Q. Are allergies hereditary? Can my children too get allergies if I have already got allergies?
A. The topic of allergy inheritance is complicated and depends on a number of factors, but many people inherit allergies from their family members. The plain fact is that a child has a 50 percent chance of getting an allergy if both the parents suffer from allergic diseases but has only a 25 percent chance of getting an allergy if only one parent suffers from allergic diseases.

Q. Do airborne allergens cause allergies in young children?
A. Children don’t have allergies when they are born but IgE (an allergicantibody) is quickly formed in them if they are heavily exposed to products like milk. Although children need a number of seasons before they develop pollen allergy, they can quickly develop an allergy to household stuff such as animal hair and dust.

Q. My doctor has recommended adenoidectomy for my child’s chronic sinus problems. I’m not very clear on this.     
A. There are openings in the posterior pharyngeal area that exist from a number of sinuses. The Eustacian tube that leads to the middle ear too is present in it. The adenoids tend to enlarge at such places and can get infected persistently quite often. When this happens repeated rhinitis along with purulent drainage can take place. This can be mistaken as sinus problems. They might also act like the meeting point for an infection that refuses to clear and will lead to the reinfection of the ear or sinuses.

Q. Can my newborn develop allergies in case I am exhibiting some food and environmental allergies? This would be my first pregnancy?
A. The chances of an allergy developing in a newborn increases in the case of allergic parents – but this should not be taken as a constant occurrence. A lot of people advice that allergenic foods like soy, eggs, milk and wheat should be avoided throughout the pregnancy period, instead you should try to breast feed – but there’s no proven evidence for this.  And yes, smoking should be avoided by you at your home.

Q. I have been told that newborn babies develop a weaker immune system. Is it possible to stop my child from getting any kind of allergy?
A. A majority of doctors recommend breast feeding as the best option. Your just born baby will not have IgA to protect it for numerous months in the intestinal and respiratory tract. It will help your cause if you can avoid cigarette smoke and introduce foods with high allergenic quotient (eggs) at a later stage.

Q. Can children overcome allergies?
A. A large number of children get better as they advance towards 4 years, especially from atopic dermatitis, which is a kind of allergic skin rash. But there are other allergies that may develop later on. Besides this, many children who show improvement have a relapse or get new kinds of allergies later. So keep following what has been advised by the doctor. Some children might need a number of years before they get relief from an allergy before they are able to overcome the problems that they face.

Q. Is a runny nose caused by an allergy as my two year old keeps getting it regularly?
A. Yes, runny nose is a frequent sign of allergy, particularly when the discharge from the nose is clear or even when your kid is sneezing or rubbing his nose.

Q. My daughter who is three years old regularly gets regular bouts of cold and ear infections. What is the solution for the same? Should I visit an allergist, ENT or both of them?
A. Whether you start with any of them, they will conscious of the fact that allergy could be a cause. Allergy tests can be conducted on a child by the age of three without causing any problem to the child. They can be useful as they will help you to know about the food as well as home materials that should not be used. Allergy shots are normally not given at such an age.

Q. My 18 month kid has started getting ear infections every 21 days after he has joined a day care. We are using antibiotics for his treatment but I am worried about the medication dosage that he is receiving. Is it possible to tackle this in any other way?
A. It’s most likely that your child has these regular viral infections as a result of more exposure and is also getting secondary bacterial infections. You need to take the help of your physician to ensure that his ear infection gets cleared with just limited usage of antibiotics. I cannot take the help of double blind studies, but I have seen that use of a bit of decongestant regularly will help your child. If allergy runs in your family then you should get it evaluated. You can also use prophylactic antibiotics once in a while when viral infections tend to get common. This needs to be done especially in winter.