Why does the baby have allergies? Symptoms of allergies in infants and methods of treating them. Severe systemic reactions - rare, but possible

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Last update articles: 05/21/2019

Rashes or redness on the skin of a child are often confused with diathesis, prickly heat or neonatal acne, and they are not given due attention. As a result, after some time, the child receives an advanced form of the disease, which is quite problematic to cure.

Allergies in a baby can begin for a number of reasons:

• Non-compliance with diet by mother
• Incorrect mixture
• Pets
• Medications
• House dust
• Detergents, washing powders

It is very important to recognize the disease in time in children under one year of age, and begin its prevention and treatment, so that in the future your baby can enjoy a full life, without painful symptoms.

How does an allergy to formula manifest itself?

For parents of infants artificial feeding, reaction to the mixture is a cause for serious concern. Sometimes they take a long time to pick up proper nutrition, which is completely suitable for his stomach and will not cause allergic symptoms.

The main sign of an allergy to formula milk is frequent regurgitation. Almost all newborns, after eating, regurgitate a small amount of mixture, not exceeding a tablespoon in volume. If the number of regurgitations increases to 5 times or more, and then turns into hiccups, then the mixture is not suitable for the baby.

The second symptom of formula intolerance is a gastrointestinal disorder, characterized by frequent, loose, green stools, sometimes with foam.

The most common reaction to the mixture in children of the first year of life is skin rashes on all parts of the body, even the scalp. The skin becomes dry, after a while scales begin to peel off, it itches and itches. The newborn becomes restless, refuses to eat, is capricious and sleeps poorly.

Damages from the respiratory system, such as runny nose, cough, swelling of the nasopharynx, are extremely rare with this type of disease.

If, after introducing formula milk into your baby’s diet, you notice one or more of the symptoms described above, you must stop feeding your baby this product and immediately contact your pediatrician, who will help you choose a hypoallergenic formula. Usually after a year, a negative reaction to the mixture goes away on its own.

Food allergies

Food allergies in infants become a real challenge for their parents. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common phenomenon among children under one year old, it is explained by immaturity gastrointestinal tract baby. The intestinal walls of newborns are very thin and allergens penetrate through them quickly and easily. Of course, in the future, in 1-2 years, the baby will outgrow this disease, but until this happens, parents should treat their child’s diet with full responsibility, excluding from it those foods that, when consumed, cause painful symptoms in the baby.

Basically, food intolerance is caused by foods containing animal or vegetable protein:

1. Cow's milk
2. Some fruits and vegetables
3. Red berries
4. Chocolate
5. Products containing dyes and food additives

If at breastfeeding child, the mother’s daily menu contains the products listed above, then it is likely that the baby will experience unpleasant symptoms. How not to miss a food allergy, and by what signs can this disease be recognized? Food allergies primarily affect the skin and digestive tract; less commonly, the respiratory system may be affected and neurological signs may appear.

• Changes in the skin - rash, redness, peeling, diaper rash, urticaria, this is the body's response to chicken eggs, citrus fruits, chocolate, nuts and seafood.
• From the gastrointestinal tract - vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, regurgitation, reaction to milk and dairy products.
• Allergic rhinitis, as a reaction to food, occurs quite rarely.
• Sometimes a severe form is possible, causing angioedema and anaphylactic shock.

Allergies in six-month-old children cannot be ruled out; their manifestations are associated with the start of complementary feeding. In this case, you need to carefully select products, giving preference to high quality products, no matter how much they cost.

The most important thing for parents when starting complementary feeding is not to add many new foods to the child’s diet at the same time; it is better to introduce them one at a time, observing the reaction of the child’s body.

Pets and reactions to them

The friendship between a growing baby and a pet is wonderful. By interacting with a pet, the baby develops a lot of positive qualities, and how many pleasant emotions they bring to children. But does close contact between a child and an animal always bring positive emotions?

Cats are considered the most allergenic of furry animals. And this is due not only to the presence of long and shaggy hair; unpleasant symptoms are caused by fluids secreted by the animal’s secretory glands: sweat, saliva, urine and others. In most cases, a disease caused by a furry friend affects the respiratory system:

1. New sinus congestion
2. Frequent sneezing
3. Nasal discharge
4. Irritation and redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes
5. Shortness of breath or suffocation
6. Severe cough, like whooping cough
7. Increased sleepiness
8. Occasionally, skin reactions may occur - rash, swelling, itching

If, after interacting with an animal, you notice the appearance of unpleasant symptoms for an infant, the first thing to do is remove the animal from the house, for a while. If at the same time the signs of allergy disappear and the baby’s health improves, it means that he is susceptible to this type of disease and keeping pets in the house is extremely undesirable.

Contact dermatitis

Everyone knows how delicate and thin the skin of newborns is, and most importantly, it is practically devoid of any protection. Therefore, infants, like no other, are susceptible to the influence of harmful factors environment.

Often, on the skin of children, you can observe the appearance of rashes, redness, peeling, the so-called contact dermatitis. Caused by contact of delicate skin with chemical or irritating substances.

Allergic or atopic contact dermatitis can be triggered by a number of allergens, including:

• Washing powder
• Baby skin care products
• Artificial fabrics

All surface-active substances included in washing powders and detergents are able to penetrate deeply into fabrics and remain in them for a long time. When newborns come into contact with clothing or bedding, microparticles of harmful substances land on their thin skin and quickly penetrate through it into the body, causing the manifestation of local and general allergic symptoms.

1. Rashes on those parts of the body that had direct contact with the irritant. They usually look like small bubbles.
2. Severe itching and peeling.
3. Swelling.
4. In severe forms of the disease, weeping eczema may develop.
5. In rare cases, gastrointestinal disorders, vomiting and increased flatulence may occur.

With the development of contact dermatitis, parents need to reconsider the arsenal of detergents that are used for washing children's clothes and caring for an infant up to one year old. As a rule, when they change, the symptoms of the disease disappear.

Allergy to medications

Unfortunately, none of the newborns are immune from infection by bacteria and viruses. And the imperfect immune system in children under one year old is not yet able to protect them from diseases. Nowadays, pharmacological companies have developed a number of drugs for infants. But are they as harmless for newborns as the manufacturers claim?

A drug allergy to a particular drug can develop in any baby, especially under the age of one year. Antibiotics can cause a very severe allergy; its manifestation consists of the following symptoms:

• Rash, itching and redness of the skin
• Hives
• Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes
• Severe diarrhea, up to dehydration
• Runny nose
• Swelling on the face
• The most severe and dangerous reaction to medications can be loss of consciousness, Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock.

If there are signs of an allergy to any drug, stop taking the drug and consult a doctor immediately.

Read further:

A food allergy implies that a child is allergic to any food product, and an allergic reaction develops only to proteins contained in food products. It should be noted that during cooking, some allergens lose their allergenicity, while others, on the contrary, become more allergenic.

The mechanism for the development of an allergic reaction to food is quite simple. After an allergen enters the body, class E immunoglobulins begin to be actively produced, which subsequently, when encountering the allergen again, trigger a whole cascade of reactions, their severity and symptoms may vary. As a rule, food allergies manifest themselves with symptoms a few minutes after consuming the allergen, although sometimes it can occur with a delayed reaction when symptoms develop only several hours, in rare cases days, after consuming the allergen product.

Food allergies in infants

Today, food allergies in infants are a fairly common phenomenon. Thus, according to statistics, four out of ten infants suffer from food allergies.

The main cause of food allergies on the face in infants is banal overfeeding. For example, with regular overfeeding, a baby may develop an allergy even to foods that were recently well tolerated.

An example is breast milk. It should be noted that, in fact, food allergies in infant can develop on almost any food product (with the exception of specialized medicinal mixtures), even on green apples and rice flour, which for many years were considered hypoallergenic products. Doctors are aware of cases of allergic reactions to mother's milk.

Doctors list the main allergens as:

• cocoa, coffee, chocolate (sometimes used as additives in some foods)
• cow's milk ( common reason development of food allergies in infants);
• chicken eggs, protein (included in pasta and cookies);
• fish, caviar and seafood (even lobster, shrimp and squid);
• buckwheat, rice
• cottage cheese
• lactose
• mushrooms (in any form);
• nuts (in any form);
• honey (included in some formulas and baby food products);
• fruits, vegetables, berries that are orange or bright red in color, juices from such products;
• soy (in sauces, seasonings, vegetable purees, breast milk substitutes).

It is important to know that in the first or second year of life a baby is strictly forbidden to give nuts, mushrooms, chocolate and caviar!

Allergy to milk and formula in infants

Quite often, doctors have to deal with food allergies in infants when transferring the baby to artificial feeding or in the initial stages of complementary feeding. The fact is that in artificial formulas the milk used can be cow's milk, which is a strong allergen. As mentioned above, there are even cases described of a baby developing a food allergy to mother’s milk, which may seem simply impossible or implausible to many.

In addition, sometimes there is a reaction to regular milk used in formulas. Meanwhile, an allergic reaction in a baby can develop not only to the main ingredients of the mixture, but also to additional ones (soy, honey). For this reason, if the baby has a food allergy to milk or formula, the infant mandatory You should check for the possibility of allergies to ingredients.

Symptoms and signs of food allergies in infants

Let's find out how allergies manifest themselves and how to determine allergies in a baby.

Food allergy refers to a child’s increased sensitivity to food, which can manifest itself in the form of:

• allergic skin lesions;
• lesions of the gastrointestinal tract;
• respiratory disorders.

Allergic skin lesions:

• redness;
• various skin rashes;
• Quincke's edema (sudden swelling of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, mucous membranes; can appear on any part of the body);
• gneiss (peeling, scales) on the scalp, eyebrows;
• profuse prickly heat even with mild overheating;
• hives;
• itching and peeling of the cheeks (so-called “diathesis”);
• persistent diaper rash (even with careful hygienic care).

Lesions of the gastrointestinal tract:

• flatulence;
• colic;
• constipation;
• loose, frequent stools mixed with greens or foam;
• vomit;
• regurgitation.

Respiratory disorders:

• bronchospasm;
• allergic runny nose.

There are also combinations of damage to the skin and bronchi, skin and intestines. Food allergies can be a precursor to the subsequent development of bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, etc.

Treatment of food allergies in infants

Let's figure out how to treat allergies in infants and is there a cure for allergies for infants?

Treatment of food allergies in children begins with a diet; the cause-significant food allergen must be excluded from the diet. At the same time, it is prohibited to try to “defeat” the disease on your own; you need to seek qualified medical help and, together with your doctor, choose a treatment.

Diet therapy involves strict control of the amount of food intake, the intervals between them, and the exclusion of potential allergens from the diet of both the baby and the mother. It should be noted that a monotonous, unbalanced diet can itself cause the development of food allergies in infants.

The diet in this case implies the mandatory implementation of three stages.

Stage one, during which you should follow a hypoallergenic diet for 2 weeks. The diet should not include foods industrial production, which contain crystalline sugars, emulsifiers, antioxidants, artificial colors and preservatives, while sugar and salt are completely excluded. You should refrain from eating foods with strong taste characteristics, limit the amount of dairy products.

At the second stage, it is possible to identify the causative allergen; for this reason, the individually selected diet at the previous stage is supplemented with tolerable foods, after which it is followed for 1-2 months.

At the third stage, the baby's diet expands, while signs of allergies have disappeared or decreased. Although obvious allergens are still excluded from the diet.

Need to remember:

• fruit purees and juices are not included in the diet of children with food allergies before the age of three months;
• the fruits used should not be colored;
• observe drinking regime;
• observe the volume of feedings and the intervals between them;
• when preparing vegetable porridges and purees, it is recommended to avoid using milk and mixtures;
• intestinal dysbiosis must be cured;
• Observe the timing of introducing complementary foods and other additional foods into the diet.

Mom's diet:

• Highly allergenic foods and foods containing preservatives and dyes are excluded from the diet;
• limited whole milk and sour cream in dishes, confectionery, salt, sugar, semolina, pasta, bakery products;
• are allowed dairy products, cereals, vegetables and fruits, soups, meat, lean fish, vegetable oil, some baked goods, drinks.

Photos of allergies in infants

In the photographs you can see what allergies look like in infants.

Modern ecology, food and many other factors often provoke allergic reactions. The problem can occur at any age, even at a very young age. Most often, infants develop allergies to foods. They contain protein, which excites nervous system. In response, it begins to produce immunoglobulin type E. The allergen does not always die when heat treatment, and sometimes even enhances its effect.

Allergies infant can occur with both natural and artificial feeding. In the first case, the food that the mother eats plays a role. In the second case, the reasons are the composition of the adapted mixture and non-compliance with its dilution regime. A rash appears on the butt and groin.

The mother needs to breastfeed her baby for as long as possible and keep a food diary. It will record the foods eaten and the reaction of the baby’s body. This will make it easier to identify the allergen.

The reasons why the reaction occurs in children under one year of age are the following: fetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen during gestation), viral or bacterial infections, diseases of the digestive system. Against the background of these factors, the fragile intestinal mucosa becomes even more permeable. The allergen easily enters the bloodstream and causes unpleasant symptoms. Treatment should be started immediately.

The reasons may be heredity. If parents suffer from allergies, then there is more than a 50% chance that the disease will recur in the child.

Allergies in children under one year of age may be associated with cosmetics. You need to carefully choose powder for washing baby clothes, shampoos, lotions.

The reasons may also be in the diaper. Redness appears on the butt and groin, which is accompanied by a rash. Treatment begins with changing the selected brand of diapers. You should also take longer air baths.

Unpleasant symptoms on the butt and other parts of the body in children can occur due to plant pollen, dust, animal hair, and tablets.

The causes of allergies may be hidden in the use of certain medications. Almost all children are prescribed medications to compensate for the lack of vitamin D in the body. Among these medicines Vigantol.

Vigantol drops are prescribed to treat and prevent rickets, as a prophylaxis for conditions associated with a lack of vitamin D or diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Since infants' immunity is not very strong, allergies to Vigantol are quite common. Allergies intensify or begin to appear for the first time during teething. To understand that the cause of the unpleasant symptoms was teeth, and not the drug Vigantol, it should be given before and after the period of teeth appearing.

Often, already in the maternity hospital, they begin to give medications (syrups, tablets and drops) against colic, including Espumisan drops. Almost all drugs contain dyes and flavors, and therefore cause allergies in the form of a rash on the butt, face, and groin.

Signs of the disease

In order to identify the problem in time, parents need to know what allergies look like in infants.

The main symptoms in children under one year of age are a rash on the face, butt, and groin. In more complex cases, the rash covers almost all parts of the body. The affected area is red and rough. You may notice peeling or blisters that feel wet to the touch. At the same time, this kind of rash brings discomfort to the baby, as it itches.

A cough may occur, as well as sneezing and runny nose. Inflammation of the eye mucosa (conjunctivitis) develops. In severe cases, difficulty breathing may develop.

Not only the skin and respiratory tract are affected. The entire digestive tract also suffers. Colic appears in the abdomen, stool is disrupted (constipation or, conversely, diarrhea may occur), and excessive regurgitation occurs.

If you are allergic to the medicine Vigantol, the symptoms are no different. Redness and rash appear on the face, butt, and groin. These areas of skin itch. Due to diarrhea and vomiting, body temperature may rise. To determine whether this is the reason, it is worth stopping the drug.

The baby becomes restless, capricious, and whiny. Sleeps poorly and eats without appetite. He refuses to communicate and play.

Overheating can be a provoking factor. The skin becomes covered with prickly heat and diaper rash. Hives may appear. The most dangerous condition Quincke's edema develops. It becomes difficult for the child to breathe, and the complexion changes. It becomes pale and marbled. You don’t need to do anything yourself; call an ambulance immediately.

Symptoms of allergy in children to the drug Espumisan are easy to identify. Most often the rash appears on the face, less often on the butt and groin. In rare severe cases, breathing may become difficult and swelling of the mucous membranes may occur. Treatment consists of discontinuing the drug. There is no need to do anything additional.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of the disease in children under one year of age begins with diet. The most allergenic foods are chocolate, chicken eggs, fish, mushrooms, nuts, and honey. You should exclude products that contain dyes and preservatives. You should not eat fatty, salty, spicy foods. You should limit your consumption of dairy products.

If within five days of the diet the symptoms do not decrease, the allergy does not go away, it means that the allergen was identified incorrectly. Further treatment will take place after additional examination.

How long should I wait to get rid of unpleasant symptoms? Allergies can be cured in a short time by following an appropriate diet and other doctor’s recommendations.

Allergy tablets Claritin and Diprazine tablets are approved for babies up to one year old. But it is best to choose drops. They are more convenient to dose and give to the child.

Suprastin tablets are approved for children under one year of age. You can give ¼ tablet 2-3 times a day. The quarter must be crumbled and diluted with water. The tablets begin to act some time after the first use. On the third day the rash goes away.

Espumisan is prescribed for bloating and esophageal dysfunction. Young children are very inquisitive and can often swallow soap or shampoo. Therefore, in this case, Espumisan drops are prescribed.

Espumisan drops are prescribed 10-15 drops 2-3 times a day. Drops can be added to a drinking bottle. 15 minutes after taking Espumisan, the gases begin to go away and the pain subsides. The medicine Espumisan does not penetrate into the blood, therefore it does not have any effect on other internal organs.

Espumisan helps normalize intestinal function and increases the absorption of nutrients. Therefore, before giving prebiotics or enzyme preparations, you need to give Espumisan.

If you are allergic to the drug Vigantol, you should stop taking it. To make up for this loss, you need to be in the sun more with your child. In this case, when ultraviolet rays hit the skin of a newborn, the body itself begins to produce vitamin D. You can’t just walk during sunny hours – from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There is an option to cancel Vigantol and use other analogue drugs, for example, Aquadetrim. But you can’t do this yourself. You need to consult your pediatrician.

Your doctor may prescribe a non-hormonal or hormonal cream or ointment. Non-hormonal cream relieves inflammation, reduces itching and the number of rashes on the butt and other parts of the body.

Non-hormonal drugs are approved for use in children from a very early age. The most common include:

1. Cream Gistan. It can be used to treat various rashes of an allergic nature, including urticaria and insect bites.
2. Elidel cream helps treat inflammation in atopic dermatitis and eczema. It can be used in children from 3 months.
3. Desitin ointment. Reduces the effect of the irritant, prevents the spread of the rash.
4. Wundehil cream. Used for allergic reactions of various origins.

Treatment can be supplemented with antibacterial local drugs: ointment or cream. For example, Dioxidin ointment, Sulfargin.

Bepanten cream and ointment are very popular. The product helps treat wounds, relieves irritation on the butt and any other part of the body.

Hormonal cream is prescribed in rare severe cases of allergies on the butt, face, and neck. Treatment may be accompanied side effects. How long does it take for allergies to go away? Irritation is relieved quickly, within the first hours after use.

1. Advantan cream is used only as prescribed by a doctor; it can treat allergic rashes in children from 3 months.
2. Elokom cream is approved for use from 6 months.

Timely identification of the cause of unpleasant symptoms allows you to correctly determine the further course of action and avoid serious consequences. You should not self-medicate, you need to consult a specialist.

Allergies in newborns are considered the most common disease that occurs in the first days of life. This condition is much more severe in children than in adults. Many parents mistakenly believe that allergies do not occur in breastfed newborns. However, in reality, mother's milk itself may contain substances that provoke pathology. Next, we will take a closer look at why allergies appear in newborns and how to treat this disease.

Causes

So, why do allergies appear in newborns? First of all, a negative reaction of the body can be caused by substances contained in products consumed by the mother or the baby himself. Hereditary factors, difficult childbirth, acute viral respiratory diseases or intestinal infections suffered in severe form, fetal hypoxia can act as aggravating factors. We should not forget about the low functional capacity of the infant’s digestive tract. The antibodies present are not yet sufficiently prepared to cope with the emerging danger and provide the necessary protection to the intestinal mucosa. The situation is aggravated by maternal smoking during the prenatal period. A woman’s consumption of high-calorie allergenic foods during pregnancy also has a negative impact. In this regard, the child will subsequently react negatively to cow's milk, chicken eggs, fish caviar, seafood, honey, mushrooms, nuts, chocolate, red and orange vegetables and fruits, and coffee. Allergies in newborns can occur due to protein present in food.

Features of the appearance of the reaction

Compounds that cause this condition are called allergens. Some of them have reduced negative properties during cooking. But others, on the contrary, can become even more dangerous. Often, allergies in newborns on the face can appear almost immediately after eating a dangerous product. However, in some cases the reaction may be slow. Allergies in newborns may appear on the second or even third day. In this case, everything is quite individual. The speed of the reaction depends both on the characteristics of the baby’s body and on the properties of the allergen itself.

Clinical picture

What does an allergy look like in a newborn? The reaction may vary. Many children have skin lesions. Many parents know what allergies look like in a newborn. In particular, it appears:

• Rash on the body, redness, hives.
• Quincke's edema.
• Profuse heat rash and constant diaper rash.

Allergies in newborns on the face are usually a rash on the cheeks. Scales also appear on the eyebrows. The rash may subsequently spread throughout the body. Speaking about how allergies manifest themselves in newborns, we cannot fail to mention disorders of the digestive system. In such cases, gastrointestinal lesions occur with swelling of the mucous membranes. In particular, the following appear:

• Colic, constipation, flatulence.
• Liquid stool with green impurities.
• Vomiting and frequent regurgitation.

In rare cases, allergies in newborns occur in the form of a respiratory disorder, which is complicated by swelling of the mucous membranes. We are talking, in particular, about runny nose and bronchospasm. The latter, together with Quincke's edema, poses a serious threat to the baby with its unfavorable prognosis. Some newborns experience a combination of bronchial and intestinal dysfunction and skin lesions. In such cases, bronchial asthma or atopic dermatitis may develop.

Diagnostics

If your baby develops symptoms from the list above, then you must visit a pediatrician, nutritionist or allergist. With pronounced signs of a reaction, especially against the background of combined lesions, for example, in the presence of a rash and a disorder in the functioning of the digestive system, hospitalization in a special hospital may be required. Diagnosis is made using:

• Data after a conversation with parents.
• Establishing a relationship between the occurrence of a reaction and the consumption of certain foods.
• Examination of the baby.
• Blood test results. The presence of an allergic reaction will be shown by total immunoglobulin E (its level will be high) and eosinophils (their number will also be high).
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs. This study allows us to exclude the non-allergic nature of the condition from the intestines and stomach.

As indirect evidence that the symptoms are signs of a food allergy, we can consider the disappearance of manifestations after eliminating the products that provoke the reaction from the diet, as well as positive result from taking appropriate medications.

Important point

The type of allergen is of fundamental importance. The specialist must find out what exactly caused this reaction in the child. In children of the first year of life, to determine causally significant provoking factors, venous blood is taken and the presence of immunoglobulins E is detected. For older patients, the skin test method is used. It is a procedure during which reference allergens are applied to the skin. There is a certain set of them. It, in particular, includes eggs, fish, chocolate, citrus fruits and more. After some time, the specialist evaluates the results. This type of research is carried out before allergy treatment is started in the newborn and other patients. age groups or after it.

Therapeutic measures: general information

If an allergy is confirmed in a newborn, how to treat the disease? The first thing you need to start therapeutic measures with is establishing strict diet. All foods that can provoke an allergic reaction should be excluded from the diet. Treatment tactics using diet are selected exclusively by a specialist (allergist). Before a consultation with a doctor takes place, it is necessary to carry out a number of measures that will alleviate the child’s condition. For example, if a baby has bronchospasm, then you can give him an antihistamine in the form of a syrup that contains suprastin or claritin.

Diet features

If the baby receives mother's milk, then she needs to potentially exclude dangerous products. In particular, the following should be removed from the menu: fish, chicken eggs, caviar, coffee, honey, nuts, pickles, vegetables (red and orange), seafood, adjika and ketchup, sauces, sausages, ham, kvass, beer, carbonated drinks, grapes , kiwi, chips, mayonnaise, garlic, spices. In limited quantities, it is allowed to consume sugar, whole milk, salt, bread ( premium), sour cream. Fermented milk products are allowed: bio- and regular kefir, acidophilus, yoghurts that do not contain additives, hard cheese. Recommended cereals: oatmeal, rice, corn, buckwheat. The diet should include soups, both vegetarian and cereal. The following types of meat are recommended: turkey fillet, young pork, beef, boiled chicken. Allowed to use lean fish: pike perch, hake, cod. Drinks you can include in your diet include fruit juice, compote, tea (weak), mineral water(without gas). It is recommended to stick to this diet for at least three months. Only after this period can you begin to gradually expand your mother’s diet, excluding, of course, allergenic foods.

Features of therapy for a bottle-fed child

Newborns often develop allergies to baby formula. The protein present in it causes a negative reaction in the body. In this case, it is necessary to replace the mixture with hydrolyzed or hypoallergenic soy. It is prescribed by a doctor. However, even in this case, problems may arise. Your baby may not tolerate a soy diet well, or may be put off by the taste of the hydrolyzed product.

Drug therapy

The doctor prescribes antihistamines, creams, ointments for topical use, and adsorbents. The use of this or that drug should be carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor. If skin itching and inflammation occurs, Elidel cream is prescribed. This drug is approved for use in infants aged three months and older. Bübchen cream can be used from birth. It is applied to areas where the baby's skin comes into contact with diapers or diapers. Many parents who used it to eliminate allergy symptoms speak highly of the drug. The cream copes excellently with diaper rash, quickly eliminates redness and itching, and relieves inflammation. In addition, it contains useful elements that nourish the baby's skin. The product is applied up to 4 times a day. The duration of therapy is about 10 days.

The drug "Fenistil" has also proven itself in the treatment of allergies. The product is available in the form of ointments and drops and is approved for use in children from the first month of life. When applied topically, the medicine quickly eliminates inflammation and itching and soothes the skin. Drops are prescribed three times a day. The dosage for children is small. As a rule, it is 3 drops per application. If necessary, the number of drops is adjusted to 10.

Excessive sensitivity of the body to the effects various factors environment, in other words, allergies, are becoming more common today in both adults and children. Moreover, such reactions often appear already in the first year of life.

Unprepared for a variety of external stimuli, the baby’s body often reacts to them with a painful state. A child’s immune system at an early age is not yet able to give an adequate response to threatening factors (unsuitable food, polluted air, animal fur), and allergies occur.

What is it like?

In newborns and babies of the first year of life, there are three types of allergies:

1. Food.
2. Contact (to damaging factors This group includes various chemicals, including cosmetical tools, in contact with skin, washing powders).
3. Inhalation (in other words, arising from inhalation of: dust, perfumes, plant pollen, particles of animal hair).

What danger does it pose to babies?

Allergies are not at all as harmless as they may seem at first glance. It’s good if it’s just a one-time occurrence of urticaria in a baby. However, this is not always the case. Constant allergic reactions in infancy can develop into serious diseases - bronchitis and bronchial asthma.

Moreover, the baby has a risk of becoming a chronic allergy sufferer and suffering from hay fever every spring. In addition, some allergic manifestations, for example, Quincke's edema or bronchospasm, can even lead to death (fortunately, they occur extremely rarely in infants).

In order not to expose your baby to such danger, you should take care to reduce the risk of allergies in your baby in advance, even during pregnancy. So, to the expectant mother You must adhere to the diet prescribed by your doctor and give up bad habits.

It is important to remember that the child will be susceptible to allergies many times more if a woman smokes during pregnancy.

How do allergies manifest themselves in infants?

Allergic manifestations in young children can be respiratory and skin, and similar reactions can also occur in the digestive system.

Skin rashes

Allergies are most often determined by skin lesions, including:

• rashes and redness on different parts body, often on the face, on the butt;
• the appearance of pinkish spots of different sizes on the skin (urticaria);
• the appearance of crusts on the head;
• peeling of the skin.

Respiratory symptoms

Respiratory signs of an allergic reaction in the body are as follows:

• runny nose and sneezing;
• dry cough;
• noticeably hoarse and labored breathing, up to bronchospasms;
• redness of the eyes and watery eyes.

Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract

Allergies also appear in newborns in the gastrointestinal tract: too frequent regurgitation, colic and bloating, constipation and, conversely, loose stools with an unpleasant color and smell.

However, if these symptoms did not occur in conjunction with others, then it is quite possible that the baby is not having an allergic reaction, but an intestinal disorder or another gastrointestinal disease.

Breathing problems and risk of suffocation

One of the most severe manifestations of allergies - Quincke's edema - immediately affects both the skin and the respiratory system. The child’s face becomes very swollen in a short time, then the swelling spreads to the throat, as a result of which it becomes difficult for the baby to breathe.

It is important to remember that this reaction is extremely dangerous even for an adult, therefore, at the slightest suspicion of it in an infant, you must immediately call a doctor and give the baby an antihistamine.

In addition to the listed signs, allergic reactions in newborns are usually accompanied by anxiety and poor sleep.

What do different types of allergies look like in babies?

Every parent needs to know what allergies look like in newborns. In this case, it will be possible to take the necessary measures in time.

Food

Food allergies are considered the most common. In infants it manifests itself as a skin reaction:

• severe redness of the skin of the buttocks, on the face in the cheek area,
• small, but with large area covering rash,
• peeling of the skin.

Quincke's edema also falls into the category of manifestations of this type of allergy. The above-mentioned reactions from the gastrointestinal tract can be an addition to it.

An allergy in newborns to cow's milk protein usually manifests itself as abdominal pain caused by colic and bloating, vomiting, as well as loose stools that are unpleasantly green or streaked with blood.

However, only a doctor can determine reliably whether it is an allergic reaction or another intestinal disorder.

Inhalation

Respiratory allergy to animal fur or secretions is expressed in wheezing and difficulty in nasal breathing:

• runny nose,
• nasal congestion,
• sneezing.

As a rule, the symptoms are supplemented by severe rashes and redness of the skin, as well as itching. Manifestations of this type of allergy in newborns are noticeable immediately or some time after contact with the animal and upon repeated contact.

The manifestation of respiratory allergic reactions to dust (or rather, to dust mites) is quite painful. In this case, the baby, in addition to breathing problems, experiences discomfort in the eyes and often develops conjunctivitis.

The skin may react to unfavourable conditions hives, a rather severe reaction such as eczema (on the face and/or body) is also possible. The following feature will help to recognize a newborn allergy to dust: with a long stay in another room or in the fresh air, the symptoms are significantly alleviated or disappear altogether.

Contact

Contact allergies in newborns usually manifest themselves in skin reactions. Rashes and redness of varying intensity may appear in areas in contact with clothing (the allergen in this case is synthetic material or laundry detergent).

A common cause of an allergic reaction is a diaper. The fact that it is not suitable for your baby may be indicated by constant diaper rash in a newborn, as well as redness of the skin on the buttocks and a rash.

Lack of regular air baths aggravates the situation, and the result can be allergic burns - severe redness of the skin on the buttocks, spreading to the genitals, combined with large rashes.

What to do if parents notice signs of allergies in their baby?

If you notice any symptom in your newborn that resembles an allergic reaction, you should first try to determine whether there are reasons that cause it.

If there is a suspicion that the allergen was hygiene and cosmetic products, animal hair, dust or a diaper, you should stop the child’s contact with them and see if the reaction stops.

If there are manifestations of food allergies in infants, it is necessary to identify the mother’s menu and exclude the suspicious product.

A mother whose baby is breastfed should keep her own food diary. It will clearly show which foods the baby’s body has an allergic reaction to.

Let us remind you that in the risk group:

• citrus;
• brightly colored fruits;
• seafood and fish in large quantities;
• chicken eggs;
• whole cow's milk;
• spices;
• products with unnatural additives: improvers, flavor enhancers, flavors, preservatives.

Formula-fed babies often have an allergic reaction to formula. In this case, it is necessary to feed the child after consultation with the pediatrician.

Thus, when an allergy occurs, first of all it is necessary:

1. Remove allergen.
2. Review your diet.
3. Do some general cleaning.
4. Move animals temporarily to a separate room or corridor.
5. Change brand of diapers.
6. And, of course, you need to contact your local doctor, and this needs to be done the faster, the more disturbing the symptoms of the disease cause the baby.

Methods for treating allergies in infants

Allergies in newborns do not always require drug treatment. Mild manifestations of the disease usually go away on their own after removing the identified allergen. However, if this does not happen and the symptoms bother the baby, without medicines not enough.

The doctor may prescribe the following medications:

1. External agents that relieve itching and reduce skin rashes: from herbal infusions for bathing to special antihistamine sprays and creams.
2. General antiallergic drugs for oral administration in the form of drops, syrup or tablets - to relieve an allergy attack.
3. Vasoconstrictor nasal drops for newborns (for runny nose and difficulty breathing through the nose).
4. Sorbent preparations for cleansing the intestines (for food allergies).
5. Bacterial complexes to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (for food allergies).

Important: in case of serious allergic reactions that threaten the life of the baby, it is necessary urgent help doctor!

In case of swelling of the newborn's face and neck and/or development of bronchospasm, you must immediately call an ambulance! While waiting for the doctor, it is necessary to give the child an antihistamine in the dosage stated in the instructions.