Allergy Strike Again

April means allergies. Of all the fun in spring allergy is not one of it. Last easter Sunday, my husband mowed the grass in our lawn and that when Jake and Justine started sneezing, and have runny nose. I think the fresh cut grass triggered their allergies or I think they both have allergens with fresh cut grass. Until now they are still sneezing and non stop runny, stuffy nose. And now Joe and I had runny nose too. I know I am not allergic with polen, or whatever that comes in spring but now I just felt so miserable plus the birth control pills made me feel like a crap.

What's an allergy?

An allergy is an immune reaction to a substance in the environment called an allergen.

When a child with allergies comes into contact with an allergen — either by touching it, breathing it, eating it, or having it injected — her body mistakenly views it as a dangerous invader and releases histamines and other chemicals to fight it off.

These chemicals irritate the body and cause symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, itching, and coughing. Symptoms can be mild or more severe, intermittent (seasonal, for example), or ongoing because of constant exposure to the allergen.

In some cases, an allergen can cause a severe reaction, called anaphylactic shock. This is a medical emergency, as the symptoms — including difficulty breathing and swelling — can be life threatening.

Allergy Strike Again

Diaper rash

As a new parent and mom I get worried every time my baby gets a rash. Jake didn't get diaper rash until he was almost 4 months when we started him on solid foods. Good thing he was a tough and good baby who don't complain that much. We used diaper rash cream "Balmex" to reduced the redness. Eventually the rashes gone but it come back every time we introduced new food that has allergens and if we can't changed his dirty diaper right away. Now he is not getting any diaper rash but he gets eczema on winter and summer. Some information i got from babycenter about diaper rash that you might find interesting.

Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

What does diaper rash look like?
Diaper rash doesn't always look the same. But if your baby's diaper area looks irritated and red, chances are he has it. His skin may also be a little puffy and warm when you touch it.

Diaper rash may be very mild — a few prickly red spots in a small area — or quite extensive, with tender red bumps that spread to your baby's tummy and thighs. There's no need to panic, though: Dealing with diaper rash is part and parcel of baby care, especially in the first year or so of your baby's life.

How did my baby get diaper rash?
Diaper rash can be caused by anything from a new food to your baby's own urine. Here are the most likely culprits:

• Wetness. Even the most absorbent diaper leaves some moisture on your baby's delicate skin. And when your baby's urine mixes with bacteria from his stool, it breaks down and forms ammonia, which can be very harsh.

Although a baby left in a dirty diaper for too long is more likely to develop diaper rash, any baby with sensitive skin can get a rash, even if his parents are diligent diaper changers.

• Chafing or chemical sensitivity. Your baby's diaper rash may be the result of his diaper rubbing against his skin, especially if he's particularly sensitive to chemicals like the fragrances in a disposable diaper or the detergents used to wash a cloth diaper. It could also be that a lotion or powder you're using for diaper duty doesn't agree with your baby's delicate skin.

• New foods. It's common for babies to get diaper rash when they start eating solid foods or are introduced to a new food. Any new food changes the composition of the stool, and it might increase your baby's bowel movements as well. If you're breastfeeding, your baby's skin could even be reacting to something you're eating.

• Infection. The diaper area is warm and moist — just the way bacteria and yeast like it. So it's easy for a bacterial or yeast infection to flourish there and cause a rash, especially in the cracks and folds of your baby's skin.

In addition, babies on antibiotics (or whose breastfeeding mothers are on antibiotics) sometimes get yeast infections because antibiotics reduce the number of healthy bacteria that help keep yeast in check as well as the harmful bacteria they're meant to destroy. Antibiotics can also cause diarrhea, which can contribute to diaper rash.

Thrush is a type of oral yeast infection. Some babies with thrush develop a yeast infection in their diaper area too.

Diaper rash