Allergies in Children

Allergies In Children

 

ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN

Allergies are not always obvious in either the adult or the child, but children are especially overlooked because they may exhibit other symptoms that do not look or act like allergy.

Surprisingly, common foods and chemicals could be the culprits that cause your child to be unhappy and unmanageable.

It is a fact that school performance has declined precipitously for decades, also included are college aptitude tests.

Hundreds of commissions have investigated the problem at the Federal, State, county, city and local school levels. Reports give alarming statistics of widespread failure.

What is the usual recommendation? Improve teacher quality? Spend more money?

Per pupil expenditures have in constant dollars increased tremendously and student performance has fallen.

Delinquency and discipline problems are on the rise.

Truancy, vandalism, drug use and delinquency are big problems

Hyperactivity is so common, parents instituted law suits on school districts for wholesale drugging of students on Ritalin.

These facts are reported by Bernard Rimland PhD; Institute for Child Behavior Research, San Diego, CA.

ALLERGY: immunological response; hives, swelling, rash. Often there is a more immediate response, minutes to a few hours.

FOOD SENSITIVITIES: Researchers are finding that food sensitivities are a factor in autism, hyperactivity, retardation and schizophrenia as some children. Food sensitivities are often delayed reactions up to 3-4 days after the offending food is eaten.

FOOD INTOLERANCE: Same as food sensitivities.

Food sensitivities are very common: symptoms are quite varied and can be physical or mental/emotional.  They can occur from eating, drinking or smelling the offending foods. The brain and nervous system is affected by food sensitivities.  The proof is in seeing a child improve dramatically when offending foods are removed.

Children can react to certain foods due to digestion/absorption differences and from low enzymes, vitamin deficiency, or low hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Toxic reaction: food coloring, chemicals, i.e., pesticides, herbicides fertilizers, new materials. These chemicals are found now everywhere in our environment, the air we breathe, the new items in our homes and you add the food additives, it can send the child over the edge of tolerance. Children's immune systems are not fully developed at birth and it takes a few years to become strong. Add the heredity and genetics they may have gotten from a parent or grand parent, they are overwhelmed.

One item like the missing enzyme lactase to digest lactose can be devastating. Gluten and corn is another allergen found in wheat, rye, oat or barley. Dr. Feingold - discovered that salicylates in foods, along with additives is the cause of hyperactivity for some children.

Clues that food sensitivities maybe a cause:

- aversion to certain foods

-cravings to certain foods

-frequent consumption of certain foods

-consistent appearance of symptoms after certain foods eaten.

-better behavior after time not eating foods

-stomach ache, gassiness, constipation, diarrhea

-insatiable hunger

-hyperactivity, poor learning skills

-physical clues: dark eye circles, red cheeks or ears, eye wrinkles, allergic salute (pushing up nose)

-sniffing, snorting

-irritable, overactive,

-fatigue, droopy, drowsy

-headache, stomachache, leg aches, muscle aches

-coughing, wheezing

-colic history

-rashes -eczema

-sleep problems, depression, confusion

-rages, anxiety, hallucination, dizziness

TYPES OF ALLERGIC RESPONSES:

Immediate called type I

Delayed hypersensitivity

Inconsistent response for example: small amt. will not affect, large amt. will affect.

response if food is eaten more than once a week

reaction only when other stressors are present i.e. chemical, infection, stress.

Symptoms are changeable: i.e., mild can cause colic as infant, bedwetting at age 4, runny nose at age 10

Multisensitivity: may need to stop many foods and/or environmental exposures. (pesticides, chemical fertilizers, home cleaning chemicals like bleach or spray cleaners, new carpeting or furnishings etc.)

Chronic: symptoms are chronic if foods are eaten frequently and sensitivities are of long duration (lethargy, runny nose, hyperactive)

Addictions: child craves the food that is causing the problem. The body has adapted and may feel better for a short time and the child will experience withdrawal when not having the food (or cry or get irritable not having this favorite food)

Addiction VS hypoglycemia: child gets better when fed - could be either problem. This is a confusing picture, but can be sorted out.

Complex factors add to the problem such as:

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), yeast overgrowth, metal toxicity, environmental toxins/sensitivities.

Breast fed baby can react to foods mother has eaten.

Children who have been given numerous antibiotics

Naturopathic treatment:

D'Adamo Serotype Panel for Food Sensitivities.

Vega Test, RAST Test

Digestive analysis

Botanicals and/or bioflavinoids, Queceretin, vitamins, Nettles

80% of food allergies have a hypoglycemia component

Homeopathy: serial dilution of allergens sublingual

constitutional homeopathy

Elimination diets

As you can see, this is a complex subject to try and sort through. It is best to have the child evaluated by a naturopathic physician, get proper testing and then guidance for nutritious meals and snacks best suited to your child. Naturopathic medicine again is an answer to the toxic world we find ourselves. Nutrition, herb medicines and homeopathy are all safe, gentle to the body and it allows the body to do its own healing.