Allergies are one of the most common diseases in the US. At least 50 million Americans experience allergies each year. It is also the sixth leading chronic illness within the country. Although it isn’t entirely fatal, some allergies can lead to complications that can be lethal in medical settings. Allergies that go alongside other diseases can also prove disastrous for some people. However, the most dangerous of allergies come in children.
About one in three American children have allergies. These children are at risk of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening symptom of allergic diseases. Treating these children is a priority among parents in the US. However, another way of preventing allergies from happening is by educating children regarding allergies. They must know what allergies are, how they work, and what they can do to prevent them.
What Are Allergies?
Allergies are a response made by the immune system when a foreign substance enters or touches the human body. Although some of these reactions can save your child, some can be exaggerated responses to non-harmful events. These excessive responses are the ones responsible for the symptoms of allergies.
Minor symptoms include itchiness, redness of the skin, sneezing, and a runny nose. These minor symptoms can be mild and, in most instances, can prove to be a minor annoyance to children. But they should still be treated. If left untreated, children might keep scratching certain parts of their body, leading to wounds and bleeding. There are also some instances when allergies can prove fatal to children. This happens when the allergy exhibits major symptoms.
Major symptoms of allergies include life-threatening anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction to a particular allergy. This reaction can lead to troubled breathing, and in extreme instances, anaphylactic shock. This is the main reason why allergies can prove fatal to children. Anaphylaxis is common to many kinds of allergies, such as food allergies, insect stings, and drug allergies.
When it comes to educating your children regarding their allergies, you must tell them what their allergies can do. Be gentle about explaining these things to them, and use terms that they can understand. Additionally, you might have children that haven’t exhibit symptoms of allergies yet. It’s suggested that you inform them of their allergies and tell them to avoid them at all costs. When it comes to school, consider telling their teachers regarding your children’s allergies. They can help prevent them in situations when you are not around.
How to Prevent Allergies
Preventing allergies is a more complicated process. Sometimes allergies can be inevitable, as some are seasonal allergies, such as hay fever. These kinds of allergies cannot be entirely prevented, especially when your children go to school. The best thing you can do is to prepare them when it does happen. Although seasonal allergies aren’t entirely life-threatening, they can prove to be a nuisance to some children. You must teach your children how to take medicine at an early age so they can alleviate some of the symptoms they might experience when having seasonal allergies.
One of the more preventable kinds of allergy is insect stings. Allergies from insect stings come from the chemicals emitted by an insect when it stings it targets. Although the sting itself might not be fatal, the body’s reaction from it can cause anaphylaxis. Aiming to get rid of the most common insects in your home should be your number one priority. Preventing insect sting allergies can be done through types of pest control, such as ant control. You can also do a general cleaning of your house to see where insects and pests might live in your home. When it comes to teaching your children how to prevent this kind of allergy, you should rely on pictures or storybooks as this can stay in their memories for quite some time. An encounter with these insects can also prove to be an excellent experiential learning experience for these children. Most children fear bees, but many don’t fear ants. Being able to show them what an ant is can help them avoid them in the future.
Implementation of Children Seminars Regarding Allergies
Children’s seminars regarding allergies should be fun and interactive. Pictures, videos, and roleplay should be abundant. Children aren’t going to listen to lessons regarding allergies. They want to learn exciting things that pique their curiosity. They also enjoy moving around and using their imagination to learn something.
Storing some triggers in plastic bags such as nuts, fur, and pollen and showing it to them at a safe distance can help teach them what the common triggers for allergies are. Additionally, you can also put insects in glass containers to show what kind of insects they should avoid in school or the playground. This can help them visualize what is harmful to them.
Allergies can be avoided by most adults who have them. However, most children are oblivious to their triggers. Educating them should be the priority of every parent, as knowledge is the first defense against allergies.