Study the Labels
Becoming familiar with ingredients in foods is important in helping your children avoid whatever foods they are allergic to. It is easy to modify recipes using specialized cookbooks for those with food allergies. You can get a list from an allergist or dietician of foods to avoid. Teach your child what foods to avoid as well; it can be fun to learn together. Individuals can outgrow food allergies. Complete avoidance of the foods to which a person is allergic can help the body rid itself of allergies. Allergic reactions to shellfish rarely disappear.

Avoid Cross-Contamination
If a pan, utensil or dish used to cook an allergenic food touches a food that would normally not cause a reaction, your child may have a response. Notify the school cafeteria and waiters when your child eats out. A medical alert bracelet can be worn which states the condition of your child. In the event of an allergic reaction when you are not around, your child can receive the proper care.

Carry Epinephrine or Adrenaline
In the event that your child comes in contact with the allergen by accident, your child’s physician may recommend that you have an EpiPen handy to counteract the reaction. You can learn how to inject it quickly into the thigh to relieve the symptoms. This is in the event that respiratory difficulties arise.

Conditions Related to Allergies
If bronchitis or asthma recurs due to allergies, an option is to remove any pets from your household. Antibiotics are effective in treating bronchitis and asthma can be treated using a few methods. Inhaled medication goes straight to the blocked air passage and is not absorbed by the rest of the body therefore the side effects are minimal. Bronchodilators relax bronchospasms and corticosteroids reduce the inflammation caused by the allergy. Inhaled methods are preferred to oral medications because there are less unpleasant side effects.

Immunotherapy (allergy shots)
For older adolescents allergy shots are often effective in treating symptoms of airborne allergies such as plant pollen and dust mites. When this is not successful, nasal sprays may be a good alternative. Not for food allergies.

Antihistamines
For allergies in general, over-the-counter medications such as Zrytec, Benedryl, Hydroxyzene, Claritin and or nasal sprays are useful in relieving symptoms.

Alternative Medicine
Unconventional methods of treatment are presently being researched and used by some doctors. These approaches are aimed at eliminating allergies all together. Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET) is one such method which claims to make allergies disappear www.naet.com.