Childhood allergies are common. As a parent, you need to be able to recognize that your son or daughter may have one or more allergies, so they can get treatment. Although some allergies can be deadly, these are the ones that are the most obvious and can be diagnosed quickly. The problem is with allergies that are more subtle. These allergies can affect the quality of your child's life. The following are a few things you need to know.

You need to recognize the symptoms

The first step in helping your child is looking for the signs that one or more allergies exist. Among the most common symptoms are trouble breathing that takes the form of wheezing. You will hear this sound when your child exhales. Often an allergy will manifest itself as a rash. However, the most common sign will relate to the nose and throat, such as coughing and a runny nose. Also, you should look for eyes that water. What makes it difficult is that any of the symptoms above can be something other than an allergy. The key element is a symptom that is persistent.

You need to pay attention to cause and effect

Once you have seen a persistent symptom of an allergy, you need to pay attention to what happened prior to the symptom. Pay attention to the foods that your child has eaten prior to the symptom. An allergic reaction can come from contact with an animal, such as a dog or cat. Or a new detergent that you have used to wash your child's clothes can be the culprit. New scents in your home can be the problem. Examples of this include a new perfume or an air freshener that is being used in the home. Sometimes, simply being outdoors can cause an allergic reaction. You shouldn't worry too much about discovering the exact cause, but what you can do is write down everything you notice after the symptoms are seen.

You need to make an appointment to see an allergist

Once you are convinced of the presence of an allergy and you have jotted down a few ideas on what it may be, you need to take your child to see an allergist. Based on your observations and a few tests that may need to be done, your child's allergy can be pinpointed. The allergist can then recommend a treatment plan. Once you know the problem, your child may need to avoid certain foods or stay away from cats, to name two examples. But sometimes the allergy can be pollen in the air, and this may not be avoidable. In this case, the allergist can prescribe medication.

If you suspect your child has an allergy, you owe it to your son or daughter to pay attention to the frequency of the symptoms, attempt to identify possible causes and see an allergist, so your child can be helped.