Allergies in children
Children can develop allergies. Although it is impossible
to control what can trigger allergies in their children, parents
can monitor closely what they eat, what they are exposed to,
and symptoms.
Spring kicks off typically around March 20th, but allergies can
peak as early as February. Sometimes allergies stick around for long
periods of time.
It is important to know that allergies can sometimes feel like
a cold, a flu or even covid.
Monitor allergies vs covid:
Here are symptoms of covid:
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Childrens allergy symptoms include:
Skin rashes or hives (atopic dermatitis or eczema)
Difficulty breathing (asthma)
Sneezing, coughing, a runny nose or itchy eyes
Nasal Congestion
this happens.
Stomach upset
Fatigue
Headaches
Children's common allergy triggers:
Outdoors: tree pollen, plant pollen, insect bites or stings
Indoors: pet or animal hair or fur, dust mites, mold, spring cleaning
Irritants: cigarette smoke, perfume, car exhaust
Foods: peanuts, eggs, milk and milk products
How Allergies affect your oral health
- Dry Mouth
- Tooth Pain
- Bad Breath
Can a Sinus Infection Cause a Toothache?
Dental Sensitivity can arise from allergies due to sinus infections.
Sinus infections attack the tissues of the teeth.
It causes redness and swelling. This can lead to a toothache.
This infection becomes more severe when you are experiencing
dental sensitivity. There are different things you can do to help
with this condition. You can use dental care products that help
with the discomfort caused by dental sensitivity.
Typical Toothache vs Sinus Toothache
How can we tell which is which?
Sinus toothaches will radiate pain typically in the upper molars.
This can lead to multiple teeth hurting.
If your child is feeling swelling in the face surrounding the nose
just above the gums together with molars in pain, this can indicate
a sinus infection. Sometimes pain can be felt with body motion.
A typical regular toothache can have severe pain and will most liklely
have a main single source.
Toothache treatments:
- Over the counter ibuprofen may help temporarily
- 30 second Saltwater rinses can help with inflammation.
- Cold and hot compresses for 15 minutes can help to alleviate pain
Types of allergies:
Food allergies:
Most common food allergies are peanuts and milk.
but this can include fish, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.
Nasal congestion:
Your child may breath through the mouth when
Allergic rhinitis (hay fever): This includes runny and itchy noses.
In addition, it is common to see red teary eyes, ear problems and plenty
of sneezing.
Ear infections:
Allergies cause inflammation within the ear and should
cause fluid accumulation which will develop ear
infections and a decrease of hearing
Children at school and triggers:
Some of the triggers can include:
- School pets
- Dust irritation
- Blackboard dust
What can you do?
You can use over-the-counter prescription allergy treatments.
Have your child avoid irritants to the best of your ability
Work with the school to keep your child away from the blackboard dust
Be careful - keep children away from dust during spring cleaning
If you are visitng the dentist, tell your dentist that your child has
allergies.
