|
By Jane Thurnell-Read
Sadly more and more children are suffering from allergies, and
there are certain signs that indicate when allergies are
causing or significantly contributing to health problems.
Here's a short checklist of what to look out for. The more of
these your child has the more likely they are to be suffering
from allergies:
1. Dark circles or bags under the eyes making the child look
permanently tired. In Chinese medicine this area of the face
is
linked to the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are one of
the
main organs of the body involved in stress reactions, and
exposure to allergens certainly produces stress in the body.
Sometimes there is also a crease seen under the eyelids.
2. Dry, flaky lips Often the edge of the lip is an indistinct
blur rather than there being a definite line between it and
the
rest of the face. Michio Kushi in his book Oriental Diagnosis
says that different parts of the lip correspond to different
parts of the digestive system. The upper lip represents the
stomach. The lower part corresponds to the intestines. These
parts of the body are often involved with allergic reactions
particularly if the problem is with foods.
3. Sweaty feet The liver is the main detoxifying organ of the
body. When it is not functioning properly or has to work
overtime then the feet tend to be very sweaty. In allergic
reactions the liver is coping with an overload of toxins.
4. One or both ears sometimes red and/or burning The reaction
usually starts about one and three quarter-hours after
exposure
to the offending substance and lasts for about half an hour. I
do not know whether it is significant if it is one ear or both
ears, but the timing seems very precise. The redness usually
lasts for about half an hour. This particular reaction can
become a very useful self-help diagnostic technique if you pay
attention to your child's ears!
5. Children with a tendency to allergies are often blond hair.
They are usually pale; in fact so pale that sometimes they are
suspected of suffering from anaemia. In some children this
paleness is not at first sight evident, because they have very
rosy cheeks either all the time or some of the time. Sometimes
if you feel the child’s cheek it will be hot and burning, or
papery and dry.
6. A child with a lot of food sensitivities will often be a
fussy eater. The parent will often say: ‘My child would be
happy if he could live on X.’ The child is probably allergic
to
X, whatever that is. Frequently they become irritable and
bad-tempered if they have to go without their favourite food
for even a short period of time Breast fed babies are either
difficult feeders or need to be constantly fed both day and
night and may be difficult to wean.
7. Babies and children with food allergies are usually either
very good tempered or very bad tempered first thing in the
morning.
8. Very often there is a family history of allergies with near
relatives suffering from eczema, hay fever, etc.
9. Allergic children (and adults) often like peculiar smells:
they sniff felt tip pens or enjoy the smell of petrol (gas) at
petrol stations. They are nearly always allergic to the smell
they like so much and, like a drug addict, are seeking out a
fix!
So what to do about it? Try visiting a therapist with a
particular interest in allergies. I particularly recommend
health kinesiology, which has a lot of success not only
detecting allergies but also correcting them, so the child
does
not have to avoid the things he/she is allergic to.
About The Author: Jane Thurnell-Read is an author and
researcher on health, allergies and stress. She has written
two
books for the general public: "Allergy A to Z" and "Health
Kinesiology". She also maintains a web site
www.healthandgoodness.com with tips, inspiration and
information for everyone who wants to live a happier,
healthier
life.
|