Hi all! I work in a daycare/preschool center and a few of our kiddos, even our infants and toddlers have an allergy (eggs, dairy, etc.)
What I’m curious about is how they can be so young and already be allergic to something? You could say it’s because of their environment.. but at that age they are either at home or at daycare. How exactly do they get exposed? And how does our body know certain foods or substances are dangerous?
Please and thank you!
In: Biology
I’ll preface by saying that I am not a doctor or allergist. Just someone interested!
From my understanding, babies can get allergies early on because of things like genes passed down from their parents which can make them more likely to have allergies. They can also be exposed in different ways and react to certain foods or things in the environment – for example, cow’s milk or eggs if given too early, exposed to allergens through breast milk if parent eats foods that can cause allergies, things in the environment like dust, pet hair, pollen.
When someone has an allergy, it’s like their body’s alarm system gets mixed up. Normally, the immune system protects the body from harmful things like germs, but with allergies, it sees harmless stuff (like peanuts or pollen) as dangerous. So, when a baby with an allergy eats a food they’re allergic to or gets exposed to something they’re allergic to, their body tries to fight it off. This fight can cause symptoms like itching, swelling, or trouble breathing.
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