Identifying The Cause Helps You Fight The Symptoms Of Allergies Better!

Identifying The Cause Helps You Fight The Symptoms Of Allergies Better!

Almost 1 in 5 Americans suffer from allergies. Allergies do not always manifest in the form of sneezes, blocked noses, and itchy throats. They can present themselves in the way of rashes to boils, and sometimes as breathing troubles. In reality, the sixth most common cause of chronic illnesses in the USA is allergies. About 50 million Americans have some form of allergy, and it can cost over $18 billion annually to treat them.

Allergies do not discriminate

We often think that only children are susceptible to allergies. Well, in the recent years, many children are falling victims to myriads of allergic reactions, but adults are also vulnerable to different kinds of allergies. Currently, about 1 in 13 children have some form of food allergy. Peanut and soy are the leading causes of food allergy among kids in the USA.

Food allergies are much easier to control since you can teach your kids to find out about the ingredients in the candies they are eating. Airborne allergens are more of a nuisance since it is almost impossible to keep pollen, dust mites and small amounts of pet fur out of the way. Most pediatricians and allergy specialists recommend ELISA and similar tests to find out all you can about your child’s allergies. ELISA applications can highlight all the potential allergens.

How to stay healthy with allergies?

When adults know about their allergies, they find it much easier to manage them. As adults, we can always avoid specific triggers. For example – people with caffeine allergies can avoid caffeinated drinks, and people with peanut allergies avoid snack-bars with peanuts and food fried in peanut oil.

However, pollen and dust allergies are a little challenging to control. You cannot always stay indoors when the pollen count is high outside or avoid going to your boss’ housewarming party although he has three big dogs!

If you have severe allergies to common allergens, you should always wear a medical alert bracelet. It will help others know what you are allergic to, in case you start wheezing, or you go into anaphylactic shock. Most adults with severe allergies carry epinephrine (adrenaline) injections or EpiPen in the event of such an emergency.

Taking care of a child with allergies

When it is your child you are worried about, it is most important to let their school authorities and friends know about their allergies. Most children are incapable of administering shots and informing others about their allergies during emergencies. You must take the necessary step of talking about their food allergies to their class teachers, friends, and their parents before emergency hits. The earlier you opt for allergy tests, the better it is for your child. Children who get their allergy tests done by the time they are one year old are much likely to grow up healthier since the parents know what to avoid. The new immunoassays are much safer than traditional skin patch tests. They are perfect for kids and adults alike.

Allergies are controllable. Once you get an allergy test done, you will find it much easier to avoid the known allergens. Allergy tests for kids help us understand their diet exclusions and help us prevent any unpleasant surprises.

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