What Are The Most Common Allergies In Children? 

We speak with Dr Deepan Vyas, consultant paediatrician and allergist, at Clementine Churchill Hospital, about the most common allergies in children.
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www.circleheal...
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Chapters:
00:25: What is an allergy?
00:51: What are the most common allergies in children?
03:48: What are the most common symptoms of allergies in children?
04:21: How are paediatric allergies treated?
The four most common paediatric allergies are food allergies, asthma, eczema, and hay fever. Other allergies include insect stings, medication, certain chemicals, and latex. 
Food allergies
Food allergies affect up to 8% of children in the UK. They often occur in combination with other allergies, particularly eczema. Your child can be allergic to any food, but some foods are more likely to cause allergies than others. 90% of food allergies in children are triggered by the following foods: 
Peanuts
Cow’s milk
Eggs
Tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, and cashews)
Wheat
Fish
Shellfish (such as prawns)
Sesame seeds and sesame oil
Soy
Asthma 
Asthma is a common respiratory disease that causes the airways in the lungs to constrict (tighten) making breathing difficult. Atopic asthma is a type of asthma that is triggered by allergens in the environment such as pollen, house dust mites, animal dander and mould. Most children with atopic asthma have some other form of allergy. 
Atopic asthma can be mild, moderate, or severe and life-threatening. It can result in school absences, disrupted sleep and missing out on activities such as sports. Many children grow out of atopic asthma as they enter adulthood. 
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) 
Atopic eczema is the most common type of eczema in children and commonly occurs in children with other allergies such as asthma and hay fever. It usually runs in families. Atopic eczema causes the skin to become dry, inflamed, itchy, cracked, and sore. It typically goes through periods of improvement and periods where the eczema is worse (a ‘flare-up.’) Common triggers for flare-ups include stress, soaps, detergents, and cold, dry weather. Food allergies can also trigger an eczema flare-up, especially in young children. 
Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) 
Hay fever is a common allergy that causes sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes. It is triggered by pollen (the fine powder produced by flowers and plants) and is most common when the pollen count is highest between late March and early September. Symptoms may be particularly severe when the weather is warm, humid, and windy. 
Allergy symptoms in children vary depending on the type and severity of the allergy your child has. Symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe and may be present all or most of the time, at certain times of the year or occasionally, depending on what is triggering the allergy. 
Common symptoms of allergies in children include: 
Sneezing 
Coughing 
Runny or blocked nose
Itchy nose, eyes, ears, or roof of the mouth 
Red, itchy, watery eyes
Reddening of the skin/rash (may be itchy) 
Hives (urticaria) - a red raised itchy rash that develops on the skin 
Shortness of breath
Wheezing (noisy breathing) 
Consultant details:
Dr Deepan Vyas is a consultant paediatrician and allergist at Clementine Churchill Hospital.
Learn more about his expertise: www.circleheal...
To see how Clementine Churchill Hospital can help you, visit: www.circleheal...
If you have any of the symptoms outlined in this video, seek professional medical help as soon as possible.
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