Allergies in newborns. Complex treatment is important!
To date, allergies in newborns - a fairly common phenomenon, which in its essence is a reaction of the immune system of the baby's body to a particular allergen. Most often, food allergies are caused. The first signs of an allergy may occur a few minutes after the use of allergen products, but in some cases, an allergic reaction occurs after a few hours. The main causes of allergies in newborns:
- non-compliance with the mother's diet;
- regular child overfeeding;
- the transition from natural feeding to artificial;
- heredity;
- various infectious diseases;
- vaccination;
- taking certain medicines.
Food allergies in newborns usually arise from excessive consumption by the mother of milk and dairy products, eggs, rich broths, fish, pickles, canned goods, tomatoes, watermelon and melon, chocolate, citrus fruits, nuts, coffee. It should be noted that in addition to food, allergic reactions can also be caused by means for washing children's clothes, children's cosmetics, cigarette smoke, cosmetics used by one of the family members.
Parents need to know what allergies look like in newborns and how it differs from sweets or milies( rashes appearing in crumbs about three weeks old that are associated with natural hormonal changes).Allergies in the newborn on the face and skin are manifested not only by rashes, but also by roughness, excessive dryness or moisture, scaling and itching. In addition to the above changes in the skin, there are other signs indicating that it is the allergy in newborns: the symptoms, of course, are strictly individual, but most often occur:
- abdominal pain, intestinal colic;
- frequent regurgitation or vomiting;
- restless behavior of the baby;
- disorder;
- stool is green, sometimes with mucus;
- runny nose;
- cough;
- in rare cases anaphylactic shock.
Methods for treating allergies in newborns
The first step in treating a baby should be to remove dangerous foods from the diet and determine the allergen that causes the reaction. Typically, an experienced doctor for this is required to examine the child and talk with his parents, but in some cases additional tests of the baby's blood are required. Taking into account the individual characteristics of the child, his general condition and type of allergy, the doctor prescribes a treatment that includes a diet, the intake of sorbents and lactobacilli, as well as antihistamines. Affected areas of the skin are treated with special ointments. From an early age it is allowed to use non-hormonal ointments( Elidel, Fenistil, Bepanten plus, Dioxydin, Sulfargin).
Ichthyol or zinc ointment is used to reduce the discomfort and itching of the crumb skin. With special care and only for the doctor's prescription, ointments should be used, which contain antibiotics( erythromycin, lincomycin, gentamycin, Levomikol, Futsidin).In the absence of the effect of the use of non-steroid ointments and creams, a doctor may prescribe a local hormone remedy. The most safe steroid drugs are Elcom and Advantan, which contain corticosteroids, which are not practically absorbed into the blood.
In any case, ointment for allergies for newborns should not be chosen independently or on the advice of other mothers. All medical measures should be prescribed only by a doctor. Started and untreated allergies in newborns are fraught with exacerbation of the disease, as well as serious complications, so at the very first manifestations it is necessary to contact the pediatrician or child allergist as soon as possible.