Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Allergic reactions to cats and other pets vary in severity from child to child. If you have a cat, are planning to adopt a cat, or visit someone who has a cat, you first need to determine if your child is allergic to cats. Identifying the symptoms of an allergy in a child can be a bit difficult, but monitoring a child's reaction to a pet is an important step in protecting the health of the whole family. Even if your child is not allergic, you still need to take steps to avoid having to move the cat to another location.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Allergy test

1. 

   Temporarily keep your child near the cat. You can go to someone you know who has a cat and let your child interact with the cat. This way, you can watch for signs of an allergic reaction to the cat (if any).
   • Be aware that an allergy to a cat can result from contact with your cat's skin, fur, scratches, saliva, and urine.
   • Note if you know your child has asthma, you should not let your child come into contact with cats or any other animals without knowing if your child has allergies or not. Common allergy symptoms can potentially lead to severe and life-threatening asthma attacks.

2. 

   
   
   Watch your child. Children may be allergic to cats if they experience any of the following:
   • Cough, wheezing, or intense sneezing
   • Hives or hives in the chest and face
   • Red or itchy eyes
   • The skin where the child has been scratched, bitten or licked by a cat turns red

3. 

   
   
   Listen to your child. Children may be allergic to cats if they complain to you about any of the following symptoms:
   • Itchy eyes
   • Nasal stuffy, itchy, or runny nose
   • Itchy skin or hives in the area where the cat is exposed

4. 

   
   
   Separate the child from the cat. If you see any of the above symptoms, keep your child away from your cat until you come up with a plan to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of the allergy.

5. 

   Get your child tested for allergies. Evidence from observing and listening to your child may be sufficient to confirm that he is allergic to cats. However, you should still take your child to see a doctor for a checkup.Be aware, though, that the test is not always accurate. Therefore, if the test is negative, you still need to keep watching for signs of allergy when you are in contact with the cat.

6. 

   Detects a serious allergy. Most allergic reactions are limited to redness, itching, hives, and nasal congestion. However, children who come into contact with cats may show signs of a severe allergic reaction. Sore throat is a symptom of a severe allergic reaction and can lead to constriction of the airways. If this is the case, take your child to the doctor right away and avoid future contact with the cat. advertisement

Method 2 of 3: Control your cat allergy symptoms with medication

1. 

   Determine if the child has a mild or severe allergy. If the allergic reaction is mild, you can manage it with over-the-counter medications and keep your home clean properly. On the other hand, if the symptoms are severe, such as hives all over the body or swelling of the throat or other respiratory symptoms, you need to make sure the cat is no longer allowed.
   • If you have a cat indoors and find that your child has a severe allergy, consider looking for a different place to live.

2. 

   Take an antihistamine. Antihistamines are designed to reduce the production of an immune chemical that is specialized in causing allergy symptoms. In addition, the medicine also helps relieve itching, sneezing and runny nose. Antihistamines can be purchased over the counter or with a prescription from your doctor.
   • Antihistamines come in pills, nasal sprays, or syrups that are specially formulated for children.
   • Absolutely do not give prescription or over-the-counter allergy medicine to children under 2 years old without the instructions of a doctor or a medical professional.

3. 

   Use medicine to treat congestion. Nasal decongestants work by shrinking the swollen tissues in the nasal passages, making it easier for a child to breathe through the nose.
   • Some over-the-counter allergy pills have a combination of antihistamine and congestion effects.
   • Absolutely do not give prescription or over-the-counter allergy medicine to children under 2 years old without the instructions of a doctor or medical professional.

4. 

   Get an injection of anti-allergy medicine for your child. This medication (usually given by an allergy doctor 1-2 times a week) can help your child overcome allergy symptoms that an antihistamine or nasal congestion medicine cannot control. The injectable anti-allergy medicine "trains" the immune system by helping the immune system to be less sensitive to specific allergens. The method is commonly known as immunotherapy. The first shot gives the baby a very small amount of the allergen, in this case the cat protein that causes the allergic reaction. The dose will be “slowly increased, usually over 3-6 months. Maintenance dose should be administered every 4 weeks for 3-5 years ”.
   • Be sure to talk to your doctor or allergist about the age and dose limit for your child.

5. 

   Combine medication with preventive measures. In addition to the anti-allergy medication routine, you also need to follow the steps below in the section “Managing allergy with preventive measures” to minimize the symptoms of an allergy to your child's cat.

6. 

   Monitor the effectiveness of the drug. After determining the right drug and dose for your child, you need to monitor its effectiveness over time. The human body tends to establish immunity to the active ingredient in antiallergic drugs, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the drug. If this occurs, you may need to change your child's dose or anti-allergy medicine. advertisement

Method 3 of 3: Control allergies to cats with preventive measures

1. 

   Limit contact with cats. It is clear that avoiding or limiting contact with cats will significantly improve allergy symptoms.

2. 

   Warn people about your child's allergies. If you go to someone you know who have cats, let the landlord know about the child's condition. You can ask the host to let the cat out until the visit is over.

3. 

   Give your child allergy medicine a few hours before being in contact with the cat. If you take your child to a place where you know she has a cat, give him allergy medicine a few hours in advance. This will help reduce the allergic reaction and the child won't have to be uncomfortable while waiting for the medication to work if you only take it after contact with the cat.

4. 

   Limit your cat's exposure to your baby. Try to limit your cat's access to the bedroom, playroom, couch, or any other place where your child spends a lot of time. If there is a basement that your children rarely use, then keeping cats in the basement will be an effective solution.

5. 

   Install central air conditioner with allergen control function. Reducing the amount of allergens in the indoor air is the long-term solution to reducing allergy symptoms in your child. A regulator with an allergen control filter, such as a HEPA filter, effectively reduces allergens in the indoor air.

6. 

   Clean the house clean and often. Cat fur and skin can get on benches, carpets, curtains, or anywhere the cat walks. You should buy a vacuum cleaner and use it regularly. Also, wash the carpet, use disinfectant sprays and antibacterial soap to clean indoor surfaces to remove cat's allergies.
   • A cat's instinct is to snuggle, climb above or underneath every object in the house. Therefore, you should pay attention to hidden locations such as under a chair or under the bed.

7. 

   Bathe your cat often. This will help reduce the amount of cat hair falling around the house. Therefore, bathing your cat is an effective step in helping to fight allergies.
   • Remember that cats don't like bathing and they don't need to bathe too often. You should consult with your veterinarian to safely bathe your cat, as bathing too often can negatively affect the cat's health.
   advertisement

Advice

• Avoid going to places with lots of cats.
• If your child likes to keep cats, you should try bringing him a pet or another "furry friend". And always remember to make sure your child is not allergic to this pet either.
• Allergies are related to a family history, so if a parent has an allergy, the child will have a higher risk of allergy.
• Beware of "atopic dermatitis", which includes allergies, asthma and dermatitis (eczema). If you have asthma and dermatitis, your child is at risk for allergies.

Warning

• If you can't keep cats anymore, don't throw them in the street. Instead, find a new, safe place for your cat to live.
• If you want to give the cat to someone else, be sure to have a clear intention of the adopter's goals, since not everyone really loves cats.
• Do not give antihistamines or decongestants to children under 2 years of age.
• Be careful when using the drug. Talk to your doctor before taking any medication and ask your doctor to recommend a medicine that is good for your child.