| Is It Possible To Keep Kids Allergy-Free? |
Is It Possible To Keep Kids Allergy-Free?
Parenting would be a far easier task if there was a magic way to keep kids allergy free. Recent advances in the understanding of allergies suggests that while there is no sure-fire way to keep kids allergy free for life, there are things that can be done to minimize the risk of a child having allergies.
Keep Kids Allergy Free—Start Early
The immune system is developed during the childhood years. The process is not entirely understood, but apparently it is during this time of development—from pre-birth through grade school—when the immune system will begin to recognize harmless substances as invaders that in the future will become allergens.
Pregnancy is a time when an expectant mother should begin to think about allergen exposure, particularly if there is a family history of allergies (children of parents with allergies are more likely to develop allergies). There isn't a lot to be done at this point, and research suggests that most allergies will not develop because of foods a mother eats during pregnancy, but peanut allergies and smoke are likely exceptions. Mothers who are committed to keeping their kids allergy free should avoid these things (smoking entirely, peanuts perhaps in small amounts).
The truly critical time is infanthood. The period of the first year is when many children's sensitivities get their start. This is why pediatricians have taken a strong stance to limit exposure, especially to common food allergens such as milk, eggs, and peanuts. It is believed that holding off on these foods until the immune system is better developed will give the child the chance to accurately recognize potential food allergens as safe. Breastfeeding is the best defense against child allergies, but some foods, such as peanuts, can pass through breast milk. Mothers of children with a family history of food allergies to wheat, milk, eggs, soy, fish, and shellfish are best off cutting out these foods as well.
Allergies develop with repeated exposure to allergens in most cases. That means child allergies to any substance can develop at any time during the maturation of the immune system. Limiting exposure to allergens—without completely avoiding them—can stave off allergies until the immune system is well developed enough to handle them.
Keeping Kids Allergy Free—Is There Such A Thing As Too Clean?
It seems logical that since most allergies develop after repeated exposure to an allergen, living in a sterile environment should mean no allergies—right? Unfortunately, no.
Research points to a balanced approach to housekeeping in the fight to keep kids allergy free. Children from extremely clean homes do not fare better than kids from less-kempt houses; studies suggest the opposite, in fact. Homes with cats and dogs or other pets in residence tend to produce children with fewer allergies. It seems that children who have never let their immune systems experience allergens set themselves up for surprise allergies when eventually an allergen is encountered in later life.
But the fact remains that excess amounts of allergens cause reaction in children with allergies, and so good home maintenance is still recommended.
Keeping Kids Allergy Free After Exposure
For many children and parents the time has well-passed to take the measures in early infancy and early childhood that can make or break an allergy. Sometimes even the best of intentions at home have limited effect, because exposure to allergens cannot be entirely controlled; visits to other locations, time in schools and daycares, and experience with airborne seasonal allergens all leave their mark.
When a child allergy does develop, there are still some measures that can be taken to keep kids allergy free. Keeping kids allergy free after allergy development is a matter of limiting exposure to allergens so that immune antibodies do not build up to the point of reaction. To keep kids allergy free when allergies already exist, a good cleaning regimen, coupled with individual plans for allergy treatment and management, is the best defense.
It would be nice if there was a simple, black-and-white answer to the question of whether it is possible to keep kids allergy free; maybe in the future there will be, but for now, what parents are left with is a collection of some very good medical research and studies, and the chance to formulate their own best plan for allergy free kids given their family's predisposition and aggravating child allergy factors.
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