Allergies in Children

Allergies, including food and environmental allergies, are one of the most overlooked but widespread issues behind chronic health conditions in young children and adolescents. The list of potential allergens and the symptoms that result can be hard to pinpoint and sometimes seemingly unrelated. Due to this, allergies must be carefully considered, tested for, and removed from your child’s diet and lifestyle, whenever possible.

ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN

An allergic reaction occurs when someone has an irritated response to environmental substances or foods that are normally harmless to most people. Allergens are compounds found in dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, ticks, molds, foods, and some drugs.

FAQ ABOUT ALLERGY IN CHILDREN

What causes an Allergy?

An allergic reaction is caused by someone’s body negatively reacting to something in their diet or surroundings. Once the body has identified this irritant and begins to fight it, antibodies are sent into our bloodstream and the person then suffers an allergic reaction. These reactions can range anywhere from a swollen bug bite to a deathly peanut allergy.

The following are examples of common allergy triggers:

• Airborne allergens,such as mold, pollen, dust mites and animal dander.
• Certain foods,particularly cow’s milk, soy, wheat, peanuts, fish, eggs, tree nuts, and shellfish.
• Insect stings,such as from a wasp or bee.
• Medications,particularly penicillin or penicillin-based antibiotics
• Latex or other substances you touch,which can cause allergic skin reactions

What foods should I avoid due to common food allergens (even if my child has no known food allergies)?

Packaged foods — The GMOs included in packaged, ultra-processed foods such as maize, soy, canola, and vegetable oils can induce food allergies and intolerances. They may also contain hidden components that trigger an allergic reaction; therefore, it is critical that as a parent who has a child with allergies we learn how to read labels carefully and avoid upsetting foods.

Sugar — Sugar can lead to bacterial overgrowth, a weakened immune system, and a rise in food intolerances. Sugar consumption causes inflammation, which can aggravate food allergy symptoms and limit your child’s body’s capacity to handle foods properly. Be aware that there are added sugars in many processed foods and these should be avoided at all costs.

Artificial flavorings — Food allergies can be exacerbated by artificial flavorings. Experts believe that colors used in packaged meals can harm children’s and possibly adults’ health. For example, there is evidence that cochineal extract (which is derived from insect scales and is used to color food red) may induce allergic reactions.

Be aware that food labels are not required to disclose the chemical identity of a flavoring or a complete list of all flavors present, which is why you may see the words “color added” or “artificial color” on the label. Avoid using these products as they are likely to have allergy inducing additives.

Gluten — Even if someone doesn’t have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, a considerable proportion of the general population reports issues caused by wheat and/or gluten ingestion. According to research, the majority of patients (both children and adults) report both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal symptoms that improve when they follow a gluten-free diet.

Gluten is blamed as a trigger of symptoms by 20 to 45 percent of children who report food hypersensitivity, according to studies. Oftentimes, symptoms of gluten sensitivity may cause a parent to feel that their child is allergic to other foods when they are not. This is why I advise my patients to avoid eating gluten-containing meals whenever possible; so the long list of chronic symptoms it causes can be completely avoided.

Although any food can cause a reaction, the vast majority of serious food-induced allergy reactions are caused by a small number of foods. If you actually wish to benefit from food allergy treatments, you should be aware that the following foods cause more than 90% of food allergies: Cow’s milk, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish and fish. It is best to avoid these foods whenever possible, or consume as a minimal part of your family’s diet. 

What are the Symptoms and Signs of Allergy?

• Wheeze
• Difficulty Breathing
• Coughing
• Hoarseness
• Throat constriction
• Stomach Pains
• Vomit
• Diarrhea
• Irritated, puffy, or watery eyes
• Puffiness
• Dizziness/loss of consciousness
• Difficulty in participating in school activities or playing in the playground
• Decrease in appetite
• Difficulty in concentrating or remaining focused
• Decrease in levels of energy
• Spending lots of time sleeping

What Is the Treatment for Allergies?

The holistic health community recognizes a disorder known as “leaky gut syndrome” as a prominent source of allergies or food intolerances. We know that when the intestinal walls are destroyed and the bacterial ecology in the gut is out of balance, you get a faulty system along with a slew of symptoms and ‘soft signs’. This is what occurs when diet causes damage to the cell walls which causes ‘gaps’ in between the cells, allowing for bits of undigested food to escape the gut and leak into the bloodstream.

Consuming foods that “re-seal” the gut and support healthy gut bacteria can help cure this long-standing damage and lessen allergies. The following are some of the best dishes to pick from:

• Fermented vegetables
• Homemade broth and bone broth
• Aloe Vera gel
• Grass fed gelatin powder
• Kombucha
• Kefir
• Prebiotic fibers such as jicama, onions and dandelion greens.

While you should try to include as many of these gut-friendly foods as possible, it is also critical to transition away from a highly processed diet and towards more nutritious, whole meals.

If you’re like most parents of a child with allergies, you may have blamed yourself as a parent, believing that you were the direct cause of your child’s misery. Perhaps you believe this because someone told you so. Parents that embrace this myth are unaware that there may be a solution that is more powerful than genetics. When it comes to allergies, our child is not a victim of his or her genes.

In fact, there are certain programs and protocols that can begin alleviating symptoms in the first couple weeks, without the use of traditional medications. Allergies can be reversed when gut healing methods are paired with functional medicine tests alongside holistic botanicals and herbs.

If you’ve ever been advised that “your child will just grow out of allergies…” this is a hazardous and uninformed attitude. In fact, chronic childhood illness can be healed and reversed. However, these conditions and symptoms will persist until the root cause of their issues is addressed and properly treated. We may reverse chronic childhood symptoms and sickness now, rather than waiting for our children to (potentially) outgrow them, if we make the right changes.

Dr. Nelli Gluzman has compiled all the step by step information you need to learn how to reverse your child’s allergic reactions symptoms for good. If you are a parent who has been frustrated with worsening symptoms, endless doctors and too many medications, then you should consider the all-natural way to heal your child and end their chronic suffering. See below for more information on this plus more!