is poorly absorbed by the child's body and is unfavorable for emerging metabolic processes.

Symptoms of an allergy to the mixture in a newborn are various types of rashes on the head and face, profuse regurgitation, vomiting, too loose stools, anxiety. And sometimes an increase in body temperature.

Most modern blends formeals are adapted, and many of them are labeled "hypoallergenic", and if there are risk factors for developing allergies, these should be chosen.

Allergy on the face of a newborn

Redness on the cheeks, chin and head of a baby indicates a disorder in the work of internal organs. This rash can be itchy, disturb your baby's sleep, and cause him great anxiety.

It can occur as a result of exposure to food allergens, as well as a reaction to vaccinations, household chemicals, laundry detergents, fungus, dust, and external factors - wind, sun, frost.

An allergy in a newborn on the face can be accompanied by prolonged colic, constant regurgitation, changes in stool, vomiting, cough and runny nose.

It is noteworthy that the rash on the face can look different, the most common manifestations of it are:

• urticaria - numerous itchy blisters;
• eczema - rough to the touch, weeping spots;
• atopic dermatitis - red, dry, scaly rashes, often accompanied by itching;
• neurodermatitis - profuse papules merging into extensive red spots.

Allergy on the body

Rash on the body caused by a particular allergen is often referred to as atopic dermatitis. Such a reaction can occur both to food from the diet of the baby or his mother (when breastfeeding exclusively), and to external irritants, especially laundry detergent and household chemicals.

In newborns on the body, the rash is most often localized on the buttocks and forearms, less often on the abdomen and back. Initially, an allergy symptom may look like red spots, with a gradual appearance in the area from the localization of swelling, blisters and intense itching, leading to anxiety for the baby.

Allergy to cats and other animals

Allergy to animals in newborns is quite common, and often future parents try to get rid of the pet and find him new owners before the baby is born.

The most common cause of allergies are cats, or rather their hair, especially if one of the parents has an allergy to animals. The danger of such an allergy in a newborn is associated with suffocation and the development of complications of an allergic reaction, therefore, if an animal lives in the same living space with a child, any atypical symptoms and reactions that occur in the baby should cause concern.

Symptoms of animal allergies can be easily confused with signs of the disease, as they include:

• sneeze;
• nasal congestion;
• red eyes;
• rash;
• teary;
• drowsy;
• cough;
• wheezing;
• hoarseness.

Allergy can be caused not only by the animal's hair, but also by its saliva and urine. Dead skin cells, on which protein is present, are perceived by the child's body as an aggressive factor. The difficulty in diagnosing is thatnewborns are not tested for allergies, so the only way to determine such an allergy would be to completely isolate the child from the animal and its waste products.

Allergy treatment

Treatment of allergies in a newborn should be prescribed by a doctor, since only a professional physician will be able to choose suitable and safe drugs for the baby and correctly set their dosage. If you have signs of allergy, you should visit an allergist together with a pediatrician, who will help you find out the true causes of unwanted reactions in the child's body.

Allergy treatment in most cases consists in identifying and eliminating the allergen, as well as symptomatic treatment of the consequences of this condition.

Children are often prescribed modern antihistamines with minimal side effects. Many parents are positive about the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment for allergies.

In addition, along with taking antihistamines, special creams and ointments are prescribed to eliminate rashes and itching.

After getting rid of the signs of allergies, parents should be extremely attentive to the baby in order to prevent its reappearance, especially when the allergen has been accurately identified.

Allergy Remedies for Baby

Modern allergy remedies - antihistamines, do not cure the disease, but only eliminate its symptoms, blocking the formation of the body's reaction to the allergen. That is why for effective treatment it is first necessary to establish the factor that causes an undesirable reaction.and eliminate it.

This group of drugs binds and neutralizes the histamine produced by immune cells, which appears in response to contact with a substance or phenomenon recognized by the baby's body as an allergen.

Drugs that are often prescribed for allergies in babies of the first year of life include:

• "Fenistil" - drops approved for use in children over the age of 1 month.
• "Suprastin" is an effective histamine blocking drug in the form of syrup, tablets or injections.
• Zyrtec is an effective drug approved for use in children over 6 months of age.

To eliminate the rash, in the case when it does not go away on its own, and the itching does not stop even when taking an antihistamine, corticosteroid ointments are prescribed. This ointment is hormonal, but very effective, and almost instantly normalizes the skin, eliminating swelling, redness and itching. Such a drug can only be prescribed by a doctor, and you should not abuse it at the slightest rash.

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by increased dryness of the skin, therefore, to eliminate its manifestations, special moisturizing compounds are used - emollients, in the form of milk, gels, ointments. Emolium, a cream for allergies in newborns, demonstrates high efficiency in the fight against atopic dermatitis.

Allergy Prevention

Of course, it is much easier to use all possible preventive measures than to treat an allergy in a newborn and eliminate its manysymptoms.

When breastfeeding, allergy prevention is strict control over the mother's diet. In addition, if there are risk factors for developing allergies, it is important to introduce complementary foods to the child no earlier than 6 months, starting with low-allergenic foods.

To prevent allergies, it is also important to keep the baby's access to mother's milk as long as possible, since only this product can be fully absorbed by the baby's body.

Preventive measures against allergies also include the elimination of possible external allergens. Household chemicals, laundry detergents, etc., you should choose organic. Without a strong smell and an abundance of chemical components. The air in the room where the child is located should be moist and clean, so it is important to regularly ventilate the room and use a humidifier. It is recommended to use only natural fabrics in the clothes and bed of the baby, and strictly limit the contact between the baby and pets.

Unfortunately, today's kids have allergies quite often. Every fifth baby on the planet suffers from certain manifestations of an allergic reaction. However, modern medicine helps to cope with the symptoms of this disease and even live a full life without restrictions in the future, it is only important to recognize its bells in time and follow preventive measures.