Health Articles:

Could My Child's Symptoms Be Allergies?

by Dr. Sharzad Orona , ND

When a child is sneezing, with a runny nose and watery eyes parents usually know their child has allergies; however, many times parents will ask if their child's ear infections, cough, hyperactivity, or eczema could be allergy related. My answer is typically “yes”. Although hayfever like symptoms in the spring are what we usually think of as allergies, we must keep in mind that allergies can cause inflammation anywhere in the body and different children will manifest this inflammation differently. Additionally, allergies may be caused by what is inhaled (such as dust, pollen, dander, or fumes) by the respiratory system, what is being touched by the skin, and what is being eaten through the digestive system. It is also a misconception to believe that congestion in the respiratory system must be due to something that was breathed in when in fact it may be due to a food allergy. The following is a list of childhood allergy symptoms I have recently seen in my practice (please remember this is in no way a complete list):

• Ear infections
• Cough
• Hyperactivity
• Rhinitis (runny nose)
• Enuresis (bed wetting)
• Red bumps around mouth and/or anus even while still in diapers
• Candida/Thrush/Diaper Rash
• Dark Circles under the eyes
• Fatigue
• Mood swings
• Chronic Stomach Aches
• Hyperactive Bladder
• Chronic Infections
• Asthma
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Colic
• Reflux
• Headaches
• Problems with Sleep

If your child has any of these symptoms, please keep in mind that we will perform a complete history and physical before determining if the cause of the symptom is allergy based.