How to Manage Your Child’s Pet Allergies
Finding that someone in the house – especially one of the children – is allergic to a pet can be frustrating. Our pets are part of our family, so finding them that their mere presence negatively affects your child’s health or physical comfort creates a stressful situation. But if it does, and assuming the allergy is not serious, you can take steps to relieve your child’s symptoms without relocating the animal.
If you have young children and are still deciding whether to bring home a new pet – and you have a strong history of allergies in your family – you can wait until they are old enough to confirm if they are allergic to pets. animals. themselves. If you suspect an animal allergy, it is recommended that you introduce your child to the pet several times to see symptoms before opting for adoption. However, keep in mind that it can take months for allergy symptoms to appear.
If you already have a pet that makes your child sneeze and wheeze, there are a few things you can do to help deal with the situation.
Make sure the animal is really the problem
Symptoms of pet allergies are caused by proteins found in the animal’s skin cells (dandruff), saliva, or urine. They can include sneezing; coughing; runny nose; itchy, red, or watery eyes; nasal congestion; itchy nose, palate, or throat; after nasal drops; facial pressure and pain; and puffy blue skin under the eyes. According to The Mayo Clinic , a child may also frequently rub their nose in an upward motion. But sometimes pets are accused of causing an allergic reaction in children, although the allergen that causes them is a different matter.
If your child is showing allergy symptoms, it is best to check with a pediatrician or allergist first to have them checked to confirm what is causing the reaction. As the American Academy of Pediatrics says:
Sometimes, symptoms that appear to be caused by an animal may actually be caused by another allergy, such as pollen or mold. What happens is that Fido and Felix explore nature and then return to the house with a load of pollen granules and mold spores on their fur. Whenever a hay fever sufferer strokes pets, they trigger an invisible cloud of allergens that causes symptoms.
Create an Allergy Free Zone
The children’s bedroom is the most important room to be kept as clean and allergen-free as possible, so start by ensuring that no pets enter this room. You can also use dust mite covers for their bedding as dust mites are another common trigger for allergies.
The fewer rooms outside the bedroom, the better. You may be able to reach the second floor of the house, especially if the floors on the main level are hard surfaces and the floors in the bedrooms are carpeted. Pet dandruff sticks more to surfaces such as carpet, curtains, curtains, and upholstered furniture than to hard surfaces such as wood, tiles, or laminate flooring. As Beth Orenstein writes for Everyday Health :
Moreover, the latter are easier to clean. For this reason, you should also not let your allergic child sleep with stuffed animals, ”adds Dr. [Mervat] Nassef [a pediatric allergist and immunologist at New York-Presbyterian in New York]. If you must have carpet in your child’s bedroom or elsewhere in your home, choose a low-pile carpet and steam clean it regularly.
Even doing all of this will not completely prevent allergens from spreading throughout the home – air currents from air heating and air conditioning systems will move allergens from room to room. However, you can equip them with an air purification system or HEPA filters.
Become a pure freak
If your child (or anyone else in your home) is allergic to a pet, you will need to clean, clean, scrub, and then scrub some more. Pet dandruff is known to lodge on any number of surfaces, so while frequent vacuuming of floors may be obvious, you’ll also want to keep your walls, furniture, blinds, ceiling fans, and curtains clean. … Your pet’s bed and toys should also be washed regularly.
Take your child away too. If your child has physical contact with a pet, such as petting or licking an animal, advise him to immediately wash his hands or any area that has come into contact with the pet with soap. Teach them not to touch their eyes after interacting with the animal, and if they played with it (preferably outside!), Ask them to change. Showering before bed can also help reduce the amount of allergens your child brings into the bedroom at night.
Talk to your veterinarian about food and bathing
Regular bathing of your pet can help reduce the amount of allergens it produces. However, don’t overdo it and make your skin dry out and produce more dandruff. Try to take a bath weekly and check with your veterinarian about the best shampoo to use for your particular pet. Brushing your teeth regularly will also remove dandruff, but do it outdoors to prevent dandruff from entering the indoor air.
Your veterinarian may also advise you on changes you can make to your pet’s diet to help its skin retain moisture and reduce shedding. A diet with a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can support skin health.
Treatment or (swallow) removal
If you’ve tried all of the above and it wasn’t enough to treat your child’s symptoms, you can talk to his allergist about whether any over-the-counter or prescription treatment options are available.
Many families are considering relocating a pet as a last resort. If your child’s allergies cannot be dealt with and becomes necessary, The Humane Society provides advice on how to find a new home for them.