If you or your partner is allergic to a particular food item or dust, you may naturally worry if your baby would develop an allergy for the same, too. Usually, it is said that infants with a sibling or parents with allergies have a greater risk to be born with allergies, than babies who don’t have any allergies in their family. The allergies that get passed on to the baby through their families are known as atopic allergies.
However, this is not entirely true, though! For example, if you or your partner is allergic to peanuts, or eggs or cow’s milk, your baby need not necessarily be allergic to the same item. Similarly, your baby could develop an allergy to eggs, even if you or your partner or his sibling don’t have any problem with eggs. So, genetics does play a role, but not always.
A common allergy that you may find in your baby is towards cow’s milk, but he will outgrow it in 2 years. You may want to protect your baby from allergies even when he is in your womb, but there is nothing you can do about it. It is highly recommended that you follow two things to reduce the risk of allergies in your baby at the time of birth. Firstly, you should eat a very healthy and balanced diet throughout your pregnancy. Secondly, you have to breastfeed your baby for the first 6 months exclusively. This is because breast milk contains a lot of nutrients and antibodies that help to develop the immunity of your baby.
Here are some of the common infant allergies that you should be aware of:
Food Allergies
You could wait for your baby to complete 1 year before you introduce foods such as cow’s milk, soy, wheat, shellfish, crab, eggs, and nuts in his diet. These are potential allergens that can upset the gut of your baby.
Seasonal allergies
During certain seasons, the pollen from the blooms of the trees and grasses can cause running nose, fever, skin rashes and cough in kids. You need to observe these symptoms and note their frequency so that you can confirm with your paediatrician about the same.
Indoor Allergies
When you have a baby inside the house, it is highly recommended that you don’t use very strong perfumes, room fresheners, strong detergents for washing clothes, etc. These can cause respiratory ailments in babies. You also need to ensure that your baby isn’t exposed to cigarette smoke at all, as this can cause severe allergies in him.
Pet Allergies
As much as your baby love your pets, it is very important that you clean your baby thoroughly after every cuddle session. Cat and dog hairs can cause your baby to sneeze and sniffle. If you notice these symptoms every time your baby goes near your pet, you can talk about it to your paediatrician and confirm if your baby is allergic to pets.
Important points to note
- Irrespective of the type of allergy your baby has, it is very important for you to maintain a journal and record the symptoms thoroughly so that you can help the paediatrician to diagnose the ailment correctly.
- You should ensure that your baby’s products (lotions, soaps, clothes, etc.) are stored in a clean place and cleaned with mild products.
- Exclusive breastfeeding is essential for the first 6 months.