Asthma & Allergies Specialist

What are the different types of allergies?

There are different types of allergies.

Skin allergies

Skin allergies can occur when your child has insect bites or stings or comes into contact with new soaps or laundry detergent, or other allergens that touch the skin directly.

Food allergies

Children can have an allergy to a type of food, such as wheat, nuts, shellfish, fish, and dairy.

Respiratory allergies

Seasonal allergies are the most common respiratory allergies, such as hay fever or a pollen allergy.

Drug allergies

One of the most common drug allergies is Penicillin — an antibiotic typically prescribed to help fight infection.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a respiratory condition involving inflammation and narrowing of the airways that causes breathing difficulties. Some of the symptoms of asthma include: 

• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Chest pain and tightness

An asthma attack is the sudden onset or worsening of asthma symptoms where the airways narrow, fill up with mucus, and become swollen. If it isn’t properly treated, an asthma attack can be quite dangerous.

What causes asthma?

Children with asthma have sensitive airways that respond negatively to environmental triggers, such as: 

• Tobacco smoke
• Certain medications
• Allergens, such as pet dander and mold spores
• Air pollution and smoke
• Infections, such as colds or sinusitis

Strong odors or irritants from cleaning solutions or perfumes might also trigger asthma and allergy symptoms.

How are allergies and asthma treated?

Most asthma treatments typically revolve around avoiding exposure to an allergen and boosting your child’s general health so they’re less likely to have a reaction or an asthma attack.

The Future Pediatrics team might recommend a nebulizer treatment, oxygen saturation monitoring to test the level of oxygen in your child’s blood, or certain allergy medications to reduce the chance of an asthma attack. They might also recommend treatment methods to improve your child’s health, such as stress reduction, optimal nutrition, and regular appropriate exercise.

Preventive medications and devices can be helpful for long-term use to reduce inflammation in the airways. This includes inhalers and bronchodilators that are typically designed to open up swollen and restricted airways and improve breathing capacity.

Identifying your child’s asthma triggers can help you and your child to avoid them, if possible, or you could choose to opt for treatments like immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy focuses on gradually increasing your child’s tolerance to the allergen through the administration of safe and consistent, minor, controlled doses of the allergen.

Protect your child’s respiratory health and wellness, and call Future Pediatrics or book online today.