Dust, cats, peanuts, milk. The incidence of allergies in children has increased significantly in the last two decades. The exact reason behind the rise of allergies in children is unknown. But a growing body of evidence suggests that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is at the root of most childhood allergies. There is a tendency for allergies to occur in families, although the exact genetic factors that cause it are not yet understood. Often, the symptoms of allergies develop gradually over a period of time. Early identification of allergic problems in your child will improve their quality of life, decrease missed school days and keep you at work. Some allergies are fairly easy to identify because the pattern of symptoms following exposure to certain allergens can be hard to miss. An allergic reaction may occur in the skin, eyes, lining of the stomach, nose, sinuses, throat, and lungs - places where immune system cells are located to fight off invaders that are inhaled, swallowed, or come in contact with the skin. But other allergies are less obvious because they can masquerade as other conditions. Based on the answers to below questions you may decide to see the doctor and perform skin tests.
If you get:
* 1 to 5 positive answers – keep an eye on your child.
* 5 to 10 positive answer – you can be sure, that your child is allergic to something or has a nutrition intolerance disorder – a consultation with an allergist is necessary.
* more than 10 positive answers – your child suffers from a severe allergy and needs medical help! You must see the doctor!
Test whether your child is allergic:
1. Is your child uneasy after meals, has difficulties falling asleep or does he or she suddenly wake up crying? Yes/No
2. Does your child burp or vomit? Yes/No
3. Has your child a food aversion or a poor appetite? Yes/No
4. Does your child suffer from a constant and persistent stomach-aches? Yes/No
5. Does your child develop loose, bad-smelling stools? Yes/No
6. Is your child known to have diarrheas? Yes/No
7. Does your child suffer from an intestinal colic? Yes/No
8. Do you observe lichenous skin changes appearing at the child's face or on the body? Yes/No
9. Are such changes more visible after meals? Yes/No
10. Is the head of your child covered with a “cradle cap” (crusta lactea)? Yes/No
11. Is your child thin and pale? Yes/No
12. The child does not put on weight. Yes/No
13. Does your child tire quickly or sweat? Yes/No
14. Is your child sad, apathetic and listless? Yes/No
15. Is your child overly susceptible to infection? Yes/No
16. Does your child often suffer from inflammation of the middle ear? (otitis media) Yes/No
17. Does your child often suffer from inflammation of the respiratory tract? Yes/No
18. Does the child has congested nose and breathes through the mouth? Yes/No
19. Does your child suffers from the snuffles? Yes/No
20. Do you observe that your child's skin turns pale or reddens suddenly? Yes/No
