Monitoring allergens

ALLERGENS are all around us: the pollen we enjoy watching as they blossom into beautiful flowers; moulds, animal dander, insect venom, dust mites, and even some foods and medicines. And while these may not affect all of us, for many – especially children, contact with allergens can significantly diminish their quality of life. “An allergic reaction is an exaggerated response of the body to an otherwise harmless substance (allergen). This reaction manifests in a number of ways such as a local reaction at the site of contact, or entry into the body or the body system involved, or it can become generalised, involving the entire body,” explained Dr Anona Griffith, paediatrician at Gateway Plaza, Old Harbour.Allergic conditions take multiple forms including asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, eczema and atopic dermatitis.Dr Griffith said that while there’s no cure for allergies for the oftentimes hereditary condition, parents can manage their children’s allergy symptoms by keeping them away from triggers as best as they possibly can, or with the aid of medication.Dr Griffith shares a list of things that every parent of children with allergies should keep in mind:1. Identify the triggers. Keep a diary to include triggers, the nature of the reaction itself, intervention and response if any.2. A negative or mild response to an allergen today may become a severe reaction tomorrow. Knowledge can save lives.3. Make sure that you do an allergy testing. This is available and should be considered, especially if the child reacts to multiple substances. This is needed to confirm the diagnosis.4. Inform yourself adequately. Speak to your health care provider.5. Educate and involve the child in management. Inform school officials and caregivers.6. Do not ignore warning signs. They can escalate quickly and become severe.7. Have all required medications on hand; for example, Epinephrine (Epi-pen), asthma inhalers/pumps or nebulisers.8. Use medical notification/identification devices on the body that indicate the presence of allergies, such as bracelets, chains or pins. This way, in case of a severe attack, the child may be assisted more easily.9. Place tags/labels in the child’s school/lunch bags.10. For those with food and chemical allergies, try to avoid using products your child may be allergic to, and be careful not to contaminate foods being prepared at home. When eating out, ask about food preparation methods in order to avoid contamination.11. When buying household cleaning products, read chemical product labels and avoid those that contain the allergen or a derivative thereof. It is also advisable to clean while your child is not inside the house. For children who are allergic to dust and moulds, you may want to clean your house frequently, especially those spaces, surfaces and other things that your child uses frequently. Treatment for your child is heavily dependent on the severity of your child’s condition. The course of treatment will vary and the best resolution will be recommended by your child’s physician. Common medications used to treat allergies include:• Antihistamines• Emollients• Steroids which may be delivered in various forms; for example, inhaled, topical, oral, or injectable depending on severity.• Epinephrine (Epi- Pen)• Immunotherapy to downgrade the exaggerated immune response.