This is a list of ailments and conditions that may affect you or your family at certain stages of life. Here you will find information such as the symptoms, and the best way to relieve the situation until a medical professional has been called.
An allergic reaction happens when the body’s immune system over-reacts to an otherwise harmless substance (an ‘allergen’). An allergen may be food, or something in the environment.
Food allergens include:
Peanuts and peanut products
Eggs
Soya
Berries and other fruit
Fish and shellfish
Sesame and other seeds
Environmental allergens include:
Plant pollen
House dust mites
Animal hair
Insect stings
Fumes from:
Cigarette smoke
Car exhaust
Household chemicals
Some paints
Skin contact with:
Peanuts
Plants
Metals
Natural rubber (latex)
Detergents
Sensitivity to allergy tends to run in families, who are described as ‘atopic’. Those affected produce an allergy antibody called ‘Immunoglobulin E’ (IgE) when in contact with some substances.
Symptoms
Symptoms of allergy don’t usually appear until a ‘predisposed’ person has been ‘sensitised’ through contact with the allergen over a period. They include:
Sneezing, wheezing and coughing
Watery eyes
Itchy, running nose
Widespread itchy skin rash
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Feeling of weakness
Facial swelling
Coughing
Sneezing
Wheezing
In extreme cases swelling of the tongue and throat may cause difficulty in breathing and swallowing.
Once the body has been sensitised to a food, it may react every time that food is eaten. Or the food may trigger conditions such as asthma, hay fever or eczema. In rarer cases (particularly with nut allergy), the reaction can be so violent that the child goes into anaphylactic shock. This can be life-threatening and calls for immediate treatment.
Experts advise that babies with a family history of allergy should be breastfed for six months and that they should not be given peanut butter or other peanut products before they are three. This also means checking food, sauces and other labels for the presence of peanut oil (which may be labelled arachis, vegetable or groundnut oil)
For someone with severe peanut allergy, skin contact can be very dangerous (see anaphylactic shock).
Medical treatment
If you suspect that your child has a food allergy ask your doctor to refer you to an NHS allergy clinic immediately. There is a serious risk of dehydration and malnutrition if a child with persistent diarrhoea and vomiting seems to be allergic to an essential food.
If you suspect that your child is allergic to something in the environment, try to avoid common causes, such as pollen in summer; and house-dust mites, which live around beds and bedding. Tell your doctor about any allergy symptoms, especially if there is a history on either side of the family.
In mild cases your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine suitable for the child’s age. In a severe attack (anaphylactic shock) an immediate injection of adrenaline may be needed. In this case, you will be given an easy-to-use injection pen for immediate use if a further attack occurs.
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