Child allergies are more common than many parents realize. Your child can begin to show allergies to certain foods from infancy. This is why it is vital that parents know what to look for in their child. Here are some things to watch for.

1. Nursing or Bottle-Fed Babies Excessively Crying

Many people do not understand that a child can show allergic reactions while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. One of the most common reactions comes to cow's milk. For instance, your child may be extremely gassy, cry more than is usual, arch their back, or act like they are in pain. This can be caused by a milk allergy. Thus, the breastfeeding mother should give up milk in her diet and see if it helps the child. Note that it will take more than a couple days to get the milk out of the mothers system, so don't discount the allergy if the child doesn't respond immediately.

A bottle-fed baby can also show reactions to milk. Many formulas are based with cow's milk. So the child will show the same symptoms as the breastfeed baby, but the parent just needs to change the formula to one that is soy based or dairy free. Detecting this problem early on will protect your child from digestive complications and pain.

2. Perpetual Runny Nose

Another sign that many people don't recognize is a constant runny nose. You may have a child that always is congested or has a runny nose. This is a sign that they are having an allergic reaction. This is especially true if the runny nose has a clear discharge. Usually a yellow or green discharge means that there is some sort of bacteria in the mucus. A runny nose doesn't mean that there is an infection, simply that the immune system is triggered. If your child has a constant runny nose, get them allergy testing.

3. Stomach Aches

Lastly, your child may have stomachaches often. In some cases the body doesn't reject the allergen right away. Instead, it will get all the way to the digestive system before the body triggers a response. The child may experience constipation or diarrhea. Over time this can become more than uncomfortable—it can damage their digestive tract, which is why you need to take care of the issue right away if possible.

By understanding what to look for in your child you can protect them from long-term problems because of allergies. In fact, you might consider meeting with an immunologist at a location like Deyarman Allergy & Asthma Clinic to talk about about some options.