6 Ways to Head Off an Allergic Reaction
 
To help keep allergy triggers at bay, try these simple tips to ensure your child doesn't have an adverse reaction:

1.Check the pollen counts -- the amount of pollen in the air at any given time -- on TV or the radio or at pollen.com so you can plan your child's outside activities accordingly. (Pollen counts are highest at dusk.)
2.If your child does play outside, it's best to change her clothes as soon as she comes in.
3.Mow your lawn regularly to limit pollen that comes from grass.
4.Keep windows closed to prevent any extra pollen from getting in the house.
5.Use an air conditioner instead of a fan when pollen counts are high.
6.Avoid drying clothes outside during high pollen season.

Is There An Allergy Epidemic?
Over the past 30 years, there's been a worldwide increase in all kinds of allergies, and everything from air pollution and climate change to the overuse of antibiotics has been implicated. Researchers don't fully understand why some substances trigger allergies and others don't, or why some people are highly allergic and others are symptom-free.

"If one parent has any type of allergy, a child has an almost 50 percent chance of developing allergies," says Michael Blaiss, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at The University of Tennessee in Memphis. "If both parents have allergies, the odds jump to 70 percent." But a child can develop allergies even if neither parent is allergic. What's more, though symptoms may ebb as a child gets older, you never really "outgrow" allergies. In fact, you can develop them at any age, says Dr. Blaiss: "Adults who 'suddenly' become allergic have probably had that susceptibility all along, but it took years of repeated exposure to trigger their symptoms

What If It's Asthma?
Asthma, a chronic inflammation of the tiny airways in the lungs that causes wheezing and coughing, affects nearly 5 million American kids. It can be controlled once you recognize what you're up against.

"Eighty-five percent of childhood asthma cases are related to allergies," says pediatric allergist Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, M.D. In fact, research has found that kids who have allergic rhinitis early in life have twice the risk of developing asthma by age 6.

The other 15 percent of children with asthma don't have allergies, but many of their symptoms are the same. Nonallergic asthma may be triggered by a virus, secondhand smoke, cold or dry air, or exercise.

If your child seems to be having asthma symptoms for the first time, call your doctor. Asthma attacks can be serious -- even if the symptoms are often mild -- and usually require treatment. Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory and/or bronchodilator medications.

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