Allergy Induced Asthma in Children

Allergy Induced Asthma in Children

Allergies are a nuisance for a large majority of adults and children, but what are they exactly? Simply put allergies are caused when the immune system overreacts to substances that are not actually harmful. Two common allergens people deal with are pollen and animal dander. When pollen or any other allergen makes contact with your nose or eyes your body will try and combat the interaction by producing histamines, causing inflammation of the affected areas. This is what leads to symptoms like itchy, watery eyes and a sore throat.

Asthma is also the result of inflammation, in this case the airways. The inflammation will cause coughing and wheezing and in more severe cases, tighten the airway, making it difficult to breathe. During asthma attacks and allergic reactions, a person’s body acts similarly in that it is being sensitive to outside pollutants or allergens. When dealing with allergens, the body combats these foreign objects in the airways as well as the eyes and skin. While pollen and dust are considered allergens, they can affect a person with asthma even though they do not have any allergies. Asthma can also be caused by illnesses such as colds and sinus infections.

Allergy induced asthma, different than non-allergy induced asthma, will have the same symptoms, so it can be hard to tell the difference. Allergy induced asthma will be triggered by specific allergies a child has, like pollen, dust, and dander; regular asthma can be caused by over-exertion or a chest cold. Children and adults experience the same symptoms when having an asthma attack, however children are more likely to experience allergen induced attacks. The percentage of children with asthma that is allergen induced is about 90%, while adult allergen induced attacks are about 50% likely.