5 ways to manage childhood allergies

Motherhood comes with its own mixed bag of emotions; we want to save our child from every little peril that comes their way, including allergies.

The most common allergen in India are milk, egg and peanuts. According to the IAP survey, 11.4 per cent children under the age of 14 years suffer from some form of allergies and they usually peak around the month of May.

The symptoms of allergy range from runny nose, sneezing, coughing, rashes, watery and red eyes to swollen tongue and breathing difficulties. A child experiences serious discomfort and it leaves the parents hopeless at times.

Allergies develop slowly over time; parents need to have patience and commitment towards managing them. However, there are certain ways in which we, as parents, can contribute in prevention and possible alleviation of the problems.

Do Not Stress
Staying stress-free and calm is very important during this time. Creating panic will only add to the misery. Once we know about the symptoms, our mandate must be to keep a first-aid antiallergic kit at home. We can make this kit with the help of our paediatrician.

Let Them Get Dirty
We are all kids of mother nature. Nature has its own way of strengthening our immunity. Being over-protective about children, not letting them get their hands dirty increases their sensitivity response. Let them play in the park and get dirty once in a while.

Gut Microbiota Correction
As claimed by ayurveda, all allergies develop from a leaky gut syndrome. Excessive use of antibiotics and MSG-laden packed foods has made microscopic holes in our intestine. These holes get bigger with time allowing more allergens to pass into the bloodstream, eventually a runny nose becomes asthma overtime.

Full Research of the Allergen
Once we know our child is experiencing allergy symptoms, parents need to work like Sherlock Holmes. They need to take down a detailed history about their food, clothes and skin care products. Anything can trigger the allergy response.

Natural Aloe Vera-based Products
As far as skin allergies are concerned, Aloe Vera aka the Plant of Immortality is a healer. We recommend using natural, organic and purified Aloe Vera-based products for children so that their skin remains smooth, calm and fresh.

(Dr Nidhi Gupta completed her MD from the DY Patil University, Pune. She is a cardiometabolic expert for seven years with a keen interest in mother and child nutrition and hormonal imbalance.)