Assessment and Treatment for Childhood Allergies
Paediatric Allergy and Allergen Desensitisation Treatment
Eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria are common childhood allergies. Assessment can help identify likely triggers and guide suitable treatment.
Common childhood allergies
Allergy occurs when the body overreacts to a substance, causing allergic symptoms. Eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria are all common childhood allergic conditions.
Allergic rhinitis (nasal allergy)
• Inhaled allergens cause inflammation in the nasal passages. Symptoms can resemble a cold, including sneezing, runny nose, nasal blockage, and an itchy nose, and may persist for some time.\n• Many children with allergic rhinitis also have eye allergy symptoms, such as itching, red eyes, tearing, and swollen eyes.\n• Diagnosis may include clinical assessment and allergy testing to identify reactions to particular allergens and help reduce exposure risk.
Allergic asthma
• This is the most common type of asthma. Like allergic rhinitis, it is caused by allergic inflammation after inhaling environmental allergens.\n• Diagnosis may include clinical assessment, spirometry, and allergy testing.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
• Atopic dermatitis involves an inherited skin-barrier problem. Surface skin cells can shed more easily, weakening the skin's natural protection and increasing susceptibility to bacterial infection.\n• Moisture evaporates more easily from the skin, so affected skin may become dry or cracked.\n• External substances, such as chemicals and allergens, can enter the skin and stimulate immune cells over time, leading to allergic skin reactions.\n• It can affect appearance, confidence, sleep, concentration at school, and mood.
Urticaria (hives)
• Acute urticaria lasts less than six weeks; chronic urticaria lasts more than six weeks.\n• Histamine released in the skin can cause itchiness, redness, swelling, and hives.\n• Possible triggers include food or environmental allergy, infection, autoimmune reactions, and other factors such as stress, skin irritation, or pollution.
IgE allergy testing
If you would like to understand whether your child is allergic to a particular food or environmental trigger, an IgE allergy test may help identify possible allergens. Identifying and avoiding relevant allergens may help reduce reactions and symptoms associated with eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria.\n\nAllergy testing helps identify substances that may trigger an allergic response in the body. Food allergy, eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria are often linked with allergens. IgE testing can support a clinician's assessment, but results should always be interpreted together with symptoms and medical history.
Sublingual immunotherapy
• Sublingual immunotherapy uses a solution containing an allergen. After a course of treatment, reactions to the same allergen may be reduced.\n• It helps the body gradually build tolerance to relevant allergens and is increasingly used internationally, particularly in Europe.\n• It may be suitable for children and adults and can target allergy to cats, dogs, or house dust mites.\n• Symptoms may reduce noticeably after around 6 to 9 months, but treatment is generally used daily for three continuous years.\n• People allergic to several substances may need allergen desensitisation injections managed by an allergy specialist.\n• Serious side effects are uncommon. Symptoms may temporarily worsen early in treatment but can usually be managed with medication.
Expected outcomes
Based on clinical experience and academic publications in Hong Kong, reported outcomes vary by individual and diagnosis. For allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, more than 90% of patients may experience symptom improvement and need less or no medication within 6 to 9 months. For atopic dermatitis, more than 70% of patients may experience symptom improvement and need less or no medication within 12 to 15 months. A doctor should advise whether this treatment is appropriate for an individual child.
For more information, please consult a doctor. Testing and treatment decisions should be based on an individual clinical assessment.