Common Allergy Symptoms and How a Pediatrician Can Help

Allergies can range in severity. Some kids might not be seriously affected, while others may be held back by them. At Florida Pediatric Group, serving Melbourne and West Melbourne, FL, and the surrounding region, we recommend that you know the symptoms and reach out for an appointment to find relief for your child.

Airborne Allergies

 Airborne allergies occur when your child inhales an allergen, and the immune system recognizes it as an invader. Some common airborne allergies involve pet dander, pollen, dust, or mold.

When your child comes in contact with an allergen, they might experience any of the following:

• Itchy nose, throat, eyes, or ears
• Watery eyes
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Wheezing (particularly if they have asthma)
• Coughing 
• Sneezing

Food Allergies

 According to Johns Hopkins University, around 5 percent of children have food allergies.

Some of the most common food allergies involve:

• Nuts
• Fish
• Milk
• Soy

 When a child comes in contact with a food allergen, they may experience one or more of these symptoms:

• Hives
• Throat, nose, or facial swelling
• Itchy mouth
• Wheezing 
• Weak pulse
• Abdominal pain
• Digestive upset (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting)

Topical Allergies

 Topical allergies occur when your child physically touches an allergen with part of their body. It may be a lotion, body spray, metal, preservative, medication, or material (like latex).

With a topical allergy, your child might break out in hives or have dry, scaly, or cracked skin that may develop blisters or bumps.

How a Pediatrician Helps

 When you bring your child to our West Melbourne, FL, practice, we'll perform allergy testing to identify the child's allergens. We can then guide you on the products or circumstances your child ought to avoid.

If avoidance isn't enough, we could prescribe one or more medications to ease the symptoms. For instance, your little one might benefit from an oral antihistamine. Eye drops can help with itchy eyes. If your child's allergies are serious enough, we may give them a prescription for an EpiPen. It could help counteract a potentially life-threatening reaction.

We can educate you about other ways that you can help your child, like wiping down pets after they've been outside. With some types of allergens, it's also important for your child to take a bath and have their clothes washed after outdoor play.

Florida Pediatric Group, serving Melbourne & West Melbourne, FL, and the neighboring communities, has highly skilled doctors who can confirm an allergy diagnosis and find a treatment approach that reduces or prevents symptoms. Call 321-752-5210 today.