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What to Do When Your Child is Allergic to the Family's Feline Friend. |
 Allergies to household animals, such as dogs and cats are a common cause of asthma and hay fever among children. While many people assume the source of the cat allergens is the cat's fur, the main source of allergen is from the sebaceous glands in the cat's skin. This allergen spreads easily as when cats lick themselves as part of their daily cleaning routine, the sticky gland attaches itself to the cat hair, dust particles, even clothes and effectivey travels across the whole house. It is worth noting that these sticky allergens are difficult to remove, with the particles remaining in the house for up to six months after the cat has been removed.
Signs
Symptoms of cat allergies do not always occur after immediate contact with the cat. Up to 50% of people do not have immediate symptoms to cats, and it can take up to two years for allergy symptoms to develop. If you suspect your child has a cat allergy, a skin prick test by your doctor or allergy specialist can determine this. The signs of your child being allergic to cats include:sneezing- watery eyes
- runny nose
- wheezing
- coughing
Prevention
There is no fool-proof way to prevent your child from being allergic to cats, although prevention is considered to be the most effective way to address allergies. The following have been suggested to reduce cat allergies in infants:Avoid smoking. Exposure to environmental factors such as smoking has been proven to make a range of allergies develop.- Sensitisation. There is conflicting evidence as to whether exposure to an animal, 'senstitisation', when a child is young builds the child's immunity to cat allergens. A good indicator as to whether your child will develop allergies to cat's is if one or both of the parents already have allergic symptoms towards cats. If this is the case, avoid having cats in the house with your newborn.
Treatments
With many families treating their pets as another child, what then is the best way to treat your child's allergy if they do present with symptoms of cats allergies? Unfortunately removal of the pet cat is the most efficient way to stop your child's allergy symptoms. Consider giving the cat to a loving family or friend, where you can visit your cat when needed.
Alternatively anti-histamine medications can be used, and can be effective, depending on the level of allergy to the cat. It is worth noting that severe asthma has been attributed to children who suffer from cat allergies. .
Some people restrict their cat to one area, this is an unrealistic approach as is very difficult to implement. If your child has a severe allergic reaction to cats, this should not be considered an option.
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