The real cause of allergy can be found in order to revolutionize their treatment in future. Public health facilities like improved sanitation and indoor plumbing have given way to the medicinal advances of past century. War to avoid germs has been going on by using antibacterial soaps and disinfectant soaps. Specialists have the impression that the clean life style is one of the causes for allergies in children. Experts in pediatrician at Johns Hopkins University suggest that it is good to expose the babies to infectious agents and bacteria. It helps the immune system to fight against microbes and drive allergic attacks caused due to pollens and environmental debris.
The allergy research throughout the world is revolutionized by this hygiene hypothesis. Respiratory allergic levels are high in the well developed countries and this research will surely give a new way of treating allergy. 40% children of US are suffering from runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion and itchy nose. Most of them are affected during fall and some allergic to mold spores, cockroach allergens, dust mites and animal dander are affected through out the year.
Allergy is common in countries like Australia and Britain rather than in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Studies showed that children attending child care from early childhood were fewer likely to allergic diseases like asthma.
The path way of immune system has two ways to defend the foreign invaders from invading the body. Th1 creates T cells and antibodies which destroy bacteria keeping the normal cells of the body intact The TH2 cells let certain antibodies loose which grounds allergic responses sometimes to undamaging allergens. During pregnancy Th1 is inactive so that the immune system of the fetus does not reject the mother. After delivery Th1 path strengthens due to exposure to bacteria. Since the parents are over protective the development of Th1 is less and Th2 more which leads to allergy in children according to the Hygiene Hypothesis. However it can not be pinpointed that bacteria are good and hence allowing the child to amuse in dirt is not good.
It will take many years to find a vaccine for allergy but child allergy can be treated with allergic reaction shots and drugs. Nasal swelling can be treated with steroid sprays like Nasonex and Flonase. For children of age 6 Nonsteroidal sprays like nasal crom can be effective.
Some antihistamines help to relieve runny noses, itching and sneezing. Decongestants give mild relief of nasal swelling. Some eye drops are helpful to get relief from itching and redness in eyes. Some allergens are injected to the children in slow pace to increase the allergic reaction and it is found to give significant relief for some. Since it is risky it should be taken with care.