Living With Child Pet Allergies

A Basic Understanding of Child Pet Allergies

When somebody says that they have a pet at home, we normally think of pets with hair or fur such as cats, dogs, rabbits etc.  These pets are no doubt responsible for the occurrence of a large number of child allergic reactions since they are the most common household pets.

These animals are well known for producing allergens that cause child allergy symptoms. However there are variety of other animals, pets and farm animals which also produce allergens which in turn cause child pet allergies.

The child pet allergic reactions are more or less similar to reactions due to any other types of allergies. The allergens or allergy producing substances which act as triggers for child pet allergies are pet by-products.

Basically, the allergens are not considered harmful by most of the bodies of the children. The bodies of other children who are affected by allergic reactions consider the allergens as dangerous invaders; such bodies produce antibodies to counter the allergens which in fact are allergic reactions.

These reactions come in the form of:

	skin rash
	hives
	sneezing
	mucus production and congestion
	watering eyes and nose
	and/or itching

Many of the substances produced naturally by the pet can be child pet allergy triggers; some of these items that cause child pet allergy are:

	Animal dander
	Saliva
	Urine
	Feces

The hair or animal fur of animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits and farm animals do not contain significant allergens that cause child pet allergic reactions. The main substance that is responsible for child pet allergies from animals with hair or fur is the animal's dander.

Animal dander is a material shed from the body of various animals, similar to dandruff or pet pollen. It may contain scales of dried skin and hair, or feathers. These are skin cells produced in the animal's sebaceous glands. Under normal circumstances animal excreta and dander can stay in a home for a period of six months.

The hair or fur of animals also traps dust, dust mites and pollen which can be allergy triggers. All these items cause allergic reactions in some children.

Items such as feces, saliva and urine of pets contain large amount of allergens; the feces and urine of all pets can cause problems of allergic reactions. However, major problems for children with pet allergies can be caused by the small members of the rodent family such as gerbils, hamsters, rats, and mice. Saliva from dogs is more problematic than dog’s dander.

Life with Child Pet Allergies

The child’s inborn desire to have a pet at home as its own need not be thwarted by the child pet allergies; the child can have its own pet by proper cleaning and management of pet. Some children with child pet allergies are in a position to live comfortably with a pet. In case the child is not comfortable with any particular pet one can find alternate pets acceptable to the child.

The child with pet allergies can live in a harmonious manner along with a pet by properly managing the symptoms and also reducing the quantity of allergen.

The child pet allergy reactions can be properly managed in most of the cases by using over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. These medications are basically antihistamines and/or decongestants which will relieve the child from nasal stuffiness, chest congestion, skin rashes, watery eyes, and itchiness.

However, certain OTC versions of antihistamines and decongestants result in mental cloudiness and fatigue. Because of this reason it is advisable that children having chronic pet allergy problems are given only prescription strength medication.

The children with child pet allergies require not only management of allergic reactions/ symptoms but also minimum exposure to allergens. The main requirement for managing allergens is to clean the animal pet and also home on a regular basis. These are:

	Children should wash hands and face after handling or playing with their pet
	In order to reduce and remove dander build-up of animals with fur and hair they should be subject to a weekly wash
	In order to reduce the amount of free-floating dander, dust and hair and also prevent such items getting trapped in carpets and upholstery vacuum the house daily
	Weekly or bi-weekly dusting using a dusting agent such as a spray keeps pet allergens from becoming airborne
	Whole-house air cleaners can significantly reduce the amount of allergens and dander in household air
	Pet cages should be cleaned once in 1-3 days
	Litter boxes of the pets should be kept away from heating, cooling, and ventilating systems
	Animals should be kept out of children's bedrooms, and never allowed on their beds
	It is advisable to restrict pets to a few rooms in the house; this will help keeping dander and allergens out of the majority of the house. However, there is no method which will eliminate allergens totally
	Animals should not be allowed to roll over on rugs, carpets, and upholstered furniture as far as possible

Most of the children with child pet allergies will be able to strike a balance between owning a pet of their own and pet allergic reactions by taking the above measures. However, in case of severity of child pet allergy, the child has to sacrifice its craving for a pet to lead a healthy life.

Alternately, the child can be given other types of pets as replacements. Depending on the type of child pet allergy the child can have as its pet reptiles, rodents and fish.

Fish are one of the best pets since they do not pass allergens to the child. Having pets at home for the child with pet allergies complicates life; however by taking some effort and making compromise one can find an ideal pet for his child.