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Allergy prevention includes guidance for at-risk children and steps you can take to reduce your symptoms after an allergy develops. Our specialists at Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates in Tampa and Brandon, Florida, work closely with their patients, creating personalized allergy prevention recommendations and providing the treatment needed to enjoy each day without the misery of allergies. Don’t wait to learn how you can prevent allergies. Call Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates today or connect online to request an appointment.
Allergy Prevention Q&A
Is allergy prevention possible?
You can’t prevent your first allergic reaction. But you can take steps to decrease your (or your children’s) risk of developing allergies and to prevent or lower the chances of further symptoms after learning you have allergies. Your allergy prevention success depends on things like the severity of your reaction and the type of allergen involved.
What are the top allergy prevention steps?
Avoiding allergens avoids symptoms and can help parents prevent allergies in children with a genetic risk.
Early prevention in children
Allergies tend to run in families: A child’s risk increases when a sibling or one or both parents have allergies. Though there’s no guarantee you can prevent allergies, you can lower your child’s risk by identifying the allergies in your family and reducing their exposure to those allergens.
As a general guideline, feeding your baby breast milk for the first four to six months of their lives and then giving them an early introduction to a wide variety of foods might lower their risk of later developing food allergies.
Using allergen-impermeable covers for pillows and mattresses and removing carpets and drapes from your child’s bedroom might reduce their chances of developing hay fever and allergic asthma.
Prevention for existing allergies
Eliminating your exposure to allergens prevents or reduces your allergic reactions. This step begins with allergy testing to identify the specific substances that trigger your allergies.
Once you know what you must avoid, your Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates provider helps you create a plan to limit your exposure. Prevention is easier for some allergies than others. For example, it’s easier to eliminate shellfish from your diet than to avoid inhaling pollen.
Does allergy prevention include immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy, better known as allergy shots, is essential in preventing allergies. When you get allergy shots, your immune system gradually becomes desensitized to the allergen. It stops reacting every time you’re exposed to that substance. Immunotherapy takes time, but eventually, it can dramatically reduce or even stop your allergies.
Do other medications have a role in allergy prevention?
Avoiding allergens isn’t foolproof, and allergy shots take time, so you’ll probably still have allergic reactions. But you can reduce your symptoms with medications.
Over-the-counter antihistamines, decongestants, and steroid-containing nasal sprays effectively relieve mild to moderate symptoms. If they don’t help, your Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates provider can prescribe stronger medication.
Call Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates today or request an appointment online to get expert allergy prevention care.