Airgle Air Purifiers - Air Cleaners

Air Purifier Addresses Childhood Allergies

An allergy is when a person's immune system reacts against a substance (the allergen) which is normally harmless and poses no threat to the body.  Common allergens include pollen, dust mites, animal dander, certain foods and food preservatives, insect stings, mold and fungal spores, certain medications and latex.

Allergies typically do not occur the first time a person is exposed to the allergen, but develop with repeated exposure as the body starts to produce antibodies to the allergen.  An allergic reaction then starts when there is exposure to the allergen, which binds to the specific antibodies and triggers a cascade of reactions in inflammatory cells.  Chemicals including histamine are released and these cause the allergy symptoms.  Common symptoms in adults include sneezing, wheezing and difficulty breathing, asthma attacks in asthmatics, runny nose, watering itchy eyes, swelling, skin rashes, vomiting and diarrhea and sinus pain.  Anaphylactic shock is a severe reaction affecting the whole body, especially the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.  It is a medical emergency and can be rapidly fatal.

Allergies most commonly occur during childhood or young adulthood and the incidence of allergies in children has significantly increased over the last 20 years.  Asthma, which can be linked to allergies, is one of the most common reasons for the admission of children to hospitals.  Asthma is a very serious condition, which can sometimes even be fatal.  Any child that develops asthma should be under a doctor's care.

Childhood allergies can be very different from the allergies of adults.

Development of allergies in children is thought to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.  The exact mechanism of inheritance of allergies has not yet been fully explained, but if a parent has an allergy, their child will have about a 40% chance of developing allergies.  If both parents have allergies, the risk is about 80%.  These children will have a predisposition to developing the antibodies that produce allergies, but will not necessarily develop allergies or the same allergies as their parents.

Environmental exposure is also a very important factor in determining whether a child will develop allergies.  Simple exposure to common allergens can trigger allergies in young children as the immune system is not fully developed.  Environmental pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide, can trigger both development of asthma and attacks.  Particles released when diesel fuel is burnt in vehicles have been shown to trigger allergic reactions.  Mold spores have also been shown to cause asthma epidemics in adults as well as children.  It has been suggested that children in developed countries are now not exposed to enough childhood illnesses to build up the immune system, so it becomes disordered, and starts to react against harmless substances. 

There are also factors which have been shown to have a protective effect against the development of allergies in children.  There is evidence that babies who are breastfed have a lower incidence of allergies in childhood.  Breast milk contains immune factors important for correct development of the immune system.  If breastfeeding is not possible, feeding a soya milk formula for 6 months or more can also help.  This avoids exposure to cow's milk, a very common cause of allergic reactions.  Late introduction to solid food, at age 6 months or later, can also prevent exposure to potential allergens until the immune system is more developed.

In infants younger than 3 years old, the immune system cannot respond to airborne allergens so symptoms of allergic rhinitis are not seen.  Allergies are seen as eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, producing an itchy red rash with crusting, particularly on the face and neck and also in elbow and knee creases.  The exact mechanisms and causes of eczema are not known, but it is triggered by food allergies in up to 30% of children.  Foods which can trigger eczema include milk, egg, soya, wheat, fish and peanuts.  Among children with eczema, if the parents have allergies, 75% will later develop other allergy problems such as hay fever or asthma.

When a child reaches the age of 3 years, the immune system is developed enough to respond to airborne allergens.  The typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis may be seen.  If there is no treatment this can worsen, leading to symptoms of asthma.  If this is still untreated chronic severe asthma, sinusitis and lung disease can result.

Allergic children may show the typical allergy symptoms of adults, but there are also additional signs.  Dark circles under the eyes, 'allergic shiners', and eye bags or a fold under the eye are commonly associated with allergies and are due to sinus problems.  A child may continually rub an itchy, runny nose, causing a horizontal line across the bridge of the nose.  Continual pulling at the ear may indicate itching of the ears, nose and throat due to an allergy. 

These signs are particularly useful in children who are not old enough to explain their symptoms, as they suggest itching from allergies rather than pain for example from an infection.  Allergic children may suffer from cold and clammy feet.  This is thought to indicate allergy as the liver cannot cope with the continuous immune responses and toxins in the body.  Children with food allergies may only show oral 'allergy syndrome', which is itching of the mouth and throat when the allergenic food is eaten.

Other signs of allergy in children include hyperactivity, sudden mood swings and irritability, hot and cold shivers, dizziness, persistent headaches and flushed cheeks with shining eyes.

Allergies in children can be diagnosed by simple skin tests, which are the most reliable and common form of testing.  Skin tests involve administering a drop of allergen to the skin and then scratching the skin so the allergen penetrates.  A positive result is a red welt after 15 minutes. 

Allergies can be treated with drugs, such as anti-histamines and corticosteroids, to suppress the immune response and so prevent symptoms,.  Other medications can relieve symptoms, such as eye drops and nasal decongestants.  However, there is no cure for allergies and all medications have side effects.  Preventing exposure to potential and current allergens is the key to reducing both allergy development and symptoms.

Airborne allergens are potentially the most serious allergens due to their strong link to the development of asthma.  Asthma is a serious, potentially fatal and incurable disease, but it is treatable. Airborne allergens are difficult to avoid.  Avoiding keeping pets in the house can help prevent development of allergies to pet dander, but dander can persist in the home for up to 6 months after pets are removed. 

Another common airborne allergen, pollen, is also very difficult to avoid.  While measures such as staying inside during times of high exposure (especially warm windy weather), wearing a face mask outside and not drying clothes outside where they can trap pollen may help, it is impossible to keep prevent pollen entering the home.  Dust mites can cause severe allergies and are difficult to remove completely by cleaning, as they become trapped in soft furnishings.   

Use of a high quality air purifier is essential in reducing development and severity of childhood allergies to airborne allergens.  Air purifiers, especially those with HEPA (high efficiency) filters, are very effective at removing these from the air in the home.  HEPA filters are 99.97% effective at removing particles as small as 0.3 microns from the air.  AIRGLE Air Purifiers are widely considered the best, and most effective, air purifiers on the market today.  By reducing airborne allergen levels, children will have a decreased risk of developing allergies and symptoms will be relieved in those already suffering from allergies.  By controlling allergies at a young age their severity and the chance of later developing chronic disease can be reduced.