While children can have allergic reactions to many things, common allergens are:

• Tree pollen
• Grass pollen
• Weed pollen
• Dust mites
• Pet dander
• Mold
• Peanuts
• Eggs
• Milk
• Insect stings and bites

Maybe your child has been sneezing or they may have red, watery eyes they can’t stop itching. These are some of the typical symptoms of perennial and seasonal allergies.

Perennial means all year round. Year-round allergy symptoms can be caused by triggers such as dust mites, mold and pet dander.

Common symptoms of year-round and seasonal allergy include:

• Stuffy nose
• Itchy, runny nose
• Sneezing
• Itchy, watery, or red eyes
• Coughing

Although often called hay fever, seasonal allergy symptoms aren’t caused by hay at all but pollen. Oh – and just to add to the confusion – hay fever doesn’t give children a fever.

Doctors try to find the cause and keep the condition under control before symptoms can escalate in this way. Managing allergy symptoms in children effectively from an early age is vital.

Food allergies are a big worry for many parents and caregivers, with 1 in 15 children in Canada having a probable food allergy.

Symptoms of a food allergy can be mild to severe and may include:

• Feeling or actually being sick (vomiting)
• Stomach problems, such as diarrhea or cramps
• Skin rashes, such as hives or eczema
• Itching of the lips, tongue or throat
• Swelling of the face, mouth, throat or other parts of the body
• Wheezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Feeling dizzy

Symptoms can start within minutes of eating a trigger food or take up to a few hours to develop.

Young children with food allergies are most commonly allergic to milk, egg and peanuts. The most common food allergy reactions in teenagers and adults are to peanut, tree nuts and seafood.

It can be easy to confuse a food intolerance with a food allergy. The symptoms are often similar but a food intolerance is usually mild to moderate. It means the body can’t digest certain foods. It's important to find out which if either of these conditions is affecting your child so make an appointment with your doctor.

2. Vermeide die Verbreitung allergener Erdnussproteine

• Mache es dir zur Gewohnheit, am Tisch zu essen und einen Teller zu verwenden.
• Reinige Küchenoberflächen, an denen Erdnussrückstände vorhanden sein könnten, mit einem Einwegtuch.
• Dasselbe gilt für Pfannen und Utensilien, wenn du mit Erdnüssen kochst.

3. Und achte darauf, sie nicht versehentlich zu essen

• Teile weder Tassen noch Besteck, da Erdnussproteine im Speichel zurückbleiben können.
• Warne auch dein Date, dass du niemanden küssen kannst, nachdem er oder sie Erdnüsse gegessen hat.
• Lasse dich von den Hunden anderer Menschen nicht ablecken, es sei denn, du weißt sicher, dass ihre Besitzerin oder ihr Besitzer erdnussfreies Haustierfutter und Leckerlis kauft.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis usually start within minutes of contact with the trigger allergen but can appear up to several hours later. They tend to involve more than one part of the body, often but not always including the skin. Recognizing an anaphylactic reaction early can help minimize the severity of your child’s anaphylactic reaction. Signs and symptoms include:

• Skin reactions, such as hives, itching, flushing or paleness
• Swollen tongue or throat
• Wheezing and difficulty breathing
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Weak or rapid pulse
• Drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
• Dizziness or fainting

Children at risk of anaphylaxis should carry an epinephrine auto-injectors. Epinephrine is another name for adrenaline, a hormone made by the body that treats the effects of anaphylaxis. Your doctor will prescribe and train you how to use the auto-injector. Make sure other caregivers practice too.

Your child should have easy access to two auto-injectors at all times. Even if they feel better after the first auto-injector, call an ambulance or take them to hospital in case of a delayed second reaction.

A child’s allergy symptoms may well change as they move from baby to toddler, go to school and turn into an adolescent. This progression is the atopic or allergic march we mentioned earlier. Here are the key steps and symptoms to look out for:

Allergies tend to begin early in life, with symptoms such as skin rashes (eczema) or hives.

This is when food allergies tend to start, causing additional symptoms such as an upset stomach and potentially more serious, even life-threatening symptoms.

Year-round allergies such as dust mite allergy or seasonal allergies (hay fever) may develop during this part of a child’s life. Symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and itchy eyes.

This is when food allergies tend to start, causing additional symptoms such as an upset stomach and potentially more serious, even life-threatening symptoms.

This is when food allergies tend to start, causing additional symptoms such as an upset stomach and potentially more serious, even life-threatening symptoms.

There may be progression to allergic asthma, with symptoms such as wheezing and coughing, which may continue into adolescence and adulthood.

The teenage years are a time for change in every child's life. This can also be true in allergy. Symptoms can shift, intensify or become chronic. Some kids might not react to certain food triggers anymore, while others develop new respiratory allergies. About 25% of 13- to 14-year-olds with hay fever-like symptoms also have asthma.

The allergic march is not necessarily linear. Every child's journey is different. So it's a good idea to keep track of the severity and any changes in symptoms as they're growing older. That way you can voice any concerns to your doctor.

Blood tests can measure IgE antibodies in the body. Allergy blood tests can be helpful when your child has a skin condition which could interfere with the results of a skin prick test or has recently had a severe allergic reaction.

A challenge test might for example be used for diagnosing food allergies. In these tests, a child is given a small amount of a suspected trigger allergen. The effects of this – if any – are then monitored and recorded. Challenge tests are done under medical supervision at the clinic so that treatment can be given immediately in the event of a severe systemic allergic reaction.

The best way to manage or treat your child’s allergy will depend on things like their age and general health, as well as the severity and frequency of their symptoms. Also, remember that allergies can sometimes look like other health problems. So getting expert medical advice should always be first on your to do list.

Give your doctor as complete a picture as possible of your child's allergy symptoms and explain clearly how they affect your child's daily life. It helps make a diagnosis and get your child the best care for their specific allergy.

There are many ways to help avoid allergy problems, such as staying indoors when the pollen count is high or staying away from trigger foods. These things are obvious of course, but it's really important to try and avoid allergic reactions even starting.

Allergic reactions can affect many parts of your child's body. Allergy symptoms often start with eczema in very small children. From toddler age food allergies can cause stomach problems, but also other more serious or even life-threatening symptoms such as swelling of the throat and difficulty breathing. In young children year-round or seasonal allergies caused by airborne triggers such as dust mites and pollen can develop and typically lead to a runny, blocked nose, sneezing and itchy watery eyes. This might progress in some children to allergic asthma if left untreated. These progressions of allergic diseases and the order in which they might appear is called the atopic or allergic march.

If your doctor suspects that your child has an allergy, they might suggest skin, blood or challenge tests to make a diagnosis. Once identified, a range of proven treatments for allergies are available to help your child enjoy life to the full. Effective allergy management may also help reduce the risk of future health problems.