All about allergies in children By Pure Matters All About
Allergies in Children What are allergies? Allergies are
physiological reactions caused when the immune system reacts to
a specific foreign substance (allergen) that has been inhaled,
touched, or eaten by a person. Normally, the human body defends
itself against harmful substances such as viruses or bacteria,
but, sometimes, the defenses aggressively attack usually
innocuous substances such as dust, mold, or pollen. The immune
system generates large amounts of the antibodies called
immunoglobin E (IgE), to attack and destroy the supposed enemy.
Each IgE antibody specifically targets a particular allergen -
the substance that triggers the allergic reaction. In this
disease-fighting process, inflammatory chemicals such as
histamines, cytokines, and leukotrienes are released or
produced, and some unpleasant, and, in extreme cases, life-
threatening, symptoms may be experienced by an allergy-prone
person. What are allergic reactions? An allergic reaction may