Allergy Relief Resource and Guide

Bringing your newborn home is a happy time but if your baby develops infant allergies your happiness can turn to misery very quickly. Nowadays mothers are advised to breastfeed their baby for a variety of good health reasons. I myself struggled through the challenges of breastfeeding for both my babies. Unfortunately for some mothers this benefit can bring on other challenges associated with infant allergies.

The first challenge is identifying whether your baby has allergies at all. Many doctors confuse allergic symptoms with other problems associated with newborns. Colic is often blamed and the parent is told to wait until the child outgrows it which can take as long as six months. This can be a challenge since a baby’s main way to express their discomfort is crying which makes for more sleepless nights.

So What are Some Infant Allergy Symptoms?

Itchy skin is a main symptom, besides crying the baby may also roll and struggle trying to scratch the offending area. Dry skin may be visible behind the ears and on the scalp and may be thought to be cradle cap. Any pediatrician will tell you that studies have found a link between eczema, asthma and allergic symptoms. The dry skin behind the ears is typically diagnosed as eczema and you are advised to use eczema creams and lotions to help clear it up. Swelling may also occur in the face or lips. If swelling is observed, the baby’s breathing must be monitored. This is very important because as with most infant allergies the throat may also swell and which could lead to anaphylactic shock and possible death.

Some infant allergies may show up as breathing problems or a runny nose and be treated for colds. Sinus problems also can also occur that cause the baby to develop a cough due to nasal drainage into the throat while sleeping. This can possibly be diagnosed as asthma.

Infant allergies can be caused by many things including food, inhalants and environmental causes like mold and dust. Many allergic reactions can show up quickly, especially when they are breastfeeding. Many health professional advise mothers who will breastfeed their baby to shy away from foods known for causing allergic reactions. These foods such as nuts, corn, wheat and seafood, among others can cause an immediate problem for your baby. A lesser known allergy to gluten causes repetitive diarrhea. Infant milk allergy symptoms can include constant gas, bloated stomach,and throwing up. In most cases with infant allergies, eliminating dairy products from the mother’s diet will generally ease the symptoms. Don’t forget there are other causes of infant allergies besides food.

How to Avoid Infant Allergies?

Try using laundry detergent without perfumes or dyes as well as fabric softeners without perfumes as well the brand Dreft is probably the best known brand. Do not spray chemicals in the child’s bedroom, such as air fresheners with perfumes or window cleaners and furniture polish. Keep the baby’s room as free of dust as possible to avoid the possibility of an allergy to dust mites. Until the cause of your infant allergies are identified, do not allow pets into the baby’s room. Change your child’s clothing at nap time and bed time to get rid of anything that may have been picked up during the day. Giving your baby a bath at bedtime will be even be better.

Dog food allergies have jumped to the forefront of the news recently due to the Menu food’s dog food recalls. What you feed your pet unfortunately can be the difference between life and death. Food allergies are typically associated with people but pets can suffer from adverse reactions and intolerance too.

As with young children that can not speak dog food allergies can be difficult to diagnose in pets because the biggest problem is the pet’s inability to communicate their symptoms effectively. The owner can also be confused by possible other ailments that their pet has. You want to be sure to know the difference between these symptoms and poisoning!

What are the typical symptoms associated with dog food & allergies?

• ear infections
• excessive scratching
• hair loss
• skin infections

Antibiotics sometimes are used to treat skin infections. It helps to clear them up , but they will reoccur when the antibiotics are stopped. Itchy skin is typically associated with airborne allergies, if an animal with itchy skin does not seem to improve with the use of antihistamines or steroids, they may be suffering from dog food allergies. A food intolerance causes different symptoms. These symptoms may include diarrhea or frequent bowel movements and vomiting. Fortunately, whether the animal is suffering from an allergy or an intolerance, once the proper diagnosis has been made, they can both be treated.

Nutrition is very important, since most canine meals are made from beef, chicken, wheat, eggs, soy and dairy products, it should be no surprise that most dog food allergies are caused by one of these ingredients. The pet nutrition industry has picked up on the need to provide pet owners different options. They have come up with hypoallergenic dog meals that are supposed to help with most allergies. They also have tried other dog food allergy recipes like lamb and rice formulations. Veterinarians usually tell you it is not that simple though.

What approach will your veterinarian recommend to verify dog food allergies?

First they will rule out other possible causes, such as flea bite allergies, intestinal parasites, yeast or bacterial infections. Something else to keep in mind is that they have access to the latest studies. One study that I’ve heard of has found an association to a certain breed of dog. Dietary change is the number one approach veterinarians recommend. They will recommend a new food source containing protein and carbohydrate that should be the only diet of the pet for at least 12 weeks. This will help to determine which of the ingredients in their old pet food was causing the allergic reaction. Dog food allergies can be tricky and you may need to try this a few times as you reintroduce your old foods to see which one your dog is allergic to. The foods that produce reactions need to be eliminated.

The last options is one this is tried and true. Making your pet their food at home seems to be the surest way to avoid dog food allergies. If you don’t have any you can always look up some dog food allergy recipes online. Don’t let the media scare you but be smart about what you feed your pet. If you have the time and talent cook if you don’t test. There is a path to safe eating for your dog.

In the previous post I highlighted a product that may help those who think they have an allergy to down comforters. I was exposed to these types of products because of my children but I am also finding they apply to me. I had no clue that I could be allergic to my down comforter. Many people don’t realize that the symptom they are having at night are allergies. The type of heat you have can be a trigger and most people attribute their reactions to that or maybe some pollen that snuck through an open window.

An allergy to down comforters can have a significant impact on your quality of life. A bad night’s sleep makes for a very unhappy and often unproductive person. The allergy to down comforters comes from an allergy to the down feathers that make the down comforters so soft. This down isn’t just found in comforters. Pillows, duvet sets and other bedding can also be to blame. If the thought never crossed your mind that you are allergic to your down comforter now may be the time to get tested.

Not ready to get tested? Here are some things to try depending on the severity of your symptoms, the amount of money you are willing to spend and other possible allergens that you are exposed to.

If you have pets in the house they may be leaving pet hair on your pillows and bedding. If you have open windows you might be allergic to pollen coming in the window. You might even be allergic to dustmites which can be anywhere, particularly in beds. Lastly it could an allergy to a down comforter. The other allergens mentioned are small in comparison to the full list of things that could be causing your allergy symptoms at night.

The above may seem laughable because at the end of the day you are nowhere. You still can’t pinpoint the cause of your sneezing, coughing and discomfort at night. I just wanted to prove the point that an allergy to down comforters can only be verified by being tested by a certified allergist.

If you suspect an allergy to down comforters and your health insurance does not cover allergy testing you can try switching bed covers for a few nights. If you replace your down comforter with a regular bed spread, and you go through the night without any allergy symptoms, then you may have an allergy to down comforters.

Your allergy to down comforters does not have to condemn you to no longer feeling the comfort of down comforters. As seen in my previous post Natural Comfort has a luxurious down alternative. There are other imitation down comforters you can get that will help you sleep comfortably at night. They can do this because they are made of material that won’t cause the discomfort of allergy symptoms. They are also soft enough to satisfy your comfort needs. Comforter covers are also an option.

Allertech® Ultimate Cotton Comforter Covers - Full/Queen 86″ X 86″

An allergy to down comforters does not have to ruin your life. Make the necessary changes. As you can see the options are out there. More importantly when possible verify that you truly are allergic to this and not something else by getting tested. A positive attitude and some research on soft alternatives will again make your bed the place of renewal that is supposed to be.

Do you miss comforters? I did until I found out that they now make some for those of us who have problems with allergies caused by dust mites. Natural Comfort has a whole line of bedding and covers that are allergy friendly, so to speak.

I have included the link above to the comforter but they also have covers for pillows and covers for existing comforters too. I have used the pillow covers since my oldest child was born since she had some asthma as a baby. I started using them as well and they have definitely helped me to breathe better at night.

Allergies in children are a big concern for today’s parent. As mentioned in the previous article my 2 young children are experiencing allergy symptoms and I want to make sure to do what is best for keeping them comfortable and safe. My initial concerns with my children came up pretty early particularly with my son who developed asthma as a baby.

If you send your child to preschool odds are you get exposed to germs that cause anything from colds to major diseases so sometimes it is hard to tell whether your child has allergies or is experiencing the latest bug at daycare. Being sick and allergies in children are two different things and should be handled differently. To get to the truth you need to to watch and pay attention to your child to determine patterns in their reactions. Sometimes it feels like you are on an episode of CSI but it is important to look for clues to what your child is allergic to. For instance, if they are always sneezing when they come in from outside, or if they constantly get headaches at the daily and at the same time, it may be time to discuss the issue further with your pediatrician.

Allergies in children can be different than allergies in adult. That is why if is good to consult with your pediatrician first. They can help you decide whether it is time to see an allergist. If the pediatrician agrees then its time to get your child tested for allergies. An allergist will test your child for allergies and will then determine what they are allergic to. This is the ammunition you need, as a parent, to help your child manage their allergies.

The symptoms of allergies in children vary. Some children have food allergies like milk and get severe headaches or stomach aches. Food allergies in children are so common nowadays that daycare, preschools and even summer camps have strict rules about bringing something as innocent as peanut butter to school, the allergic reaction can be that severe. Other children are allergic to pets and can’t stop sneezing when they are around. Then, there are some allergies in children that are caused by something as common as the dust in your house. Only an allergist will be able to tell you for sure if your child has allergies.

Paying attention to your child is the key to controlling their allergies. Allergies in children are very common and you don’t want them to suffer silently since they don’t know enough to help themselves. You can help them learn to eliminate whatever causes them discomfort and teach them to look out for whatever triggers their symptoms, so that they can learn to make better choices on their own. Adopting the right lifestyle to manage their allergies is the key to living a normal, comfortable life. If symptoms become unmanageable then it may be time for more aggressive treatments with the guidance of your allergist.

Allergies have plagued me since my late twenties. I was surprised to think that I would be allergic to anything since I had always been the picture of health in my family. I always thought I was getting a cold. My sister and my mother both had asthma which is usually a good indication that you are prone to allergies so unfortunately they did run in my family. Now that I am in my forties and have 2 children that also exhibit symptoms it is time to get to the bottom of the mystery.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology “Estimates from a skin test survey suggest that allergies affect as many as 40 to 50 million people in the United States”.

Allergies can affect people at different ways:

• at different times of life
• during different seasons
• different allergen source

There are a number of different culprits that can cause an allergic reaction in people. The include but are not limited to pollen, dust mites, mold and foods. If you think that you are suffering from allergies, you should make an appointment with your doctor to find out what you are allergic to and what your best treatment plan options are.

Allergies are generally inherited as seen above my mother has allergies while my father doesn’t. If one or both of your parents suffer, you stand a good chance of having them also. Surprisingly you can’t assume that because your mother is allergic to eggs, you will be also. You may instead develop a reaction to pollen or mold. The genetic link is simply in whether or not you are predisposed to developing an allergy. Another possible reason for developing a reaction to a particular substance is exposure to that substance when your immune system has been weakened. After my second pregnancy I developed shingles due to exhaustion which compromised my immune system. This was in the spring and that was my worst season ever.

What Specifically is an Allergy Anyway?

Allergies occur as a result of your body’s immune system reacting incorrectly to some sort of foreign substance. Your immune system will see dust or pollen as a harmful substance to your body and react accordingly. The end result can be watery eyes, sneezing, itching, hives, and severe reactions trouble breathing. For many, the reaction will be mild and require little or no medical intervention. For others the reactions may cause a life threatening condition called Anaphylaxis. This requires immediate medical assistance. During an extreme allergic reaction, , you may initially feel itching which will quickly progress to swelling, pain and vomiting.

How can these Allergies be Managed?

Antihistamines, decongestants and nasal sprays are usually the first line of defense advised by doctors. Some allergies my require lifestyle changes to help you reduce your exposure to the allergen. You may have to keep your pets out of the house or attempt to maintain a dust-free environment. If your allergies become unmanageable, your doctor may also recommend immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots, to “cure” your allergies and help you to have symptom-free days. Nowadays there are many options for managing your allergies. The first step is to accept that you have them. I know it took me a long time to do so. Knowledge is the key and this site will continue to explore all the developments in the areas of allergies and allergy relief.