How To Give Your Baby Relief From Their Allergies

Allergies are one of the most common causes of chronic illness in children, affecting millions of babies and children each year. There’s nothing worse than watching your baby suffer, but it’s important to know that some medications may not be appropriate for use in very young children.

For those wondering how to give their baby relief from their allergies, there are some options available over the counter that are considered safe and effective.

Allergies in Children

Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a substance that is otherwise considered harmless, such as pollen or pet hair. An allergy attack can develop after exposure to an allergen.

When the immune system detects the presence of the allergen, it begins to mount a defensive response to protect the body. This response includes the release of chemicals called histamines, which can lead to the development of certain symptoms.

For example, a person who is allergic to a certain type of pollen might experience sneezing, a runny nose, and nasal congestion in response to inhaling pollen from the air. A child with an allergy to a specific ingredient in laundry detergent could react by breaking out in a rash or hives.

Allergy symptoms may be different for everyone, and they often depend on the reaction to a specific allergen.

Allergic Rhinitis

The most common cause of allergies in children is a condition known as allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. Allergic rhinitis occurs in response to the presence of an allergen that is inhaled, such as pollen, dust mites, or pet dander.

Allergic rhinitis can affect children beginning at any age, and symptoms may be experienced seasonally (typically in response to certain types of pollen or mold) or perennially, typically in response to allergens that are present throughout the year, such as dust mites or pet dander. It is possible for children to have both seasonal and perennial allergy symptoms.

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis primarily affect the upper respiratory tract and include a runny and itchy nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy, watery eyes. These symptoms can also lead to complications such as chronic ear pain or ear infections.

The symptoms of allergic rhinitis can make it difficult to sleep at night because the excess mucus makes it difficult for your child to breathe, causing them to sleep with their mouth open. Over time, chronic mouth breathing can affect the growth of the teeth and the facial bones, so it is important to get your child’s allergies treated if allergies are causing difficulty breathing.

Other Allergies

An estimated six million children in the United States have some form of food allergy. While allergic rhinitis is the most common cause of allergy symptoms in children, food allergies are considered much more dangerous, as they create the potential for a severe and potentially life threatening allergic reaction.

The most common food allergens include peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat. Food allergies cannot be treated with over-the-counter medications; instead, the child must avoid foods that contain their specific allergen. They also may carry an epinephrine injector, commonly known as an EpiPen, in case they are accidentally exposed.

Children may also be allergic to latex, various chemicals or dyes, and insect bites or stings. While chemicals and dyes are likely to cause a skin reaction such as a rash or hives, exposure to latex, insect bites, or insect stings can be life threatening for children with allergies.

Allergy Relief for Babies and Children

There are two general categories of remedies for allergy symptoms in babies and children: allopathic and homeopathic.

Allopathic remedies are those that contain medication in the form of an approved drug, such as an antihistamine or decongestant.

Homeopathic remedies use tiny amounts of ingredients from nature to address certain symptoms in the body, such as the itchy, watery eyes or sneezing caused by allergic rhinitis.

Allopathic Remedies for Allergies

Among the most common allopathic remedies for allergies in children are medications that contain antihistamines as the active ingredient.

Antihistamines are a class of drugs that block the action of a chemical in the body called histamine, which is released by the immune system in response to the presence of an allergen. Histamines are responsible for the symptoms commonly associated with allergic rhinitis, such as runny nose and nasal congestion. Antihistamine medications bind to histamine receptors on the cells to block the action of histamine.

One of the most common antihistamines used for the treatment of allergies in children is diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in well-known, over-the-counter remedies like Benadryl, works to relieve symptoms of upper respiratory allergies that include runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose, itchy throat, and itchy, watery eyes.

Genexa Kids’ Allergy contains diphenhydramine as the active ingredient but does not contain any of the inactive synthetic fillers or dyes commonly found in common over-the-counter formulas. Instead, it contains only organic agave syrup, natural citrus extract, and purified water as its inactive ingredients.

Homeopathic Remedies for Allergies

Genexa Kids’ Allergy Care is a homeopathic remedy used to address symptoms associated with hay fever and other respiratory allergies. The chewable tablets can be used in children as young as three years of age and are certified organic and non-GMO. For use in children under three, consult a pediatrician before use.

Ingredients include allium cepa, dulcamara, euphrasia officinalis, nux vomica, pulsatilla, rosa damascena, sabadilla, sinapis nigra, and wyethia helenioides, which make up the homeopathic blend.

Inactive ingredients in the formula include organic acai berry flavor, organic carnauba wax, organic maltodextrin, organic rice bran extract, and organic tapioca dextrose.

Other Remedies for Allergies

One allergy remedy that can be used in children of all ages, including infants, is Genexa Infants’ Saline Nasal Spray & Drops.

Genexa Infants’ Saline Nasal Spray & Drops can be used in individuals of all ages, from newborns to adults, without worries of serious side effects or adverse reactions. The formula contains water, glycerin, citrus reticulata (tangerine) fruit extract, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) fruit extract, citrus aurantium sinensis (orange) peel extract, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid, lactic acid, and sodium chloride.

Saline nasal spray and drops can be used for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common is the relief of allergy symptoms.

Saline nasal spray and drops are administered inside the nasal passages and provide soothing relief and moisture to the tissues of the nasal passages, which become inflamed when your little one is experiencing allergy symptoms.

Saline nasal spray adds moisture to the passages, preventing them from drying out, and helps to thin and loosen the mucus inside the nose and sinuses.

For children and adults able to blow their noses, this makes the mucus easier to blow out; for infants and young children, the mucus can more easily be removed with suction, making it easier to breathe.

Because Genexa Infants’ Saline Nasal Spray & Drops do not contain any medication, it can safely be used as often as needed to provide relief from symptoms associated with allergies, nasal congestion, or irritation in your infant or child.

While the formula can be used in people of all ages, use of the dispenser by multiple people can spread infection, so it is important to use separate bottles for each individual in your household and clean the nozzle after each use.

In addition to using one or more of the remedies listed above, limiting your child’s exposure to allergens is the best way to give them relief from allergy symptoms.

If your child is allergic to pollen, try to limit their time outdoors during the times of the year when the pollen count is the highest (typically spring and fall). If your child has allergies to dust mites or pet dander, keep your house clean, wash bedding frequently, and prevent pets from climbing onto furniture that your child also uses.

Summary

There are many different over-the-counter remedies that can be used to give your child relief from allergies. Allopathic remedies include over-the-counter medications to provide allergy relief but may vary in how safe they are for children of certain ages. Homeopathic remedies can generally safely be used in children as young as three. Organic saline nasal spray can be used in infants and children of all ages to relieve allergy symptoms.