Treatment of allergic rashes in children

Approximately two thirds of children under one year old and about 30% of children over one year old suffer from allergies. An inadequate reaction of the body to an allergen in children most often manifests itself in the form of a rash. You will learn how to treat allergic rashes in children by reading this article.

Kinds

Allergy tendencies are often inherited. This fact is no longer in doubt among doctors. However, the mechanisms of the development of an allergic reaction are still not fully understood, because not always in an allergic child, mom or dad also suffer from allergies.

The essence of the ongoing processes is quite simple. A certain protein-antigen enters the child's body, which cannot be absorbed. The baby's immunity "remembers" the foreign protein and, when it reappears, gives an immune response in the form of an allergic rhinitis, cough. Skin rashes are also an immune response to protein antigen.

Hundreds of such proteins are known to medicine. The most common causes of allergic rashes in children:

rashes with food allergies (to certain foods);
rash with drug (drug) allergy (to specific types of drugs, certain substances and their compounds);
rash with seasonal allergies (pollen, flowering);
rashes in response to insect bites;
rash with contact allergies (to household chemicals, cosmetics);
rash with household allergies (house dust, feather pillows, pet hair).

An allergic rash can appear in response to exposure to an allergen at any age, in children of any gender, race, or health condition. The manifestations of skin rashes do not depend on the climatic zone in which the child lives, sufficient or insufficient care is provided for him. An allergy rash is only an external manifestation of a violent internal process.

Most often, a rash occurs in the following forms:

hives;
exudative diathesis;
allergic eczema;
atopic dermatitis;
contact dermatitis.

Causes of occurrence

An allergen is almost always a molecular structure of protein origin. Not all allergens cause immune reactions when they enter the body. Some are able to bind to proteins that are found in all human tissues. Usually these are elements that are found in medicines or chemicals.

After the first entry into the child's body, the allergen causes sensitization, with it the sensitivity and susceptibility of histamine receptors increases, and the sensitivity increases precisely to a particular allergen. Subsequent contacts with this allergen are accompanied by a whole cascade of immune processes with the formation of skin rashes.

The non-immune mechanism is associated with the release of histamines, which, when exposed to immune cells, cause swelling of the skin layers, expansion of capillaries (cause of redness), and blistering.

The number of children suffering from skin allergies is growing every year. Doctors believe that the main reasons lie in the deterioration of the environment, the consumption of genetically modified foods. In addition, doctors say that children at risk are most susceptible to allergic rashes.

It includes:

Babies born from pregnancy accompanied by pathologies (preeclampsia, oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios, carrying twins or triplets, threatened miscarriage, severe toxicosis at the beginning and end of the gestation period).
Children who suffered severe viral infections at an early age (up to a year).
Children who, by coincidence, from birth or from the age of up to 3 months, are transferred to artificial mixtures.
Babies who are deficient in important vitamins and who are undernourished or malnourished.
Children who were forced to take medications for a long time.

Symptoms

Symptoms of different types of allergic rashes differ significantly. For example, contact allergies are never common. Elements of rashes (more often blisters) are localized precisely on the part of the body that had contact with the allergen (chemical). The blisters are itchy.

For food allergies The rash usually develops as atopic dermatitis. It is localized on the body, face, neck, sometimes on the scalp, on the back of the head. The rash does not have a clear outline, fragments can be scattered far from each other - throughout the body.

Hives Are reddish spots of varying color intensity on the skin. When you press on them with your finger, you can see whitish spots. Hives are slightly swollen, visually reminiscent of nettle burns. Giant urticaria (the most severe form of such an allergy) is accompanied by swelling of the larynx, neck, Quincke's edema. Hives often occur with drug allergies - on the body, face, arms and legs, back and abdomen.

Exudative diathesis most often manifests itself on the cheeks, chin, arms and neck, as well as on the auricles and in the space behind the ear. At first, these are bubbles filled with a clear liquid, which cause a strong judgment. The child is worried, scratching the skin or rubbing it against the bed, as a result, the bubbles easily burst, leaving behind red crusts. If eczema develops, then these crusts become wet, itchy, complicated by an attached infection, which becomes noticeable by the presence of pustules.

Allergic rash can be completely colorlesswhich manifests itself as "goosebumps". It is usually not accompanied by itching, it does not have a severe form. This happens if the inflammation process stops at the defeat of the papillary layer of the dermis.

How can you tell an allergy from an infection?

Parents who have discovered a strange rash on the child's skin, first of all, want to know what is the matter - an allergic reaction or infectious diseases that also occur with skin manifestations. Only a called doctor can answer this question with a high degree of certainty. Laboratory diagnostics is able to confirm or refute his conclusion. However, considerate parents can also tell the difference between infections and allergies. In fact, it's not that difficult.

With allergies, there is no high fever. In infections, fever and fever are most often obligatory "companions" of the initial stage of the disease. An infectious rash usually has clear outlines - papules, vesicles, pustules and other elements of the rash have certain boundaries and shape. With an allergic rash, the forms of blisters and blisters are quite blurred.

Swelling of the face and lips, the appearance of puffiness with allergies is common, but with infections such a symptom is usually not observed. With allergies, the rash itches and itches, and with infections this does not always happen.

Weakness, intoxication and body aches with infectious diseases always happen, but with allergies - almost never. The runny nose that accompanies infections changes in character - first, a liquid secretion is released from the nose, then it thickens and changes color. With allergies, the child's snot is constantly liquid, the nature of the course of rhinitis does not change over time.

An allergic rash is prone to fusion, swelling of the skin, an infectious one usually does not swell, and all its elements are clearly visible. The first usually manifests itself as spots and vesicles, the second - vesicles, pustules, papules.

First aid

Allergists and pediatricians should treat allergies. But all parents should be able to provide a child with first aid at home, given that a skin allergy can happen suddenly - at any time and with any baby.

When a rash appears, first of all, you need to carefully examine the baby's skin, notice the features and locations of the spots. It is important to remember what the new child ate, drank, and took over the past 3-4 days.

If there is a suspicion of a food allergy, then the child is given enterosorbents in an age-specific dose (Enterosgel), and the skin with rashes is washed with cool water without soap. Nothing else should be given before visiting the doctor.

If you suspect a drug allergy, you should stop taking medication and take the child to see a doctor. The exception is situations when a medicine is given to a baby for health reasons. Then you shouldn't interrupt the course. It is better to immediately go to an appointment with a specialist.

For any form of allergy, first aid is to interrupt contact with the allergen. If it is not known what the child has a skin reaction to, then it is better to protect him from a wide range of potentially dangerous common allergens. This includes whole cow's milk, chicken eggs, nuts, citrus fruits, some types of sea fish, sweets, honey and other foods, house dust, animal dander, fish food, all perfumes, cosmetics, pollen and medicines.

If the cause of the rash is clear to the parents, then it will be easier to limit contact with the allergen.

In any case, the lesion site is washed with water without soap. If the rash is severe, you can give your child antihistamines (in a single age dose). After consulting a doctor, the main treatment is started.

Treatment

Treatment is based on eliminating the allergen. Modern diagnostics, which includes laboratory methods, as well as allergy tests, can help find it. After eliminating the allergen, the doctor decides on the use of medicines. Everything will depend on the degree of skin lesions and general symptoms.

In milder forms of the rash, agents with a sedative effect - motherwort tincture, valerian decoction, lemon balm decoction - help well. Ingestion of such drugs will allow the baby to suffer less from itching, and also improve the child's sleep.

Antihistamines eliminate the internal cause of the rash - free histamine. In pediatric practice, "Erius", "Loratadin", "Tsetrin", "Zirtek", "Diazolin", "Suprastin", "Claritin", "Fenistil" (drops) are widely used.

Sorbents help to remove from the body toxins generated by allergens, such agents include Polysorb and Enterosgel, as well as Lactofiltrum.

Locally, places of rashes can be treated with Fenistil (in the form of a gel). In case of extensive itchy rash, the doctor may recommend hormonal preparations with a small amount of glucocorticosteroid hormones - for example, Triderm or Advantan ointment. They will relieve itching and gradually remove all rashes. In a severe allergic process, hormonal drugs ("Prednisolone") are prescribed for internal use.

If the rash is accompanied by severe swelling, the doctor will definitely recommend diuretics in conjunction with calcium supplements so that frequent urination does not lead to "washing out" of this extremely necessary mineral from the body.

A child with allergies should be bathed without foam, shampoo and soap. You can add a small amount of a decoction of chamomile or calendula to the water. It is unacceptable to wash a child in water with the addition of essential oils.

If you need to use other medicines, it is important to call your doctor and consult about the possibility of taking them during the treatment of an allergic rash. Some antibiotics (for example, "Tetracycline"), as well as the nootropic drug "Pantogam" often cause severe allergies, which is undesirable when treating a rash.

It is impractical and harmful to lubricate a rash with an allergy with a baby cream, because under a layer of oily cream the skin will "get wet", which will slow down recovery. It is also not worth using powder, because it dries the skin too much.

In addition to medications, a child with skin allergies is prescribed a special hypoallergenic diet that completely excludes foods that can aggravate the baby's condition. For children under one year old, the doctor corrects the mother's nutrition if she is breastfeeding, or replaces the infant adapted milk formula.

If you follow all the recommendations and the prescribed course, the rash goes away in about a week and a half.

General recommendations

To prevent the development of skin allergies for the first time (as well as recurrence in children who have already undergone treatment), simple and effective preventive tips will help:

You should not give your child a large amount of medication. This undermines its immunity and provokes mild allergic reactogenicity. If it is possible to lower the temperature without a pill, you should use it. If you can not give cough syrup, but provide a warm, abundant drink and massage instead, then it is better to take this opportunity.

The less the child "eats" the pills, the stronger his immunity.

Excessive sweating only increases the manifestations of skin allergies. Therefore, the child does not need to be wrapped up. In the room where the baby lives, it is worth maintaining optimal conditions: the air temperature is at the level of 19-21 degrees, the relative humidity is 50-70%. Dress your child for the weather, while avoiding synthetic fabrics that will hinder the process of sweat evaporation and create a "greenhouse" effect.
Complementary foods should be introduced exclusively according to the complementary feeding calendar. You should not experiment with food, rush things, start feeding your child with food that is not for his age. Protein structures, which, for example, are contained in cow's milk, cannot be digested by the body of a child who is not one year old, and therefore proteins in their pure and original form simply rot in the intestines, causing an allergic reaction.
Bathing a child prone to allergies, a baby with problem skin should be in water previously freed from chlorine. To do this, the water is pre-boiled; when boiling, chlorine evaporates. An older child can be bathed in ordinary water if you add a decoction of the string to it.

Do not use household chemicals containing chlorine to clean the house.

All children's things, bedding must be washed with a special hypoallergenic powder for children. The use of adult detergents is unacceptable. If a child sleeps in the same bed with his parents, then adult linen, as well as pajamas and nightgowns of the parents are washed with baby powder.
In the bedroom of a one-year-old toddler or an older child, there should be no carpets, large soft toys, open cabinets with books or linen. All listed items are universal household dust collectors.

The child should spend more time outdoors. If in spring he is allergic to pollen, then it is worth choosing places for walks where allergenic plants do not grow, and in summer, during the flowering season of meadow grasses, you should not send the child to his grandmother in the village or a suburban children's health camp. Most allergic attacks can and should be prevented in order not to be treated later.
But you should not limit the child's communication with animals if he is not allergic to wool. Pediatricians have long noticed that children who have had contact with domestic cats and dogs almost from the first days of their lives are less susceptible to allergies than their peers, whose parents are afraid to have four-legged pets in the apartment where the heir is growing up.