Allergy Symptoms – What to Look for in Children
If you child seems down all the time, has upper respiratory issues, or has chronic stomach issues, they could have allergies. If you suspect your child may have allergies, here are some common allergy symptoms to look for. It’s important to document any suspected allergy symptoms to have a better idea of whether or not your child does, in fact, have allergies.
Allergy Symptoms
There are different allergies that have various allergy symptoms to watch out for. While this list of symptoms is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor, it is a way to arm yourself with information prior to taking your child in for a visit.
Food Allergy Symptoms
Many food allergy symptoms are identical to environmental allergy symptoms. However, there are some symptoms that are unique to a food allergy.
- Eczema: Environmental allergies can cause skin irritation but Eczema is an irritation most commonly associate with food allergies.
- GI Tract Discomfort: This is one of the most common food allergy symptoms, and it covers everything from nausea to vomiting to diarrhea and more.
- Dizziness or Fainting: An allergic reaction to food may involve dizziness or due to an increased pulse and heart rate.
Environmental Allergy Symptoms
You may already know of several of these allergy symptoms, as environmental allergies are the ones we see the most. Environmental allergies are everything from pollen and dust to dust mites and bug bites.
- Upper Respiratory Irritation: This includes, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, a runny, itchy nose, and watery eyes.
- Conjunctivitis: Although this is a common childhood ailment, it’s also one of the allergy symptoms that can let you know your child has a problem.
- Itching: Itching everywhere. Environmental allergies can cause itching of the nasal passages, as well as the ears, mouth, throat, eyes, and skin.
- Hives: Hives can be so small they appear to be a rash to the classic, huge ones we’ve all seen.
- Allergic Shiners: These are dark circles that form under the eyes due to increase blood flow to the sinuses.
- Allergic Salute: This occurs when a child with allergy symptoms frequently rubs their nose upwardly to reduce itching. This repeated motion causes a crease in the nose.
[tweetthis]Environmental allergies are often seen in children. Here are a few symptoms. [/tweetthis]
Allergy Symptoms are Easily Treated
If your child constantly has GI tract or upper respiratory issues, and you can’t figure out why. Start to document their symptoms. You could find out that they are exhibiting allergy symptoms. This is great information to have when you take them in for a doctor’s visit.
45 Comments
toughcookiemommy
My son suffers from terrible allergies and he exhibits some of these symptoms. I feel so badly for him when he is suffering like this.
Paula
My husband has the worst allergies in our family. His whole family has some allergy. Several of his siblings have severe food allergies and one has eczema that is really bad.
Maureen Campaiola
I’m glad you listed eczema as an allergy symptom. I get eczema every spring due to my allergies and then it goes away after a couple of months.
Paula
Maureen: really so it goes away with the spring allergies? That’s interesting.
Lois Alter Mark
Great information here. I think so many kids suffer from allergies, and many of them can be easily treated.
Carmen Perez (listen2mama)
Great informative post. Thankfully our daughter does not suffer from allergies and hardly ever gets sick.
Paula
Carmen: That is super lucky!
aimee fauci
So many kids where I live have allergies because of where we live. My entire family takes medicines to control it and it’s no fun on a bad cedar day.
Paula
I know – several of us have allergies. I used to get allergy shots as a little one. We got them for years. Mine are not too bad anymore really.
Kristen from The Road to Domestication
Dare I say that most of these are true for adults, too?! So much harder to tell it in kids, though – thanks for this post! I feel like I’m coming to the end of allergy season in my area, thank goodness!
Amanda Ripsam
Both my daughter and I have a rare genetic disorder and we both have some sever allergies. In fact she just got over a ear infection and I just am starting a sinus infection.
Paula
Amanda: I hate sinus infections. Sorry to hear that. I get one every winter and it has been consistent ever since I turned 40. No idea why aging has brought this on. It kind of sucks.
Mama to 5 BLessings
My 6 year old daughter has allergies to pet hair and certain pollen. She gets runny noses and coughs from it.
Liz Mays
My kids seem to have some allergies but I’m allergy free. It’s good to know the symptoms if you’ve never experienced them for yourself.
Jeanine
This is great to know! I’m not sure any of my kids have symptoms but I’m glad I now know what to keep an eye for!
Angela
It’s just nuts the many ways that allergies can impact us. My own eczema has just flared up the last couple of weeks, after being at bay since last spring.
Paula
UGH Angela: Eczema is so tricky. It flares sometimes oddly and in patches. I often stop drinking milk and consuming dairy for a time and it seems to work a bit.
Donna Ward
Hi Paula, This is a great list of allergy symptoms – My son had sugar, milk and bread allergies for a short while – but grew out of them – I knew about the milk because he was passing gas in his sleep when he was just such a little guy – and the Dr told me – the bread? His mouth and tongue would swell – sugar? He basically climbed the walls – so much can go on! Thx for sharing
Pam
There are so many symptoms of allergies! My kids and I all have allergy problems, mostly from dust and pollen.
Paula
Pam: I have dust, allergy, fur, feathers and mould.
touristmeetstraveler
I can totally relate to these symptoms, it’s best to always get them tested to figure out what might bring up these allergic reactions so that nothing fatal happens!
MyBitsandBleeps
I never thought of eczema being an allergy but that would explain what happens to my daughter.
Brenda Lacourciere
great symptom checklist. thanks
Robin (Masshole Mommy)
It seems like today that allergies are becoming more and more common. I wonder if its something that we as humans are doing that contributes to the amount of allergy causing agents in the air, or if it is just mother nature taking her course.
Jonnie
We are currently trying to determine if a food allergy is causing my sons GI symptoms. Thanks for the info!
Ourfamilyworld
This is a great list. My daughter has cat allergies and she was snoring at night..
April G
I didn’t know a lot of these. I’ll have to look into the causes for my kids, since I know they have allergies, but am not sure if some issues are allergy related.
Ann Bacciaglia
This is great information on kids allergies. My daughter suffers from allergies.
Judy Cowan
Great post! Always good to know what to look for. We deal with several environmental allergies in this house. And I have a severe allergy to Bee Stings and Latex, so an Epi-Pen is a must.
kristen visser
thank you for this post ! i have it bookmarked. definitely good to know as my daughters get older
andrea amy
my youngest kids have eczema (it can also be hereditary) and we get the hay fever especially my myself and my 7 and 17 year old kids.
Brenda Penton
My son has been displaying a few of these symptoms. He has an appointment next week for an allergy test.
Holly O'Gorman
My daughter luckily has no allergies so far.
Darlene Schuller
Wow, fainting! I did not realize that allergies could present themselves in so many different ways. Thank you for a great post and what a perfect time for it too!
Alayne langford
What an eye opener, especially with food allergies! Thanks for an informative post!! 🙂
Athena
allergies can be rough. Thank you for the great post!
Maria McLachlan
we’re pretty lucky to so far not have any allergies here but definitely a good list to check up on because they can start at anytime
Carol M
Thanks for list, will know what to look out for.
Melinda
Eczema is a definite sign of allergy in my daughter!
Darlene Schuller
I’m starting to wonder if this might be what’s up with my girl this past few weeks. She’s been coughing, complaing of a stuffy nose… it doesn’t seem to end .. we’ve been concerned and take her to the dr but are told its a cold that keeps hanging on.
Judy Cowan
Good list of things to watch out for. Allergies can be no fun – I have to carry 2 epi-pens with me at all times due to a severe allergy to bee stings and latex.
angela m
Great article with lots of great info.. I was wondering if maybe my daughter has allergies.
Erica Seaman
My Daughter is allergic to cats,dust and birch trees…sadly we have all three 🙁
heidi c.
My little guy and I have allergies. Fortunately, regular medication has helped a lot with symptoms as well as environmental changes. The symptoms can get incredibly bothersome.
Angela Mitchell
My daughter has been having stomach problems for a few months now and we’ve been wondering if it was some kind of allergy but it’s sooo hard to determine what it could be.