1. General information
2. Causes
3. What is an allergen?
4. Varieties
5. Symptoms and signs
6. Complications and consequences
7. Diagnostics
8. Treatment
9. Additional methods
10. Prevention

Allergic reaction - an inadequate response of the immune system to contact with an irritant , is considered to be a common occurrence, which is manifested in children of very different ages.

Allergens can be various substances, including animal dander.

Allergy to wool in a child occurs not only when in contact with pets, but also when wearing products (things) made of wool. The illness is manifested by various symptoms that give the crumbs a lot of inconvenience.

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General information

Allergy to animal hair is very common in children of primary and school age .

It is noteworthy that families in which there are several pets are less likely to suffer from allergic manifestations, since the child's body in this case has become accustomed to contact with the allergen, and its immune system has been adjusted accordingly.

Not all pets cause frequent and severe allergic reactions. Most often, the child has an allergy to cat fur (the exception is hairless cat breeds, for example, sphinxes).

Much less often there is an allergy to contact with dogs, domestic rodents (decorative rats, guinea pigs).

Unpleasant manifestations in an allergic child can occur not only when playing with pets, but also when in contact with wool . It can be woolen things, blankets, rugs (products are made most often from camel, sheep wool, rabbit hair).

Causes

The main reason for the development of an allergic reaction is the contact of the child with animal or wool fabrics.

At the same time, the wool itself is not a strong allergen, contact with particles of the epidermis, mites, which may be contained in the wool, leads to the appearance of unpleasant manifestations.

Predisposing factors that trigger the development of an allergic reaction are:

1. Increased sensitivity of the child's body to the effects of various kinds of allergens. This is not only wool, but also some Food , chemical substances , flowering pollen .
2. Reducing the body's natural defenses, autoimmune diseases.
3. Somatic deviations.
4. Improper care of the pet and violation of the rules of its content.
5. Disruption of the digestive system.

What is an allergen?

In this case, the irritant is not so much the wool itself, as the particles of the epidermis, saliva, animal feces contained in it, which are strong allergens. In addition, mites, bacteria, fungal spores can be found in the animal's fur.

The most powerful irritant is a substance that is secreted by the skin glands of the animal. That it becomes the most common cause of the development of an allergic reaction.

Varieties

The most common form of allergy is an inadequate immune response to pet hair.

When contacting an animal, the child displays various symptoms of this pathology, and the contact itself may be short-lived.

It depends on the child’s immunity (some children can play with the animal for quite a long time, and they only show signs of allergy some time after contact, others need only to pet the animal as unpleasant symptoms immediately manifest themselves). The most common allergy in a child is contact with cats .

There are other varieties of allergic reactions to wool. It:

1. Allergy to camel hair. For the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, direct contact with the animal is not necessary, and allergies may also appear when using fabrics made from camel hair. The smallest particles of wool fall into the upper respiratory tract, causing the development of characteristic symptoms.
2. Allergy to sheep wool is a rather rare type of disease. Occurs as a result of poor processing of raw materials in the manufacture of the product.
3. Goat hair allergy is also extremely rare. It has the characteristic symptoms inherent in other types of ailment. Manifestations of pathology occur when in contact with the animal itself, and when using products made of goat wool.

Symptoms and signs

How is the disease manifested in children? Allergic reactions to animal hair can occur in children of any age .

The most dangerous manifestations of allergies for infants. They have symptoms of illness manifest as brightly as possible.

Among these symptoms include multiple rashes that cover a significant part of the skin, a significant swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract that can provoke a dangerous state of asphyxia for the child.

For the appearance of characteristic signs, a short contact of the child with an animal or wool fabric is sufficient.

In older children, the clinical picture of the disease includes such manifestations as:

• redness of the skin on different areas of the body;
• itching of the affected skin;
• nasal congestion, abundant fluid and clear discharge from the nasal cavity;
• sneezing accompanied by tearing;
• dry cough developing in the form of seizures;
• swelling of the fingers, upper and lower extremities;
• difficulty breathing;
• swelling of mucous membranes;
• puffiness of the eyelids, the appearance of dark circles under the eyes;
• a change in the shape of the chest (it becomes unnaturally round);
• the appearance of a transverse strip on the tip of the nose.

Often, a child who is allergic to animal fur has an allergic reaction to other types of irritants.

This phenomenon is called cross-allergy.

This is due to the fact that different types of allergens may have a similar set of amino acids , respectively, the child's body perceives these substances as identical, and its immune system produces an appropriate response.

In particular, allergies to pork and beef also occur in allergies to dog hair . If you are allergic to cat's fur, unpleasant symptoms occur upon contact with by dogs , horses, carpets and woolen products.

Allergies to sheep's wool provoke a reaction to tanned leather, mohair products.

Complications and consequences

If you do not take the necessary measures and do not provide the child with timely medical assistance, wool allergy can lead to disastrous consequences .

It is, for example, rapidly developing Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock - conditions contributing to the development of oxygen starvation and asphyxia and, as a result, can be fatal. In addition, the organs of vision often suffer, leading to blindness.

Diagnostics

To make a diagnosis, the doctor assesses the patient’s condition, interviews the child or his parents for contact with irritants, and assigns various diagnostic tests .

The most effective ways to determine the disease and its causes are allergy tests (prik-test, scratch test). Intracutaneous tests are also performed.

Allergen in a small amount is injected under the skin of the child, and if blisters appear on the surface of the skin, the reaction is considered positive.

Treatment

It is not always possible to completely eliminate the manifestations of allergy, therefore the treatment is symptomatic. The child is prescribed the following medications:

• nasal sprays that help eliminate puffiness, congestion, and course;
• antihistamines;
• hormonal agents of the corticosteroid group (in case of severe illness);
• anti-asthma drugs if there is a risk of developing asthma;
• drugs that help eliminate edema;
• immunostimulating agents;
• ointments and creams to eliminate skin manifestations of the disease.

Additional methods

As auxiliary methods of treatment prescribed reception:

1. Fresh juice of celery root. The root of the plant is thoroughly washed, crushed, squeezed juice through gauze. It is necessary to accept means on 1-2 t.l. 3 times a day.
2. The dandelion root is crushed, poured a glass of cooled boiled water, infused for 2 hours. The resulting tool is divided into 3 doses and consumed during the day before meals.
3. The dried grass of a train is poured with a glass of boiling water, it is drawn for 15 minutes, after which the agent is cooled to a comfortable temperature, filtered. Infusion wipe the affected skin without rubbing the tool, and leaving it on the skin until it is absorbed.

Prevention

If the child is allergic to wool, it must be protected from contact with the allergen. It is important to remove all woolen products from the children's room, not to wear woolen things on the child.

If there is a pet in the family, it is best to say goodbye to him. If this is not possible, it is necessary to organize proper care of the animal, in particular, to comb out the animal's hair as often as possible and to bathe the pet.

From the children's room it is also necessary to remove all items in which wool can accumulate. These are carpets, heavy curtains, upholstered furniture. The room itself should be cleaned and ventilated as often as possible.

Allergies to animal hair are common in children. Moreover, contact leads to the development of the reaction not only with the animal itself, but also with wool products.

The reason for the development is the weakness of the immune system, the tendency to allergies to other types of irritants, various kinds of diseases.

The disease has characteristic symptoms, which can occur with varying degrees of intensity.

The child requires proper treatment, which consists in taking medicines, using traditional medicine recipes, and most importantly, limiting contact with an irritant .

You can learn about allergies to animal hair from the video: