ALLERGY detective

Red eyes, sneezing, annoying little cough? Follow the clues to find out what’s behind your child’s allergies.

IF YOUR CHILD IS EXPOSED TO A DOG EARLY ON IN LIFE, HE’S LESS LIKELY TO BE ALLERGIC TO IT LATER ON IN LIFE.

While allergies can’t be cured, their symptoms can certainly be treated in the form of antiinflammatories and anti-histamines. There are also many steps you can take in your home to minimise your child’s exposure to the allergen that is triggering the attack of red, itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, congestion and/or persistent cough.

First step: You need to know what’s setting your child’s allergies off, so that you can do something about it. Is it the cat? Is it damp or dust mites? Could there be a cockroach infestation? These are just a few of the common triggers that could be making your child miserable. And here’s what you can do about them.

PET DANDER

If your child is allergic, your pet’s dander (the dead skin that has been shed) will act as a trigger.

What people don’t realise, explains Dr Paul Sinclair, Cape Town-based paediatrician with a special interest in allergies, is that the trigger comes from proteins secreted by oil glands in the animal’s skin, as well as the proteins present in an their saliva – both of which can cause an allergic reaction.

GOOD NEWS: If your child is exposed to a dog early on in life, he’s less likely to be allergic later in life. However, if he’s exposed to a cat, he’s more likely to become allergic to cats later on in life.

HOUSE DUST MITES

These microscopic organisms live in dust, and symptoms of this allergy are similar to those of a pollen allergy but often occur year-round rather than just seasonally. “The house dust mite is the number-one trigger for the respiratory tract,” Dr Sinclair says. These critters thrive in warm, humid, coastal climates – which is why there is such a big problem with them in Cape Town and Durban. “You’ll still find them inland, but they’re not present year-round like they are in Cape Town,” he says.

If your child is allergic to house dust mites, he’ll react to them just from lying in his bed, and you need to do everything you can to ease his discomfort. “House dust mites hate temperature changes, so if you put your mattresses and pillows out in the sun or your child’s soft toys in a black bag in the freezer once a week, you’ll kill them. “Even so, you’re never going to eliminate them.

“You can diminish your child’s exposure to them, but you can’t eradicate the problem entirely,” he says. Mop and vacuum your home regularly, put dust mite covers over all your mattresses, buy hypo-allergenic pillows, and get a house dust mite spray.

COCKROACHES

Cockroach droppings are another trigger. “We’re seeing more and more children becoming allergic to cockroaches. It is, in fact, their faeces (and similarly, the faeces of house dust mites) that’s the trigger,” Dr Sinclair says. “If you suspect that you might have an infestation, it’s important to fumigate regularly.” Remember also to keep your rubbish in closed containers and take it out regularly to avoid infestations.

DAMP AND MOULD

Moulds are parasitic microscopic fungi with spores that float in the air like pollen. Moulds can be a common trigger for allergies and are an issue, again, in coastal climates. If there’s mould in your home, your child’s symptoms will persist year-round.

“When people start to build and knock down walls, the mould spores become an issue. If you have a damp house, you can try and fix it by looking for areas of water damage or leaks, but the reality is if you live in a damp area you’re going to have a tough time,” Dr Sinclair says. Try and keep your home well ventilated and reduce indoor humidity. Don’t leave fruit and bread lying around, since these become rapidly contaminated. Rubbish bins should be emptied and cleaned regularly. Also, check your tiles, plumbing fixtures, shower curtains and bathroom for mould, and wipe down with Jik or Milton regularly. ●

IF YOU SUSPECT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AN INFESTATION, IT’S IMPERATIVE THAT YOU FUMIGATE REGULARLY.