Allergies can cause asthma in certain
people. But not everyone who has allergies gets asthma, and not all asthma happens
because of allergies.
Huh?
Allergies and asthma can be a little confusing, so let's find
out more.
How Do Allergies Happen?
Most of the time, your immune (say: ih-MYOON) system fights germs
to help you stay healthy.
But in kids with allergies, the immune
system treats things called allergens (such as pollen
or pet dander) as if they're
invading the body, like a bad germ. When the immune system reacts to the allergen,
a kid gets allergy symptoms, such as a runny nose or red, itchy eyes.
Some kids also get asthma symptoms, like coughing, wheezing, or a tight feeling
in the chest.
Do Allergies Cause YOUR Asthma?
If you have asthma, it's a good idea to find out what's causing it. To figure out
what they're allergic to, sometimes kids will visit a special doctor called an allergist(say:
AL-ler-jist).
The allergist might find that you are allergic to certain things. If you are, the
best way to prevent allergic reactions (and to help stop asthma symptoms from bugging
you) is to avoid being around those allergens. The doctor also may prescribe medicine
for your allergies if you can't completely avoid what's causing them.
Date reviewed: September 2017
