Allergies in Children: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Common food allergy symptoms include:

• Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting)
• Mild wheezing or coughing 
• Itching or tingling mouth, lips, or throat 
• Fatigue
• Urticaria (rash/hives)
• Failure to thrive 
• Intense itching
• Facial edema (swelling)
• Feeling hot or cold
• Rising anxiety
• Pale or flushed appearance 
• Dyspnea (i.e., difficult or labored breathing)
• Hoarseness 
• Croupy/choking cough 
• Pale/cyanotic lips 

Adolescents allergic to certain foods can many times experience poorer overall health, more limitations in social activities, and less vitality than individuals from the general population.³

Common indoor (year-round) allergy symptoms include:

• Itchy, stuffy nose
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Itchy, watery, swollen, bloodshot eyes
• Scratchy, swollen throat
• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the chest

More than 80% of children with asthma are sensitized to at least one indoor allergen.⁴

What are the most common allergies in children?

Not surprisingly, children and adults share many of the same common allergy triggers. For kids, be on the lookout for:⁵

• Spring: tree pollen, plant pollen, insect bites or stings
• Indoors/Year-Round: dog, cat, or other animal hair or fur (also called animal dander), dust mites, mold
• Foods: peanuts, eggs, milk and milk products

How are allergies diagnosed in a child?

If you suspect your child is allergic, the first course of action is to get them tested. Depending on which type of allergy is at play, there are a few testing options available. For our purposes, we are going to focus on what’s known as allergy-related immune system reactions. Simply put, this happens when the immunoglobulin E (specific IgE) antibodies in your immune system recognize an otherwise harmless food, such as eggs, as a threat. ⁶

Since we mentioned eggs, let’s start with food allergies. 

How is a food allergy diagnosed?

Diagnosing food allergy starts with:⁷

1. An appointment with your pediatrician 
2. A physical examination 
3. A food allergy-focused patient (medical) history

During the medical history, your healthcare provider will want to know things like the types of food you suspect may be triggering an allergic reaction, the kinds of symptoms you’re noticing, and even the times of day you see changes in your child’s behavior. The goal is to identify the foods that may be responsible for the allergy.⁷

The information gathered in this history can then be used to guide testing decisions and interpretation of results. From there, your healthcare provider will determine next steps, which could include an oral food challenge (OFC) or specific IgE test (there’s that science term again), which could be in the form of a skin-prick test or blood test. Read more about testing options to help diagnose food allergies here.

How are seasonal and indoor/year-round allergies diagnosed in a child?

Specific IgE tests, also known as an allergen sensitization test, is a powerful allergy diagnostic tool that measures the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in the blood. It can test for hundreds of allergic triggers, including the triggers children are most likely to be sensitized to.

At what age should a child be tested for allergies?

The simple answer here is as soon as you notice allergy symptoms. The sooner you can identify your child’s allergic triggers, the sooner you can work to reduce their exposure to them, develop a treatment plan, and improve their quality of life (and yours). We’ve outlined a lot that you need to know about your allergy testing options and how to get an allergen sensitization test.

How are allergies treated in a child?

Allergies can’t be cured, but symptoms can be reduced.  The best way to reduce symptoms is by adopting what’s called exposure reduction methods. Remember those Allergen Fact Sheets from before? Each fact sheet includes a section devoted to exposure reduction that covers specific guidelines on how to decrease triggers and thus reduce the likelihood of symptoms.

To round out our 101 approach, here’s an overview of exposure reduction tips for spring allergies, indoor/year-round allergies, and food allergies:

Spring:

• Check local pollen counts daily
• Keep windows closed and use air conditioning instead
• Wash your child’s clothes after outdoor activities
• Wipe off any pets to remove pollen before letting them into your home
• Use certified asthma and allergy air filters

Indoors/Year-Round:

• Encase mattresses, box springs, and pillows in special allergen-proof fabric covers
• Wash bedding weekly in temps of 54° C (roughly 130° F) or more and dry them in a hot dryer.
• Vacuum regularly with a HEPA filter bag.
• Use damp mops and rags to remove dust

Foods:

• Read ingredient labels and "may contain" advisory panels on food and nonfood products carefully
• Avoid cross-contamination when cooking by using two sets of cooking and eating utensils
• Have your child wear a medical ID bracelet identifying their allergen(s)
• Carry any recommended or emergency medication with you
• Teach children which foods to avoid