Facts About Allergies For Parents Consulting Natural Health News Articles

Natural Health News Articles

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Posted: 8th August 2004

Did you know that more than 20 percent of school-age children suffer from allergies? A condition that, if not diagnosed properly, can interfere with a child's ability to concentrate.

In fact, according to statistics in the UK allergies account for 2 million missed school days each year, and on any given day more than 10,000 children are absent from school due to troublesome allergy symptoms. Allergies can have a significant impact on a child's quality of life.

Fortunately there is increasingly appropriate information available, especially from the natural healthcare industry, to help parents determine whether a child suffers from allergies.

For instance, if one parent has allergies, chances are one in three that a child will have an allergy, and if both parents have allergies the chance jumps to seven in 10.

By providing parents with the appropriate information, they will be better equipped to consult with their healthcare provider and set up an appropriate system to help avoid a child's allergy triggers.

It can be hard for parents to distinguish between colds and allergies without help, because many symptoms of each are similar.

The casual misdiagnosis that "it's just a cold" can result in unnecessary suffering for the child with allergies. Here are some common allergy symptoms parents should look for:

• A runny or stuffy nose and constant sneezing
• Breathing through the mouth or snoring, due to a stuffy nose
• Itchy nose, eyes, or skin
• Rubbing the nose upward with the palm of the hand (also known as the "allergy salute")
• Watery eyes or dark circles under the eyes
• Headaches, earaches, or hearing problems
• Changes in behaviour; children may be irritable or hyperactive.

If any or all of these symptoms are present and seem to persist beyond normal ‘cold’ or ‘flu’ time scales, or are accompanied by no other signs of illness, an allergy may be suspected.
Once an allergy has been determined, parents should know there are treatment options available to ease the symptoms including avoidance of allergy triggers, allergy shots, natural remedies and/or other medications.

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