Signs Your Child Might Have Allergies

Taking the Guess-Work Out of Allergens

The skilled and experienced pediatric doctors at Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA, provide various services to your child. One service we offer and want to discuss is childhood allergies and how a parent can know their child is suffering from sensitivities.

Our doctors will tell you that allergies can range from food, medicine, dust, pollens, and anything and everything from A to Z in the child's environment.

Five Signs of Allergies

Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA, says the following are common signs that your child may have sensitivities.

• Sensitivities in the Genes
  You can pass an allergy gene on to your child if you or your husband has allergies. However, the type of allergy is not guaranteed to be the same as the parent. 
• Runny Nose, Itchy Eyes
  Illness like the common cold or flu can give your child a runny nose and itchy eyes. However, if your child is not showing signs of disease and has no fever, your child may have allergies. 

*Children don't develop sensitivities until the age of six years.

• A dry, scaly skin rash
  Even though your child doesn't develop allergies until age six, they can develop eczema at any age under or over six. Eczema is allergen-based, meaning your child undoubtedly has a food allergy. We treat the eczema brought on by an allergy. Infant eczema will likely disappear at some point in the child's life.
• Chronic/nagging/persistent cough
  When your child's cough is persistent over weeks, and they suffer from itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, nose, or chest congestion, they could have sensitivities and asthma triggered by thousands of different allergens. 

For example, if your child is healthy and showing no signs of illness and goes for a run through grandpa's corn field and returns with hives, runny nose, and a cough, they are probably allergic to the corn plants.

• Vomiting/Abdominal Pain After Eating
  If your child has just eaten supper and in 30 minutes to two hours or less displays vomiting, respiratory difficulty, skin reactions, and possibly hives, they probably ingested a food or beverage they were allergic to. Perhaps it was an additive, preservative, or dye in their food.

Call Timberlake Pediatrics for Allergy Symptoms

If your child has any of these symptoms listed, please call our pediatric doctors at Timberlake Pediatrics at (916) 688-5040 in Sacramento, CA, for an appointment and consultation for allergies.

If your child displays nausea/vomiting/difficulty breathing, please call 9-1-1 for emergency first aid. Parents must keep a food diary and note any reactions to food their child displays.