Allergy in children is a great cause of concern for the parents. A large number of children from various age groups are allergic to different things. The symptoms of allergy in children vary from child to child and in some instances vary in different occurrences in the same child. The symptoms can range from mild to moderate and even severe. Symptoms can range from minor seasonal problems to year round difficulties causing great distress and tension for the child as well as for the parents.

The symptoms of allergy in children can occur from airborne allergen, from food products and also from insect poison. Apart from these, a child can also experience allergic symptoms from certain medicines and from some chemicals. Sometimes Symptoms of allergy in children can surface minutes after their exposure to the allergen or it can also take several hours for the symptoms to appear. Symptoms of airborne allergies in children: Airborne allergies like dust allergy, pet allergy mold allergy and many others can cause havoc in children. The symptoms associated with airborne allergies in children include:

• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes nose and throat
• Running nose
• Nasal congestion
• Post nasal drip
• Coughing
• Allergic conjunctivitis
• Allergic shiners
• Allergic Rhinitis

In some severe cases a child experiencing wheezing and difficulty in breathing can develop a dreaded disease like asthma also in near future if proper attention is not given to his symptoms at the right moment.

Food allergy symptoms in children: Food is a common cause of allergy in a large number of children. The symptoms experienced by a child suffering from food allergy may include:

• Diarrhoea
• Hives
• Rashes in different parts of the body
• Itchy nose and ear
• Running nose and nasal congestion
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Swallowing of lips and itching in mouth and throat when food is eaten
• Shortness of breath

Sometimes allergy in children is caused by insect poison. When a child is stung by a particular insect of which the child is allergic to, then this bite can trigger allergy symptoms like:

• Hives of the entire body
• Swallowing in different parts of the body including the throat, lips and the mouth
• Vomiting accompanied by diarrhoea
• Difficulty in normal breathing
• Nausea
• Dizziness

Anaphylaxis
In some very rare and complicated cases a child who is extremely sensitive to an allergen can develop a condition called Anaphylaxis.It is a very dangerous and life threatening disease. Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction involving a number of bodily functions including the dermatological functions, the respiratory apparatus, the gastrointestinal track and even the cardiovascular system.

Symptoms of Anaphylaxis may include

• Hoarseness of voice
• Feeling of tightness in chest along with chest pain
• Swallowing of lips,togue throat and the airways to the lungs resulting in the patient’s inability to breathe.
• Light-headedness
• Sudden drop in blood pressure
• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness

Anaphylaxis can take place just after eating the allergy triggering food or it can also take two to three hours to develop.Though Anaphylaxis is a rare disease and affects only a small number of children but those children who are already suffering from asthma are at greater risk of developing Anaphylaxis.