Fighting Allergies & Asthma

Can we really protect our kids from allergies and asthma? The answer can be a yes and also a no. My mother is suffering from bronchitis asthma. And so I have inherited this from her. When my son was born, I dreaded the passing on of this genetic legacy. And yes, he too has few of the symptoms.

Many allergies are developed in the first two years. That’s when the immune system of the baby is also being developed and strengthened. The best way to protect your child from having any allergies is boosting their immune system. Ensure the baby is on breast milk for at least the first six months. I kept worrying, if my sea food allergies would pass on to Aarav. But I am glad it didn’t happen that way. However, it is unlikely, that nursing moms will pass on their food allergies through breast milk.

Another way of protecting babies /toddlers from allergies is to protect the air around them. Keep the baby away from the kitchen area, domestic fumes, smokers in the family and the usual pollution caused by vehicles. Avoid having a stroll with the near the busy roads or smoking areas.

Some of the clear signs of having an allergic reaction or asthma are coughing, wheezing, runny nose, red eyes and feeling short of breath.

So avoid making your child drinking chilled water from the refrigerator. Though warm water is always the best option to have, but kids these days never listen. Cold water aggravates wheezing and makes the asthma worse.

Keep your house dust free. Sweep, mop, and dust your house every day. Rather, avoid accumulation of dust on carpets, sofas and curtains. Vacuum your carpet every 15 days as dust settles in very quickly which is inhaled by your child almost every second. Doing wet mops also settles the dust but that’s not a permanent solution. Maintaining a clean environment at home will prevent asthma attacks in children.

The best way to protect our kids is to stop or control the triggers that cause such allergies. Some of the ways to control the triggers are mentioned below:

• Keep away plants with pollens

• Pets also trigger common allergies, so keep them away till the allergies don’t subside

• Avoid cold water and weather. Keep your baby wrapped

• Avoid being around smokers. It has been observed that exposure of second hand smoke (tobacco) increases the development of asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses.

Another way of protecting your child is to introduce daily exercise or yoga in your child’s routine. Breathing exercises help in improving the tracts of the lungs and delays or prevents allergy and asthma attacks.

If you observe that your child may start developing regular bouts of asthma or breathlessness then consult a specialist and seek help. There are various tests that can confirm what type of allergies your child has. The right medicines along with proper physical exercise can prevent such attacks.