Although it's often possible to prevent allergic reactions, it may be impossible to prevent the allergy from developing. The exception to this general rule applies to food allergies in babies. If food allergies run in your family, you may be able to prevent or delay their development in your children by taking the following precautions when they are babies. - Breast-feed infants for at least one year. If you can't, ask your doctor about using a milk-free formula. Several are available.
- If you do breast-feed, ask your doctor about foods you should avoid while nursing. These usually include highly allergenic foods such as eggs, milk and peanuts.
- Delay introducing solid foods until your baby is at least 6 months old.
- Introduce solid foods one at a time to see if an allergic reaction occurs. Begin with those foods least likely to trigger an allergic reaction. Rice cereal and bananas are least likely to cause problems.
- Delay introduction of potentially allergenic foods such as milk and eggs until your baby is 1 year old. Peanuts should be avoided until the age of 3, and longer if there is a history of peanut allergy in other family members. Remember also that young children can choke on a nut -- another reason to avoid them.
Luckily, most children outgrow allergies that develop in infancy and early childhood, but until that happens, dealing with allergies in very young children can be difficult. Here's a rundown on childhood allergies and what to do about them. Food allergies. Breast-feeding is the best way to protect an infant from developing a milk allergy. Because allergies are hereditary, if one or both parents are affected, they should try to delay or prevent the development of allergy by limiting their children's diets early in life to breast milk or a formula recommended by their child's physician. Eczema. An allergic reaction to food, eczema usually develops first on the face but may spread to the hairline and behind the ears. More than half of all children who have eczema that persists to age 3 will have it as adults. They also may develop hay fever or asthma. Contact dermatitis. Children who develop itchy rashes may have contact allergies to any of the natural substances or man-made items (such as insecticides and preservatives) that can produce
contact dermatitis in adults. Allergic rhinitis. Children who are allergic to dust mites and other airborne allergens often display visible signs of their struggle to cope with symptoms: buck teeth from keeping their mouths open so they can breathe more comfortably, dark circles or "allergic shiners" around their eyes and a crease between the bridge and the tip of the nose from constantly wiping a runny nose. They also may have frequent ear infections. Sinus infections. Symptoms of allergy-related sinus infection among children may include frequent coughing, frontal headache, pain or fullness on either side of the nose and fatigue. Asthma. Allergy is usually the cause of asthma among children. If your child has an allergy, it's important to see your pediatrician for diagnosis and treatment. Don't give a child over-the-counter allergy medications unless directed by your doctor. And children at risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) should always have epinephrine with them and know how to administer it themselves, or be with an adult who knows how to administer it. Last Updated: 10/10/2002
The Johns Hopkins University 1996-2003. All rights reserved. This information is not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor is it intended to be a substitute for consultation. | 
