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Allergies are one of the most common diseases of early childhood. It is difficult to imagine a baby with smooth cheeks, without dryness, redness and flaking of the skin. Despite its prevalence, allergies in infants and the mechanisms of its occurrence still remain a poorly understood area of ​​medicine. Everything related to the immune system is fraught with many mysteries. Allergies in an infant can manifest themselves in mild, moderate and severe degrees. The severity of the disease is determined by the nature of the rash and the area of ​​skin lesions, as well as the general condition of the child, the functioning of the digestive and respiratory organs.

Symptoms in infants

How do allergies manifest in infants?

• Skin lesions. Redness, rashes of various types, peeling, dry skin, which are popularly called “diathesis.” Most often, allergies in infants occur on the face, neck, groin area, buttocks, knees and elbows. The severity of skin symptoms can vary: from a minor rash to cracks in the skin, weeping wounds. It may also affect only certain areas of the body, such as the cheeks, or the rash may spread throughout the body. For skin lesions of an allergic nature, the following diagnoses can be made: “allergic dermatitis”, “atopic dermatitis”, “infantile eczema”. Read more about atopic dermatitis in children in our other article.
• Digestive disorders. After feeding, excessive regurgitation, stool disturbances (diarrhea or constipation), bloating, colic, rumbling in the intestines, dysbacteriosis. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract usually occur with food allergies. If we talk about stool disorders, then most often an allergic reaction is provoked by constipation. When feces are retained in the body, intoxication increases. Toxins that should be excreted in the stool are absorbed into the blood and appear as a rash.
• Respiratory manifestations. If the provoking factor is an allergen in the air, respiratory signs may be observed: swelling of the nasopharynx and larynx (hence hoarseness), difficulty nasal breathing, copious nasal discharge, cough, red eyes, lacrimation. All these signs resemble the symptoms of ARVI, but occur without fever.
• Anxiety. In infancy, the baby cannot complain of itching, burning and discomfort, so he shows anxiety, often cries, and sleeps poorly.

Signs of allergies

What does allergies look like in newborns? The infantile form of allergic dermatitis begins with redness of the cheeks, peeling of the skin on the forehead and chin. All these external manifestations can occur against the background of digestive disorders: the child is bothered by colic, has foamy loose stools, or, conversely, constipation. Allergic symptoms in a newborn cannot be ignored. This can be a reaction to anything: water, food, air, cosmetics, etc. “Provocateurs” must be identified and eliminated as soon as possible. This is the treatment of allergies in newborns.

Allergies in infants can be treated quickly and effectively without taking medications if the source, the triggering factor, is found. The use of antihistamines is indicated only for severe, acute forms of allergies of various origins. The main part of home therapy is eliminating the allergen. Sometimes it takes quite a long time to discover it. But there is no other viable way to combat allergies.

Treatment of allergies in newborns and infants

Treatment of allergies in infants should be carried out comprehensively and include several important areas.

Timely bowel movements

This is an important factor in natural and artificial feeding. True, in infants on artificial nutrition, stool may be less frequent and of a denser consistency. If a child is prone to prolonged and frequent constipation, it is necessary to consult a pediatric gastroenterologist. A nursing mother suffering from constipation also needs to eliminate the cause, since accumulated allergens are passed on to the baby through breast milk. The safest remedy for constipation in infants is lactulose syrup. This remedy can be used for a long time, it has no side effects.

Elimination of provoking factors

This is the most difficult part of therapy for which parents are responsible. Where can allergens hide that provoke allergic reactions in an infant?

• Nutrition. Most often, allergies are triggered by food. Food allergies can occur in breastfed, bottle-fed, or mixed-fed infants. When breastfeeding (BF), an allergy occurs to an allergen in mother's milk. With artificial - for lactose, soy in mixtures.
• Nutrition for a nursing mother. If lactase deficiency is suspected in the baby, the mother is prohibited from consuming whole milk. If you are allergic to gluten, you should not eat pasta, bread, baked goods, wheat, oatmeal, or semolina porridge. You also need to exclude all highly allergenic foods from the menu: red, orange fruits, vegetables, honey, cocoa, pork, offal, fish, eggs, etc. Read more about highly allergenic foods and food allergies in children in our other article. You should reduce the fat content of milk and consume fermented milk products with a low percentage of fat, lean meat, forget about lard, rich broths.
• Early complementary feeding. If a child has allergies at 5 months while breastfeeding or formula feeding, there is no need to rush into complementary feeding. It is advisable to introduce foods into the diet from 7 months. You should start only with hypoallergenic vegetable purees, then include gluten-free porridges, after porridges you can gradually introduce fermented milk products, and only from 9 months can you offer low-fat and hypoallergenic types of meat.
• Overfeeding a baby. This factor is often ignored. With artificial nutrition, overeating occurs more often. Formulas are more nutritious than breast milk, satiation occurs faster, so food is poorly processed by saliva. Doctors also confirm the fact: in overweight children with excess weight, allergies are much more common.
• Sufficient drinking regime. If there is little fluid in the baby’s body, toxins are not excreted in the urine, but are absorbed into the blood. This leads to allergic reactions. If the baby sweats often and drinks little, the problem gets worse.
• Water. Frequent contact with untreated tap water leads to allergic contact dermatitis.
• Quality of toys. It is important that all the baby’s toys are made of high-quality, safe material and are certified. It is recommended to remove all soft toys that accumulate household dust.
• Hygiene products. Soaps and gels should be used once a week. All skin care products must be certified and hypoallergenic.
• Household chemicals and clothing care products. It is necessary to use hypoallergenic powder for washing children's clothes, towels, and bed linen. It is advisable to rinse things with water without chlorine and do not use aromatic rinses. It is also recommended to minimize the use of household chemicals.
• Cloth. Must be made of cotton and linen. It is recommended to remove bright clothes with dyes from your wardrobe. First of all, those that come into contact with the skin - rompers, bodysuits, blouses, hats. Also, woolen items should not be used.

Comfortable environmental conditions

The baby's room should have moist and cool air. Ideal humidity parameters should be from 50 to 70%, air temperature - from 18 to 20 °C. How to achieve these conditions? During the heating season, you can use a humidifier or install a thermostat on the radiators. Hot air causes the baby to sweat more, and along with sweat, substances that irritate the skin are released. It is also important to keep the room clean, regularly carry out wet cleaning and vacuuming. From the nursery you need to remove upholstered furniture, carpets, massive curtains that collect dust well. House dust, together with dust mites, is considered one of the strongest allergens.

Drug treatment

Drug therapy rightly takes last place in the case of allergies in infants. Firstly, drugs do not cure, but only eliminate symptoms. Secondly, the medications themselves can cause allergies. What can an allergist or pediatrician prescribe?

• Sorbents. Harmless drugs for an infant. Help cleanse the body of harmful toxins that are absorbed into the blood. Sorbents also help cope with constipation. These drugs can be prescribed to a nursing mother who has digestive disorders.
• Antihistamines. This is a large group of drugs that are used for the symptomatic treatment of allergies. There are 3 generations of antihistamines. For the treatment of infants, 2nd and 3rd generation drugs are more often used, which do not have a sedative effect and have fewer side effects.
• Non-hormonal ointments for local treatment. These are ointments with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, healing effects. They also contain antihistamines that help relieve swelling and itching of the skin.
• Hormonal ointments for local treatment. They are prescribed if nothing else helps, and skin rashes intensify, cracks and weeping wounds form, and there is a risk of bacterial infection. Hormonal drugs provide a quick therapeutic effect, but using them without a doctor’s prescription is strictly prohibited.

Read more about antiallergic drugs for children in our other article.

If your child is allergic: 10 important questions

1. Is it possible to bathe a baby with allergies? Water hygiene procedures for allergies must be carried out, since secretions from sweat glands aggravate skin problems. It is only important not to keep the baby in the bath for a long time, do not use hot water or washcloths. After water procedures, you need to use moisturizing cosmetics and medicinal products. To retain moisture on the skin, emollients are used - special creams that are applied to a damp body after bathing.
2. What should I bathe my child in if he has allergies? Water must be purified from chlorine (boiling, settling, using purification filters). Chlorine and other harmful impurities dry out the baby's delicate skin. Frequent use of cleaning hygiene products (soaps, gels, foams), which also dry out the skin, is also not recommended. Among the medicinal herbs, you can use decoctions of chamomile, sage, calendula, and string. They have anti-inflammatory properties and relieve redness, itching, and swelling of the skin. They can be used every other day and alternated. It is important to note: too concentrated herbal solutions can lead to dry, flaky skin.
3. Is diaper dermatitis an allergy? Sometimes a rash with diaper dermatitis can be mistaken for an allergy: redness, swelling of the skin in the buttocks and genitals. Diaper dermatitis (or also diaper rash) is not an allergy, but an inflammatory skin irritation; it is provoked not by diapers, but by secretions that come into contact with the skin for a long time. The most harmful to the baby's body is a mixture of feces and urine. Proper hygiene, timely changing of the diaper and its correct selection, ventilation of the skin lead to the rapid elimination of symptoms.
4. What is the best allergy medicine for newborns and infants? The best means effective and safe. These drugs include new generation antihistamines. And yet, if you read the instructions, antihistamine syrups and drops are prohibited for allergies in children under one or two years old. Only Fenistil has no age-related contraindications. The doctor can prescribe the well-known drugs “Zyrtec” and “Erius” to infants according to indications and in small doses.
5. Is there an allergy to vitamin D? A reaction to this drug may include diarrhea and rash. Vitamin D is utilized by the liver, but its overdose can lead to malfunctions in its functioning. And this, in turn, provokes an allergic reaction. If you suspect an allergy, you should stop taking vitamin D and inform your pediatrician.
6. Why are allergies dangerous? Untimely or inadequate treatment of allergies in infants can lead to serious consequences. The most dangerous of them is anaphylactic shock, which occurs quickly and suddenly. Most often, anaphylactic shock is caused by insect venom from bites, taking medications, vaccines, plant pollen; less often, such an acute reaction can be caused by foods: fish, chocolate, citrus fruits, honey, peanuts. Also dangerous is a reaction called Quincke's edema (swelling of the skin and mucous membranes, threat of suffocation). With prolonged allergies, chronic bronchitis, otitis media, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and bronchial asthma may gradually develop. Chronic skin diseases are also possible: eczema, psoriasis, various types of dermatitis.
7. Could there be an allergy to the mixture? If the child is bottle-fed or mixed-fed, the cause of skin rashes may be the mixture. It contains cow protein, which, if there is a lack of the lactase enzyme, is not broken down and leads to an allergic reaction. Read more about lactase deficiency in infants in our other article. It is not recommended to replace cow's milk with goat's milk, because the latter can also cause allergies. Soy-based formulas can also cause an allergic reaction. Frequent changes of baby food, high concentration of formula, transfer of the baby to formula from other manufacturers are the provoking factors that parents are not even aware of.
8. What can be a food allergy during complementary feeding? The most allergenic foods of protein origin: whole milk, soy, eggs, fish, nuts. Dishes from the listed products are strictly prohibited for children under one year of age. Also excluded from the diet are spicy, sweet, fatty, sour, citrus fruits, honey, cocoa, red and orange fruits and vegetables.
9. Why is there an allergy on the face of a newborn? Around the third week of a baby’s life, the mother may notice a rash on the baby’s face (nose, cheeks, mouth). Immediately a suspicion of diathesis arises and the thoughts are overwhelming: “I ate something wrong.” This skin rash is also called “newborn’s milia”, “three-week rash” and is associated with the hormonal levels that are established in the baby’s body. Before this, he was on his mother’s hormones, now his metabolism begins to work independently, which leads to some disruptions. There is nothing dangerous about this rash and it needs to be treated. Baby milia usually goes away within a few weeks.
10. Should breastfeeding be canceled if the baby is allergic to breast milk? Switching to artificial nutrition is not the best option. Both doctors and breastfeeding specialists strongly recommend maintaining natural feeding, but at the same time, the nursing mother must follow a strict diet. Only in rare cases, in severe forms of lactose intolerance, breastfeeding can be discontinued and a transition to low-lactose and lactose-free formulas recommended.

Is it possible to hope for a complete recovery of a baby with persistent signs of infant allergies? In most cases, as the enzymatic, immune, and digestive systems mature, the signs of allergy gradually disappear. It is only important to promptly eliminate factors that provoke allergic reactions from the baby’s life.

In pediatrics, allergies are the most common disease. Breastfed babies are also susceptible to it. During this period of a child’s life, diagnosing the problem and identifying the allergen have their own specifics.

Most women who have recently given birth, faced with such a problem, decide to stop lactation, considering milk to be the cause of all troubles. Is it necessary to solve the problem in this way and will it have a positive effect?

Causes and symptoms

The main ways allergens enter a child’s body are:

• through food;
• penetration with air (through the respiratory tract);
• contact - due to direct contact with the skin.

It can be difficult to track all possible contacts with allergens if the child already moves well on his own, during walks in the warm season, and if the nursing mother does not adhere to the dietary menu.

Manifestations of allergies in breastfed children:

• urticaria - a small red rash that causes discomfort due to severe itching;
• peeling of the skin;
• the appearance of crusts on the scalp;
• diarrhea;
• constipation;
• intestinal colic;
• profuse regurgitation.

All such symptoms require timely treatment.

Hives Dermatitis Dermatitis
Conjunctivitis Quincke's edema Itching

Food diary

A significant part of allergic reactions occurs as a result of a violation of the hypoallergenic diet by a nursing mother. It is difficult to resist delicacies, especially for a long time, so it is worth learning how to prepare healthy and nutritious meals from dietary products.

To avoid unknowingly eating any strong allergen, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of recommended and prohibited foods.

Eliminate completely:

• coffee, cocoa and chocolate;
• mushrooms;
• seafood (fish, shrimp, crayfish, shellfish, caviar);
• nuts (the strongest allergen is in peanuts);
• strawberry;
• raspberry;
• citrus fruits: lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit;
• spices;
• bakery;
• tomatoes;
• whole cow's milk;
• chicken eggs and meat;
• canned food of any kind (both homemade and industrially made);
• pickled, salted, smoked products;
• purchased products that contain food colors, flavors, and preservatives.

The list is long and it may seem that it contains all the products typical for daily nutrition.

You need to pay attention to the following ingredients in order to develop a suitable and safe menu based on them:

1. Cereals. You should start with gluten-free ones, then gradually introduce the rest.
2. Vegetable fats: olive, sunflower and corn oil.
3. Meat: veal, turkey, lean lamb, rabbit.
4. By-products: tongue, kidneys.
5. Selected types of fish: pike perch, sea bass, cod.
6. Fermented milk products: cheese, sour cream, yogurt, kefir.
7. Butter.
8. Fruits and berries are green and pale yellow: apples, gooseberries, cherries.
9. Green and yellow vegetables: zucchini, squash, white cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, potatoes (pre-soaked in salted water for at least 2 hours).
10. Bread: made from second-grade flour or dried, diet bread.
11. Drink: weak tea, mixtures to increase lactation, still water, compote of dull berries and fruits, dried fruits.

Not only the ingredients of dishes are important, but also the methods of their preparation, selection and storage:

1. Products must be fresh. In the warm season, it is better to cook in small portions and eat immediately to avoid souring of the dishes.
2. The meat must undergo heat treatment until fully cooked. You can’t eat meat with blood, half-raw.
3. Store-bought dairy products should be chosen with a short shelf life - this is an indicator of naturalness and the absence of preservatives.
4. When cooking, you should choose the method of steaming or stewing - this way the food will retain the maximum of healthy ingredients.
5. Exotic fruits are more likely to cause allergies than common ones (the exception is banana).
6. Preparing soups, especially during periods of exacerbation of allergies, has its own peculiarity: the meat broth should be drained and vegetable broth should be used instead.

Calculating the allergen

Food allergy is a purely individual disease, so it is not at all necessary that the trigger will be on the list of highly allergenic foods.

Sometimes rashes and other manifestations appear after eating food with the slightest risk.

To identify such cases, it is recommended to keep a food diary - a notebook in which the foods eaten and the baby’s reaction to them will be recorded day by day.

Basics of keeping a food diary:

• For the first three days, the diet is very meager - you need to choose the safest ingredients possible: rice, kefir, boiled veal, cauliflower or steamed broccoli, green apples.
• On the 4th day (if the baby has no allergies), one product is administered in a small amount during the morning meal. With normal tolerance, the amount is slightly increased on the 5th day, and on the 6th you can eat a full portion.
• You can add 1 ingredient to the menu every three days. If changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract or skin, the product is excluded from the diet.
• When creating a menu, you need to pay attention to the large number of vegetables and fruits in it. A lack of these elements can affect the mother's health and significantly reduce immunity.

It may turn out that the allergy is caused by washing powder, chlorinated water, or some materials. In this case, additional checks will be needed, and it is better to get tested.

If a child has a tendency to allergies and frequent relapses are observed, it is necessary to protect the child not only from food triggers, but also from external ones.

Care Tips:

• if you are prone to constipation, you need to solve this problem with the help of a doctor as quickly as possible - problems with bowel movements provoke retention of allergens in the body;
• It is better to choose drugs for therapy without dyes and flavors (syrups);
• Buy cosmetics for baby care that are hypoallergenic and from a trusted manufacturer;
• do not use pillows, blankets with down or wool filling;
• if you are prone to skin reactions, iron underwear and clothes;
• prevent the child from overheating both in summer and winter;
• It is not recommended to keep pets in contact with the baby;
• Bathing water should be left for 2 hours before the procedure to avoid contact of chlorine with the skin;
• after bathing (which lasts up to 20 minutes), you need to apply a product with a moisturizing effect to the child’s skin;
• toys must be certified and do not contain harmful ingredients;
• Carry out wet cleaning and ventilation in the room daily.

Diagnosis and treatment

The following methods are used to diagnose the disease:

1. collecting information from parents: feeding habits, care, whether there are any other pathologies;
2. establishing a connection between the introduction of a new product, a change in hygiene products and an exacerbation of the disease;
3. visual inspection (location and nature of the rash);
4. ultrasound diagnostics of the stomach and intestines;
5. blood test (high level of eosinophils, total immunoglobulin E).

Treatment is carried out under the strict supervision of a pediatrician or allergist and may include the following items:

1. strict diet;
2. antihistamines (for example,);
3. adsorbents (Enterosgel, Activated carbon, Smecta);
4. probiotics (Linex, Lacidofil);
5. hormonal and non-hormonal topical agents.

Self-medication is unacceptable, as is changing the dosage of medications - at this age, complications and side effects can be very serious. The choice and duration of therapy depends on the manifestations of the allergy and how successfully the disease can be treated.

The daily care and nutrition of a child with allergies has its own characteristics, but sometimes it is not possible to completely overcome relapses. The chronic form of the disease is common, but tends to go away at the age of 3-5 years, when the child’s body gets stronger and it is easier to cope with triggers.

If an allergy occurs in a baby, there is no need to stop lactation— mother’s milk contains everything necessary to maintain the baby’s immunity and health.

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All information is presented for educational purposes. Do not self-medicate, it is dangerous! Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Article last updated: 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
• Medicines
• 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 a formula-fed baby, the reaction to formula causes serious concern. Sometimes it takes them a lot of time to find the right food that is completely suitable for his stomach and does 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 formula 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 of age, and is explained by the immaturity of the infant’s gastrointestinal tract. 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, when breastfeeding a child, the mother’s daily menu includes 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, hives, 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 they bring so many pleasant emotions 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 in your baby, the first thing you need to do is remove the animal from the house, first 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 environmental factors.

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:

Select the section Allergic diseases Symptoms and manifestations of allergies Diagnosis of allergies Treatment of allergies Pregnant and lactating Children and allergies Hypoallergenic life Allergy calendar

Allergies - the body's overreaction to non-hazardous irritants - is a problem that almost everyone faces. Children's allergies, and especially allergic reactions in infants, are very common. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand how to treat allergies in an infant in order to quickly and safely help the child.

Today, the pharmacological market is replete with a variety of antiallergic drugs, and the Internet offers all kinds of options for folk remedies. It’s not difficult to get lost among the advice, so we’ll try to systematize knowledge on this issue.

I would like to clarify by period of childhood: the term “infants” includes newborns and children under 1 year of age.

Manifestations of allergies in infants

Allergic diseases are extremely diverse. Among the most common are allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, urticaria, atopic and contact dermatitis.

Each of these diseases has its own symptoms.

You can find out more and also see photos in the article on the portal:

All symptoms can be divided into:

Gastrointestinal symptoms:

• nausea
• diarrhea
• vomit
• belching
• stomach pain

This is how an allergy to the formula manifests itself, if it is made on the basis of cow's milk, an allergy to this or that medicine, to complementary feeding products (fruits, cottage cheese, eggs) and nuts, peanuts, wheat, chocolate, coffee, etc. consumed by the mother.

Skin symptoms

How to treat allergies in infants? — Severe skin manifestations are dealt with using special baths

Urticaria is characterized by a red-pink rash, itching, and Quincke's edema (in severe cases). This is how both food and contact allergies can manifest themselves.

For contact dermatitis characteristic:

• peeling skin
• dryness
• burning
• crust formation on the cheeks

This reaction occurs if there is an allergy to cream or other cosmetics, napkins, items of clothing, or washing powder.

Some photos of allergies in infants

Diathesis on the cheeks as a symptom of food allergy

Eczema as a manifestation of food allergy to milk

Severe allergic reaction to medications

It is important to differentiate between prickly heat and contact diaper allergies. Miliaria occurs as a result of insufficient skin care. It appears in folds of skin - in the groin, between the buttocks, on the neck. Its main manifestations are a red, finely blistered rash, often weeping. If the skin in these areas is treated correctly, symptoms will not appear.

A rash from an allergy to diapers appears on the butt and legs even with sufficient hygiene, but only after using diapers. It can be caused either by frequent changes in manufacturer, or by hypersensitivity to the gel that is used to treat the inside of the diaper to improve moisture absorption.

Do allergies need to be treated?

Photo: Allergy to milk on the cheeks of a baby

Many parents, based on the belief that treatment can only worsen the situation, prefer not to carry out any therapy. On the one hand, this is true: any medication can cause new allergies, especially in children who are predisposed to this. On the other hand, allergic manifestations can cause a lot of discomfort to the child.

First and foremost, it is imperative to avoid contact with the allergen.

The remaining actions will be aimed at helping the body cope with existing manifestations of allergies. Dr. E.O. Komarovsky believes that further measures need to be taken to alleviate the child’s condition.

But if you still don’t treat your baby’s allergies, what will happen?

The inflammation will take longer, the child will worry and be capricious, scratching the itchy skin, which will aggravate its condition.

In addition, there is a risk of an allergic march - the appearance of more symptoms and ultimately the development of bronchial asthma.

How to treat allergies in infants?

When asked about how to treat allergies in infants, Dr. E.O. Komarovsky answers: a whole range of measures is needed. Their nature depends on the type of allergy and the severity of its manifestations.

Parents are well aware that an allergic reaction first appears on the face of their children.

From the article “” you will learn about the main causes of drug and food allergies, as well as the treatment and prevention of facial allergies in infants.

How to treat food allergies in infants

How is food allergy treated in infants? First of all, you need to find out which product the reaction occurs to and eliminate it from use.

In case natural feeding allergies, as already mentioned, occur to complementary foods or substances consumed by the mother. Among the most allergenic:

Food allergies are the most common in children under one year of age

• fish and seafood
• nuts
• chocolate
• red and orange fruits
• pineapples
• grape

Artificial feeding itself carries an increased risk of allergies. First of all, casein is to blame, on the basis of which unadapted milk formulas are made.

The child's body often cannot digest this protein properly, resulting in hypersensitivity to undigested protein.

How to treat cow protein allergy? It is better not to use unadapted formulas at all, not to cook porridge with cow's milk, and not to introduce cottage cheese as complementary foods until 8-10 months.

If an allergy does appear, there are rashes, itching, redness (usually on the face), use:

• Non-hormonal antihistamine ointments (“Fenistil”, “Soventol”);
• Anti-inflammatory ointments (“Desitin”, “Elidel”) ointments.

For manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract, sorbents should be used. These substances help to “collect” toxins released from the bloodstream and neutralize them, relieving symptoms.

With the permission of the pediatrician, allergies in infants can be treated with Polysorb from birth

From birth, medications such as:

• "Polysorb"
• "Enterosgel"
• "Smecta".

Adsorbent "Polysorb" It is used internally, only diluted with water. The dosage depends on the child's weight.

If the weight is less than 10 kg, from 0.5 to 1.5 tsp. diluted in 30-50 ml of water (depending on the severity of symptoms).

11-20 kg – 1 tsp. in 30-50 ml. Taken before or during meals, three times a day.

Children often do not like the taste of Enterosgel, but it is an excellent helper in treating allergies.

Preparation "Enterosgel" in a volume of 2.5 g (0.5 tsp) diluted in breast milk or water in a ratio of 1:3, given to the child during each feeding, but no more than 6 times a day.

Both of these medications are contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to their components, as well as intestinal atony.

"Smecta" it has a wider list of limitations, including some types of enzymatic deficiency (fructose, glucose-galactose, sucrase-isomaltase). Infants should be given it in the amount of 1 sachet per day for 3-7 days.

Suprastin for allergies has proven itself a long time ago. When treating children with it, you must strictly follow the instructions.

Antihistamines may be used

• Suprastin,
• Zyrtec (syrup),
• Claritin.

So, ¼ of the Suprastin tablet is ground to a powder, added to baby food and used 2-3 times a day for 5-7 days.

Most other antihistamines have an age limit (for example, Claritin - from two years), so to select a medicine you need to consult a specialist.

Many parents are concerned about the question: how to treat the intestines for allergies in infants?

Only a pediatrician can answer this, because first you need to conduct an examination and find out whether the allergy caused problems with the digestive tract, or whether all changes are temporary and will disappear in a couple of days.

However, a good remedy for the prevention of post-allergic intestinal diseases are probiotics.

Probiotics are live microorganisms (usually lacto- or bifidobacteria) “enclosed” in capsules or fermented milk products.

• "Linex"
• "Bifidumbacterin"
• "Acipol."

Dr. E.O. Komarovsky assures that allergies are often not only a consequence of the interaction of the immune system with an allergen, but also the result of improper feeding of the child.

The fragile gastrointestinal tract cannot cope with large volumes of food, and therefore undigested substances that would not cause any reaction in acceptable quantities become strong allergens.

So, summarizing the above, here are the answers to the main questions

How to treat allergies in infants to artificial feeding?

Use only adapted mixtures or special foods for children prone to allergies (for example, the “Nutrilon. Amino acids” mixture)

How to treat gastrointestinal manifestations of allergies?

• do not overfeed the child;
• adsorbents;
• antihistamines;
• probiotics.

How to treat skin manifestations of food allergies?

According to reviews on forums, the most common allergy manifests itself as a rash on the body when using Johnson's baby oils And powder "Eared nyan".

Parents whose children are prone to allergies should refrain from using these products, since it is better to prevent severe allergies in infants than to treat them.

When the question arises about which ointment to treat allergies in infants, you cannot be guided only by reviews.

It is necessary to select a medicine taking into account which symptoms bother you most. In short, there are hormonal and non-hormonal drugs.

Hormone-based ointments can only be used in the absence of infection with dermatitis (after consultation with a doctor). Among the most popular drugs:

• "Advantan"
• "Elokom".

All non-hormonal ointments are divided into antihistamines, anti-inflammatory agents, and agents with a regenerating effect. Their use can be combined with other antihistamines - Suprastin tablets, sorbents.

Treatment of allergies with folk remedies

Often, parents do not trust pharmaceutical products, worrying that they are “unnatural” and that they can cause even more harm. But certified pharmaceuticals have undeniable advantages:

1. Many antiallergic drugs made from natural ingredients(for example, Gistan ointment), you can choose the safest ones;
2. IN ready-made medicinal products have an accurately calculated dose, there are clear indications and contraindications, side effects have been studied, folk remedies are prepared and used “by eye”, and people often do not know about the side effects at all;
3. Contrary to popular belief, folk remedies can cause allergies just like pharmacies.

And yet there are time-tested folk recipes. So, how to treat allergies in infants with folk remedies?

Series

One of the most famous remedies is the series. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, relieves irritation and itching due to the active substances included in its composition.

How to treat allergies in infants - folk knowledge will tell you. It is not difficult to make ointment from string and it is quite effective against allergies

You can bathe your child in baths with a decoction of the string, make lotions and homemade ointments.

Attention! Children should not drink the decoction of the string!

One of the most popular recipes:

• 1 liter of boiling water
• 8 tbsp. successions

Leave the broth for 15 minutes, strain, add to the water poured into the bathtub.

Bay leaf

Bay leaf has been considered another good medicine since ancient times. It stimulates the immune system, relieves inflammation, strengthens the vascular wall, fights increased vascular permeability, and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. They use lotions and compresses with bay leaves and make baths.

Taking bay leaf decoctions internally is possible for adults; for children, only external use is relevant.

Do not infuse the laurel decoction for too long, so as not to obtain a highly concentrated product.

To prepare a decoction for rubbing the skin, you need:

• 3 laurel leaves;
• 500 ml water

Bring water to a boil, add leaves, leave for 10 minutes. Cool and wipe the affected skin with a cotton pad.

They also use dandelion, plantain, thyme, chamomile, valerian, elecampane - there are many recipes.

But remember: you cannot completely rely on your own assumptions and knowledge and advice from the Internet.

All natural medicines – strong allergens, all these remedies, no matter how actively they are advertised by supporters of natural therapy, can aggravate the child’s condition. Allergies in infants: how to treat with herbs? The main answer is to be careful and smart.

Scientists began to observe and study allergic reactions only at the beginning of the 20th century. Allergies in various forms occur in 30% of the child population. Its causes are unfavorable environmental factors, genetic predisposition, as well as an increasing number of diseases to which parents are exposed before conception and birth of a child. Most often, newborns and children in the first year of life are prone to hypersensitivity.

This is what the signs of a food allergy look like

What is an allergy?

Allergy is an immunopathological process caused by the hypersensitivity of the body's immune system. The substance that triggers an allergic reaction is called an “allergen.”

When a previously sensitized organism is re-exposed to an allergen, the immune system responds by producing immunoglobulins E. These, in turn, cause a number of changes that contribute to the development of characteristic symptoms.

Types of allergies in infants and the symptoms that accompany them

According to the types and symptoms, hypersensitivity in young children can be divided into three groups:

Skin lesions:

• exudative diathesis, milk scab (the skin of the face, forehead, cheeks, chest, buttocks, tummy turns red, peels, gets wet, itches) (we recommend reading:);
• rash, redness of various types (from small dots on the forehead and cheeks to urticaria spots all over the body);
• gneiss (seborrhea) under the hairs on the head and eyebrows;
• diaper rash that cannot be cured for a long time (behind the ears, in the groin folds, in the armpits);
• excessive heat rash even with slight overheating;
• allergic conjunctivitis.

Digestive system disorders:

• intestinal colic – spasms of intestinal muscles, flatulence;
• frequent and profuse regurgitation, vomiting;
• unstable, irregular stool (liquid with foam, greenish in color, constipation);
• intestinal dysbiosis.

Manifestations from the respiratory system:

• allergic rhinitis (prolonged runny nose, difficulty in nasal breathing);
• bronchospasm (difficulty wheezing with retraction of the compliant areas of the chest), possible transition to bronchial asthma.

A particularly dangerous manifestation of an allergic reaction is Quincke's edema (angio-neurotic edema). This condition is characterized by swelling of the subcutaneous fat of the face, neck, and less commonly of the limbs, larynx, and, as a result, suffocation. An extreme form of an allergic reaction is anaphylactic shock.

Causes of an allergic reaction

Due to the occurrence of an allergy in an infant, it can be food, contact, or drug. Pathogens include food, breast milk, household chemicals, children's perfumes, medications, vaccines, insect bites and poison.

Manifestation of exudative atopic dermatitis on the face of a baby

Food allergies in infants are the most common and manifest mainly in the form of exudative atopic dermatitis and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract:

• An allergy on the cheeks of a breastfed baby indicates a reaction to foods in the mother's diet, individual intolerance to breast milk.
• Infant formula is the most common cause of allergies in bottle-fed newborns (we recommend reading:). In this case, an allergy on the child’s face may also indicate intolerance to the ingredients of the mixture, lactase deficiency.
• Allergies in children under one year of age also occur at the time of introduction of complementary foods. According to recommendations, complementary feeding begins at the age of at least four months, trying a new product no more than once a week.

Allergic rash

Contact allergies in a one-month-old baby manifest themselves in the form of a variety of rashes. Rashes appear on areas of the skin in direct contact with the allergen, and then disseminate throughout the body. In this case, hypersensitivity to house dust, hair and waste products of pets, as well as children's underwear fabrics, laundry detergents, special children's cosmetics - creams, diapers, wet wipes - may occur.

Allergic reaction of contact type

An allergic reaction to medications most often debuts as a small red itchy rash that tends to drain. This may be nothing more than a side effect of antibacterial drugs, vitamin complexes, antipyretic syrups or vaccines.

In the spring-summer period of the year, an allergy in an infant may be a reaction to flowering plants (hay fever). In this case, the allergen is pollen from trees and grasses. Hay fever in an infant is expressed by a runny nose, sneezing, conjunctivitis, and has a pronounced seasonality.

Hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in an infant

How to understand what your baby is allergic to?

Diagnosis of allergies and identification of allergens is carried out only by specialist doctors: pediatrician, allergist-immunologist. An examination of the child, a blood test, and additional instrumental examination methods are required.

The presence of an increased level of IgE and eosinophils in a blood test allows you to understand and more accurately recognize an allergic reaction, and find out the main allergen. Questioning parents and keeping a food diary helps determine the connection between exposure to certain factors, food intake and symptoms of hypersensitivity.

How are allergies dangerous for infants?

Measures not taken to stop an allergic reaction in any manifestation in infants are primarily dangerous due to complications.

• The most common complication is bronchial asthma, a long-term disease of an infectious-allergic nature with frequent exacerbations.
• It is possible to develop chronic damage to the hematopoietic system - hemolytic anemia. The main symptom of this disease is the accelerated destruction of red blood cells.
• However, the most dangerous conditions are considered to be angioedema and anaphylactic shock. These conditions appear suddenly, develop rapidly and are treated only in a hospital setting.

Treatment of pathology in babies under one year old

To cure an allergy in an infant, you must first remove the allergen. When breastfeeding, a woman must choose her food carefully. Citrus fruits, honey and bee products, red fruits and vegetables, baked goods, chocolate, canned and smoked foods, milk, nuts, fish and seafood are completely excluded from the diet.

Only hypoallergenic cosmetics are chosen for the baby (we recommend reading:). It is important to ventilate the children's room as often as possible and carry out wet cleaning in it, and remove dust accumulations (carpets, curtains, soft toys).

How to treat, what medicine to give a child, what to anoint skin lesions with? The drugs are prescribed strictly by the doctor, and medications of general and local action are selected.

Use of sorbents

Enterosorbents – Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, Activated carbon, White coal – are more often used in the treatment of food allergies. It can be used from birth, as well as at 6-7 months when complementary foods are introduced.

Enterosorbents are not absorbed from the digestive tract. Passing through the gastrointestinal tract without changes, they neutralize toxic and allergic reactions, help reduce the load on the liver and kidneys, bind pathogens in the intestines, and accelerate their removal from the body by activating peristalsis.

Use of antihistamines

Antihistamines reduce manifestations of hypersensitivity in the form of swelling, itching, and rashes. Until the child reaches one month of age, no antihistamines are prescribed. Today, there are several generations of this group of drugs.

Early generation (Diphenhydramine, Suprastin, Tavegil, Fenkarol, Diazolin), in addition to the antiallergic effect, has a pronounced sedative effect, they must be taken two to three times a day. At home, these remedies are not used in infants.

The drugs of the next generations (I, II) are more adapted for use by children - Loratadine, Desloratadine, Cetirizine, Levocetirezine, Fexofenadine, Dimetindene. They have a daily targeted and selective effect, there is no sedative effect. If the child is over a month old, then treatment with drops, for example, Fenistil, is allowed. Once your baby reaches 6 months of age, you can use Zyrtec drops.

Topical products

All products for topical use are divided into hormonal and non-hormonal. Available in the form of cream, gel, ointment.

Products that do not contain hormones can be used for a long time. Such creams include Bepanten, Fenistil, Elidel, Vundehil. If the child is already a month old, allergies on the face, forehead, and cheeks can be relieved with a drug such as Bepanten (more details in the article:). It is also available for children in a convenient form of emulsion and cooling foam.

Ointments and creams containing corticosteroid hormones are used in case of ineffectiveness of other means for severe allergies only as prescribed by a doctor. They actively and quickly reduce itching and reduce skin manifestations, while being absorbed into the blood. Relatively safe drugs for children (Advantan, Mometasone) begin to be used from the age of six months; only a specialist decides how long they can be applied to the skin. If treatment with such substances is abruptly stopped, “withdrawal syndrome” and recurrence of the underlying disease may occur.

Traditional medicine recipes

Of the entire arsenal of traditional medicine recipes, only external use is allowed for infants and young children.

Baths, lotions, and rubbing with herbal decoctions should not be opposed to traditional methods; they are just an addition to the main therapy. After the umbilical wound has completely healed, a decoction of string, calendula, chamomile, and oak bark is poured into the baby’s bathtub - this will moisturize and soothe the skin. Lotions and rubs made from aloe juice will reduce itching and redness.

What should parents do when their child is diagnosed with an allergy? First of all – don’t panic! Nonspecific methods of treatment and prevention of relapse of the disease are easy to carry out at home every day.

To prevent allergic reactions in infants, it is necessary to strictly follow all the rules for caring for the baby.

Necessary:

• observe the drinking regime and maintain the water balance of the baby’s body;
• strictly follow dietary recommendations for nutrition of both the newborn and mother;
• select baby bedding only from soft natural fabrics with the seams facing out, wear only clean and dry clothes;
• regularly ventilate the children's room, do wet cleaning, preventing the accumulation of dust;
• bathe and wash the baby on time, use only proven brands of diapers;
• treat skin folds with a protective cream; if at least several elements of the rash appear, use a special cream (for example, Bepanten);
• Do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician if you suspect the progression of allergies, and promptly and correctly follow his recommendations.

How long does it take for allergies to go away?

The speed of a child’s recovery is very individual and depends on many factors. What was the allergen, how long did it last (see also:)? How long after the allergy appeared was treatment prescribed and was it effective?

A complex of allergy manifestations may disappear without a trace after two to three days, or long-term treatment may be required. If you follow all the recommendations, there is hope that by the age of five the allergy will go away, as the immune system and digestive tract have completed their formation and improvement. Be healthy!