Baby Allergies

Yes, it's true ... baby allergies can exist in babies under the age of two. For a long time, we believed that because allergies are related to an overactive immune system, and the immune system isn't fully developed until two or three years of age, that very young babies weren't allergic to anything. However, this has turned out not to be the case. Because the immune system can develop at an erratic rate, sometimes young babies do fall victim to allergies.

So, how do you know if your baby has allergies?

Initially, you look for potential symptoms. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Does your baby have a recurring cold?
Is your baby continually displaying cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes, cough, nasal congestion, and sneezing?
Does she have an itchy red rash?
Is the mucus from her nose clear and watery?
Does she wiggle all the time?
Does she often push her nose up?
Are there dark or purple patches under her eyes?

Any of these could be an indicator that your baby is experiencing allergies. However, most of these symptoms can simply be the result of a cold or some other minor ailment. Which often makes it difficult for parents to realize there's even a problem. It's far more common to see these symptoms as the result of a chronic cold or a sensitive stomach or a fussy baby.

Just as they do in adults, baby allergies usually grow worse unless there's a change in the environment and the allergens are removed. Unlike adults, if you eliminate a baby's exposure to the guilty allergen for six months or longer, her body will essentially forget about it. Of course, you need to know the allergen behind the symptoms.

On a slightly different front, recently there have been questions about how breastfeeding impacts baby allergies. There is an obvious connection. Allergies are the result of an overactive immune system reacting to an allergen in the environment. Breast milk provides the baby with antibiotics that help strengthen the still-developing immune system.

There is also another connection that isn't quite as obvious. Babies who are breastfed are exposed to fewer allergens. Cow's milk, goat's milk, soy milk ... these are all foreign substances being introduced into your baby's system. The less your baby is exposed to these foods, especially in the very early months of her life, the less chance she'll have of developing allergies later.

Finally, there is some good news for infants suffering from baby allergies. The Food and Drug Administration has recently approved Zyrtec treating year-round allergies in infants as young as 6 months. This is the first (and currently the only) prescription antihistamine shown in clinical tests to be safe and effective for infants.