Cat hair allergy in children | Cat hair allergy

Cat hair allergy in children

About every fifth child is affected by an allergy. This is often an allergy to animal hair. The most common trigger is cats.A family history (i.e. if, for example, the parents or siblings already have an allergy) increases the risk.

For children suspected of having an allergy, early diagnosis and, if necessary, appropriate therapy is particularly important. Otherwise there is a high risk of developing allergic asthma. Protective measures that have a preventive effect on the development of an allergy in children are a healthy diet and protection from exposure to smoke.

Even a diet with only breast milk in the first four months of life has a positive influence. Furthermore, the usual vaccinations recommended by the permanent vaccination commission (StiKo) of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) should be carried out. Signs of an allergy that parents should be aware of are seizure-like or episodically occurring coughing, skin redness and itching, shortness of breath and whistling noises when breathing.

If a cat is in the vicinity or the symptoms occur after contact with cats, this is an indication of a cat hair allergy. Nevertheless, it can also be another cause and an allergological test should be carried out by an appropriately trained doctor. The treatment of cat hair allergy in children is not much different from the treatment of adult allergy sufferers.

On the one hand, the trigger should be avoided as far as possible and a cat in the household must be given away if necessary. Furthermore, an anti-allergic medication, for example with antihistamines in tablet form, is often advisable so that the quality of life of the child is not impaired too much. The only possibility to fight the cause of the allergy is the so-called hyposensitization (confrontation of the immune system with smallest amounts of the triggering allergen for “habituation”).

In many cases this leads to a reduction of symptoms and even a cure of the allergy is possible. A special feature of children with an allergy is that the disease changes more frequently than in adults. On the one hand, the reactivity of the immune system decreases with aging and the symptoms of an allergy may decrease.

On the other hand, however, in children there can also be an increase in the number of reactions and even an extension of the allergy to other triggers is possible. Thus, an allergy to other animal hairs, food or pollen can be added. Therefore, children who suffer from an allergy to cat hair or other allergic diseases should be regularly monitored by an allergologist.