Oct 22, 2001 (Albuquerque Journal) - An itch, a sneeze, a wheeze ... don't necessarily blame the common cold.
Many kids are affected each year by some form of allergy causing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms -- itchy nose, watery eyes, a skin rash, wheezing or a severe reaction to foods.
Children, like adults, are vulnerable to pollen in the air, foods, and dog and cat dander and fur.
Hay fever is the most common type of allergy in children and is believed to affect about 40 percent of youths in the United States, said Dr. Michael Clayton, an Albuquerque allergy specialist.
"The most common situation to trigger allergies in Albuquerque is pollen," he said.
Juniper trees, elm trees, Russian olives, various grasses and sagebrush are some of the outdoor sources of the pollen that causes hay fever. Inside, the family cat or dog may be to blame.
Many children are allergic to dogs, but cats are more likely to induce allergies, said Dr. Michael Keslin, an allergy specialist with Lovelace.
Hay fever, asthma, eczema and food allergies are the primary allergic diseases found in children. Some of the symptoms look similar to a cold.
"Itching," Keslin said, "is the classic sign of allergy." Itchy eyes, itchy throat, itchy nose, are what separates allergies from a run-of-the mill cold, he said.
Allergy season, primarily from February to May and August to October, is when the symptoms hit hardest in Albuquerque. Colds are more common in winter months.
"It can be very hard to tell," Clayton said. "A cold goes away after seven to 10 days. Allergies usually persist."
Allergy doctors have two primary tests to diagnose whether a child has an allergy.
A prick test is the fastest and cheapest way, and is the least traumatic. Also, it doesn't hurt much.
A small amount of the allergic stimulant is placed on the skin of the back and a tiny prick is administered on the spot. If the spot turns red and hivelike, a person is allergic to the stimulant.
"Skin tests are a little bit more predictive for what to treat with," Keslin said, adding that the tests are also the quickest way to diagnose an allergy.
Adults can be tested and treated more aggressively, Keslin said.
Kids are typically not given an extensive prick test with numerous pricks if they are younger than 5.
A second test is the Radio Allergosorbent Test, or RAST Test. Blood is drawn from the patient and tested for allergic reactions to certain stimulants.
But that test can be slightly intrusive for a small child; the needle is larger than in a prick test.
Diagnosing allergies is not a simple task because most children are affected by more than one of the diseases: hay fever, asthma, eczema and food allergies.
Clayton said it is rare to see one allergy without symptoms of another.
"For many people, asthma is just another type of allergic disease," he said.
Allergies are prevalent in our dry and dusty climate, but there are preventive measures.
The end of this year's allergy season is almost here but prevent allergies next year by taking antihistamines before the season hits, Clayton said.
If you think your child may be an allergy sufferer, consult a family physician, pediatrician or allergy specialist. Family history is a good predictor of whether a child will be subject to allergies.
"If everyone in the family is allergic, there is a much greater chance a kid will have allergies," Keslin said.
While allergy symptoms often mirror a cold, without proper treatment they can become chronic.
Hay fever
Hay fever causes itchy and watery eyes, sneezing and an itchy nose. It is most commonly treated with antihistamines, which clear the sinuses and prevent sneezing and watery eyes. Claritin, Zyrtec and Allegra are some popular prescription choices.
If the oral medication is ineffective, shots can provide help. Clayton said the shots take 10 to 12 months to be effective but often provide noticeable relief and reduce the need for medication in the future.
Shots are typically given two to three times a week in the early stages and then about once a month over five years, Clayton said.
Asthma
Asthma, the second most common allergy-related disease in children older than 3, is treated with inhalers and shots. About 80 percent of asthma in kids is allergy-related, while 20 percent is a form of infection.
"We really strive for them (people with asthma) to lead normal lives," Clayton said. "With the medications we have, there is no excuse for people to not be active."
Common asthma symptoms include wheezing, coughing, tightness in chest and trouble breathing.
Eczema
Eczema is an allergic reaction that surfaces as a skin irritation with crusty dry bumps, which can often be red and infected. They are most commonly found behind the knees and on the elbows. Babies can have it all over.
Keslin said the best way to attack eczema is to keep it moist. Applying Vaseline and cortisone cream, as well as soaking the skin in water, are recommended, although eczema can resurface.
He warns against using lotion because the alcohol found in most types can cause further irritation.
Food allergies
Food allergies are cured only by avoiding the offending food, but the good news is that many children outgrow these allergies. They develop in children from birth to about 3 years old.
Emily Garcia, of Santa Fe, has a 10-year-old son, Isaac Garcia Weinberger, who is allergic to wheat.
"When he was a baby, he kept getting sick, and we couldn't figure out why," Garcia said.
Isaac's wheat allergy was discovered after a prick test when he was 3.
"It's like all of a sudden he has a cold, he can't breath," she said.
Milk, eggs, wheat, soy and peanuts are foods that cause allergic reactions, Clayton said.
But, he added, "90 percent of children outgrow their milk allergy by their fifth birthday."
Peanuts were believed to be the only lifelong allergy food, but recent findings show that kids who acquire the allergy at a young age tend to outgrow it, Clayton said.
Garcia goes to lengths to avoid exposing Isaac to wheat, and said she hopes he will be able to eat the food someday.
"Every kind of bread, noodles, pizza has wheat in it," she said. "He craves it; it's hard."
The RAST Test is the best way to determine when a child can go back to eating a certain food, Clayton said.
Garcia said it took some time to diagnose Isaac. He had coldlike symptoms that persisted and eventually turned to pneumonia.
