Many parents often face such a serious problem as the occurrence of an allergy to dust mites in a child. If the baby has characteristic signs, then you can not take the drugs yourself without a doctor's prescription. In order for the treatment to go right, you need to accurately establish the type of allergen that only a doctor can determine.
Dust mites and their types
Before determining how to treat allergies to dust mites, it is worth exploring what these small parasites are, what threat they pose to humans. A dust mite is an insect belonging to the class of arachnids. It lives at an air temperature of 22-26 degrees, and the food is provided to him by the wool of blankets, rugs, as well as particles of dead skin of a person.
Ticks perfectly adapted to live in house dust, in furniture, in pillows, rugs, even in soft children's toys. The vital products of parasites (feces) contain specific elements that many people provoke the occurrence of allergies.
Types of Allergies
Signs of this disease may appear immediately or increase gradually. Initially, they can be expressed as nasal congestion, but over time, this symptomatology can be significantly aggravated. There can be a variety of types of allergies, namely:
- respiratory;
- contact;
- food.
Respiratory allergies occur when particles of ticks enter the respiratory tract along with dust. This provokes a cough, runny nose and itchy nose, sore throat. Contact allergy occurs with tick bites and provokes the appearance of redness and inflammation of the affected area. Food allergies occur when ticks enter the stomach and can cause various eating disorders.
An allergy to a dust mite occurs when it is in close contact with this insect. Over time, an
allergic reaction can turn into bronchial asthma. Among the main manifestations of human contact with a dust mite can be identified:
- dermatitis;
- attacks of suffocation;
- photophobia;
- respiratory allergosis;
- Quincke's edema.
When symptoms of an allergy to a dust mite appear, you need to contact a doctor in a timely manner for qualified help. Only a doctor is able to prescribe adequate treatment, for which special tests are performed.
Causes of an allergic reaction to dust mites
An allergy to a dust mite is observed quite often, and the main causes of this disease are:
-bronchial asthma;
genetic predisposition;
-childhood.
Often, an allergy occurs during a period of cold weather, due to the rare airing of the room, as well as insufficient air circulation in the room. In this case, ticks and products of their vital activity actively accumulate in the room. In the process of their life, ticks secrete feces containing toxic substances. These wastes, together with dust, rise into the air and enter the mucous membranes and human skin. This provokes the occurrence of an allergic reaction.
Cat hair can create the required conditions for ticks to live, as they are very fond of fleecy surfaces, where a lot of dust always accumulates. If a pet lives in the house, then it is necessary to carry out regular cleaning of the house (not the pet) with a vacuum cleaner, using special nozzles that help to cope even with the smallest pollution.
Dog hair can act as an additional allergen, and together with dust it provokes the occurrence of allergic reactions. That is why it is important to monitor your well-being and consult a doctor in a timely manner so that you can quickly begin treatment.
Features of the course of allergies
Symptoms of an allergy to a dust mite in a child can manifest themselves in the form of:
- swelling of the mucous membranes and larynx;
- the occurrence of a cough reflex;
- sneezing, without secretion of mucus characteristic of the common cold;
- itching of the nasal passages;
- redness of the eyes and tearing;
- temperature increase;
- formation of skin rashes.
The child may have difficulty breathing, asthma attacks, severe wheezing and dry cough are observed. There may be other symptoms of an allergy to a dust mite, and with a strong reaction of the body, a child sometimes has Quincke's edema. All these signs can disappear on their own if you take the child to fresh air, but often requires comprehensive competent treatment. As allergy to dust mites is manifested, the photo above shows quite clearly.
Diagnostics
There are many varieties of allergic reactions in the body. That is why it is important to know how allergies to dust mites are manifested in order to make a correct diagnosis and differentiate this disease from others, for example, from a cold. If dust mites became the cause of the allergy, then the sick person will feel more comfortable on the street, and upon returning home all the symptoms will return.
A negative reaction of the body occurs at the moment when the patient is in contact with objects in which insects live. A severe allergic reaction manifests itself mainly during the breeding season of these insects.
If you have symptoms of an allergy to a dust mite, you should immediately consult a doctor, who must first collect an anamnesis, and also prescribe the passage of additional laboratory tests, in particular, such as a biochemical blood test and skin tests.
Using modern laboratory diagnostic techniques and specialized tests, 25 allergens that are found in ticks and their metabolic products can be identified. In addition to this, studies are conducted:
- determination of the type of antibodies in blood serum;
- detailed immunogram of blood;
- microbiological research.
Based on this, you can choose the required methodology for conducting therapy. Any drugs and traditional medicine can be used only after consulting a doctor.
Drug treatment
The treatment of allergies to dust mites consists primarily in eliminating the habitats of these insects (elementary cleaning of the premises, shaking out pillows and feather-beds, cleaning children's toys). In parallel, it is necessary to stop the allergic reaction with drugs prescribed by the doctor.
Symptoms and treatment of a dust mite allergy in a child can be different, so you need to choose the right medications. Signs of the disease stop with:
- antihistamines;
- corticosteroids;
- nasal preparations.
The doctor selects all these medicines purely individually. If you suspect a disease, you should initially contact an allergist, who, if necessary, will refer to an immunologist for special tests. Using these samples, a substance is determined that could provoke a negative reaction. It is worth remembering that medications eliminate only the existing symptoms, but not the main cause of the disease.
The treatment of allergies to dust mites is carried out mainly with the help of such drugs:
- "Telfast";
- "Suprastin";
- "Erius";
- "Aleron";
“Eden.”
In addition, nasal preparations are prescribed: Atomer Propolis and Aquamaris. Atomer Propolis can be used only if there is no allergy to beekeeping products.
The drug "Telfast" allows you to get rid of the main manifestations of allergies. This medicine is in the form of tablets. It is allowed to take this medicine starting from the age of 6. The preparation "Erius" is available in the form of syrup and tablets. Treatment with this drug can be started from 1 year, but only with the permission of the doctor. Using this medication can eliminate complications in the skin and respiratory system.
The drug "Aquamaris" is prescribed even for infants. It is available in the form of sprays and drops. This tool helps to gently clean the nasal mucosa from accumulated allergens. When treating an allergy to a dust mite, medicines and home methods need to be selected very carefully, coordinating all this with the doctor, as well as after carrying out all allergic tests, as this will help determine the most suitable medicine.
The elimination of allergic reactions is carried out by subcutaneous administration of extracts and extracts of allergens into the human body. Initially, they are administered in small quantities, and as the drug gets used, the dosage increases. As a result of this, the body gradually gets used to the irritating substance and completely stops responding to it. This allows you to permanently get rid of allergies.
To achieve the desired reaction of the body and permanently eliminate allergies, you need to do 20-40 subcutaneous injections. Sometimes during vaccination, the use of medications is required to help reduce the symptoms of the disease. However, subsequently, upon contact with an allergen, the child will not experience the need for taking antihistamines.
Alternative methods of therapy
For allergies to a dust mite, treatment can be carried out using folk remedies and techniques. To wash allergens from the nasal cavity, it can be washed with a salt solution. To prepare the solution, you need to dilute 1 tsp. salt for 1 tbsp. water.
Steam inhalation also helps to eliminate the symptoms of a runny nose and remove inflammation of the mucous membranes. Inhalation of steam in the bath helps well. If you are allergic to a dust mite, you can drink decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs that will help eliminate the existing symptoms. When using this technique, you must always consult a doctor, as some medicinal plants can provoke an even greater attack of allergy. During the treatment, it is important to follow a certain diet and exclude from your usual diet:
- chocolate;
- corn;
- coffee.
Among the tested medicinal plants against allergies, the following are distinguished:
- St. John's wort;
- rose hips;
- camomile;
- centaury;
- horsetail.
You can take decoctions and infusions of these herbs separately or make a drug collection that will help eliminate the main symptoms of the disease.
What can be the complications
If timely treatment is not given, then an allergy to dust mites in a child can go into the chronic stage and provoke many different complications, which will be very difficult to deal with. Among the main complications are:
- rhinitis;
- asthma;
- conjunctivitis.
Allergic asthma leads to congestive and inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract, asphyxiation and bronchial spasm. Allergic rhinitis provokes profuse discharge of mucus from the nose. In the absence of the required treatment, this disease is often an impetus for asthma. In a child, an allergy to dust mites sometimes provokes inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes. If allergic conjunctivitis is not treated correctly, the child's vision deteriorates, and in especially severe cases blindness occurs. Due to all the health problems mentioned above, it is important to know what to do in case of an allergy to a dust mite in a child, how to treat this disease and how to reduce symptoms.
How to minimize contact with dust mites
With the constant occurrence of an allergy to a dust mite, you should try to minimize the child's contact with these insects. This means the following actions:
- get rid of carpets;
- replace the feather pillows with synthetic ones, for example, syntepon;
- take out fur products from the nursery;
- wash bedding at a temperature of at least 60 degrees, using various additives that kill ticks;
- if possible, replace curtains and curtains with blinds;
- limit contact of an allergic child with a cat and / or dog (if they are in the house);
- For items and books, highlight lockable cabinets and shelves;
- often take out blankets, pillows, soft toys for airing.
In addition to the above measures, it is recommended to use anti-dust and hypoallergenic covers for storing clothes, daily wet cleaning in the room, washing the floor with a special solution prepared with added salt. It is advisable to install air purifiers in rooms equipped with ozonizers and ultraviolet lamps, since they help reduce the accumulation of mites in the air. It is important to consume enough vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immune system. For this purpose, it is advisable for the child to include fruits and vegetables in which there is a lot of this vitamin in the diet. But you also need to select the menu for your allergic baby with caution so that he does not have additional reactions.
How to get rid of dust mites
Dust mites can live not only in layers of dust on the surface of cabinets and other inaccessible places, but also settle closer to their main source of nutrition - human skin. This means that large-scale colonies of ticks are formed in the upholstery of upholstered furniture, in mattresses, even in towels that have not been washed for a long time. The disease begins when the number of these insects is exceeded in the layers of dust or in upholstered furniture. If for 1 g of dust there are 5-10 thousand individuals, then a person begins an acute allergic reaction, which is expressed in the form of rashes similar to tick bites.
Completely expelling ticks from the premises is almost impossible. However, it is necessary to regularly reduce their number to a value that is not dangerous to human health. To do this, you need:
- often ventilate the room;
- Carefully iron the sheets and textiles;
- take out pillows, paths, carpets in the cold;
- monitor the humidity in the rooms.
Laundry and cleaning must be carried out regularly, as this will help to eliminate not only dust mites, but also many other parasites. When cleaning, it is not recommended to use ordinary vacuum cleaners, since they only disperse microparticles of dust in the air. It is best to use vacuum cleaners equipped with special filters that trap dust particles, and with it dust mites.
If there is a constant allergy to the presence of dust mites, then a simple wet cleaning will not help to get rid of them. Therefore, when cleaning, special tools are used that are divided into categories such as:
- natural;
- chemical;
- technical.
Natural remedies help significantly improve the well-being of an allergic person and do not require significant material and technical costs. Natural methods for controlling dust mites include:
- providing the maximum amount of light;
- low temperature and humidity;
- cleaning and airing of fabric and feather products.
All these techniques are considered very good prevention, which will help create fairly uncomfortable conditions for the growth and reproduction of these insects. If a person has a severe allergy and contact with an allergen significantly worsens their health, then chemical agents can be used to eliminate ticks. To eliminate these insects, you can use a special spray that will help quickly and without harm to human health destroy dust mites in the house. Among the most popular sprays, one can distinguish the following:
- Easy Air;
- Allergoff;
- Glutoclean;
- Binatec.
To get rid of dust mites with a spray, you just need to spray the room with this tool so that the parasites die. In addition, there are special detergents for washing.
Treatment Reviews
Quite often there is an allergy to a dust mite. Reviews on the treatment of patients with various antiallergenic drugs are mostly positive. Some patients note the good effect of the drug “Cetirizine”, as it helps to quickly eliminate the main manifestations of the disease. The drug is especially good for the treatment of allergies in the initial stages.
The Eden preparation also deserved good reviews, since this medicine can be given to a child starting from 1 year old. Just a few days after the start of taking the drug, patients note a normalization of health. Almost immediately, a runny nose, sneezing and rashes pass.
Some patients note that the drug Fenistil helped them well, since within a few days after the start of its administration skin rashes pass, itching decreases, and the eyes begin to water less.