The Impact of Early Nutrition on the Development of Allergies in Children

Introduction

Allergic diseases in childhood are developed due to poor dietary intake in infancy. In infants, breastfeeding is one of the best sources of vitamins and minerals, which give the child energy, growth, and development. Low intake of fruits and vegetables and high intake of fats and sodium cause allergic diseases. Lack of proper nutrition in children leads to malnutrition, produces various types of diseases, and causes problems in the growth and development of children.

What Are Allergies?

Substances such as pollen, dust, food, environmental factors, and medicines that react within the body's immune system are known as allergies. The most common allergies in children are as follows:

• Allergic Rhinitis: Some allergies cause red eyes, sneezing, watery eyes, an itchy nose, and a blocked nose. The reactions are produced in the eyes, nose, and throat. Hay fever is another name for allergic rhinitis.

• Food Allergies: Some children are allergic to foods such as fish, milk, and eggs. Severe allergic reactions are produced when these foods are consumed.

• Nasal Congestion: It is a common cause of colds in children, which leads to a blocked nose and difficulty breathing. Children may breathe through the mouth during sleep. This causes issues with the development of teeth and facial bones.

• Ear Infections: If the children had allergies, a cold, or an infection in the throat, it may cause an ear infection and fluid buildup in the ears, causing hearing impairment. Speech problems occur in children who have hearing problems in their infancy.

What Are the Risk Factors for Allergies in Children?

• Genetic atopic predisposition is an exposure to allergens that causes some serious illnesses like food allergies, asthma, and atopy.

• Respiratory infections.

• Involved in a poor diet.

• Reduced breastfeeding.

• Family history.

• Age is another factor causing allergies in infants. As people get older, allergies develop due to less digestion of food in the body.

• When a person has asthma, it develops into an allergy.

• Related allergies: if one food is allergic, it seems another food is also allergic to the person.

• Several vaccines are injected during childhood.

• Pollution of the air.

• Obesity in children.

• Reduced amount of vitamin D intake in the body.

• Drinking alcohol and smoking during the pregnancy period.

What Is Nutrition?

Nutrition is the food or chemical compounds in the food that are used by organisms like humans and animals. It is used as energy for doing work, for growing, and to maintain the health of the parts of the body. Nutrients are carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, proteins, and fats. Nutrition protects the body from pathogenic infections and diseases.

Types of Nutrition:

Autotrophic Nutrition - These nutrients are prepared by their mechanisms by taking foods, water, minerals, and sources of sunlight.

Heterotrophic Nutrition - In this type of nutrition, organisms depend on another organism for food and energy.

Why Is Nutrition Important for Children?

• An unhealthy diet for children leads to various complications, like vitamin deficiency and mineral deficiency. These deficiencies lower the power of the immune system in children.

• Eating healthy nutritional foods keeps the child healthy and prevents diseases.

• A healthy diet also improves weight and makes the child's brain more alert, brisk, and clear.

• Overeating of nutrients also damages the body by increasing weight, resulting in lower life expectancy. Maintaining a healthy diet is important for the lives of people and children.

• Low intake of nutrients, minerals, and carbohydrates damages the brain and forms plaque in the brain vessels that leads to stroke.

• Good nutrition prevents the development of diabetes and heart diseases.

• Malnutrition leads to low working capability, constipation, and lower memory performance.

• Nutrition provides energy and makes bones and teeth stronger.

What Is the Impact of Nutrition That Prevents the Development of Allergies in Children?

• Consuming nutrients and minerals reduces allergic reactions.

• Vitamins such as vitamins A, D, and E and minerals like zinc and iron are useful in preventing allergic reactions and inflammation.

• Take at least one spoonful of honey daily. Honey is used to prevent pollen allergies in the environment.

• Take high-quality foods like prebiotic foods such as almonds, bananas, cabbage, soybeans, chicory roots, garlic, berries, and onions.

• Probiotics include yogurt, buttermilk, fermented foods, pickles, radish, and carrots. These foods maintain gut health and enrich children's metabolism and immune function.

• Taking macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats) in higher amounts and micronutrients (zinc, iron) in lower amounts is crucial for maintaining children's physical and mental health.

• Turmeric is another food that reduces allergic rhinitis reactions because it contains curcumin.

• Kiwi and vitamin C foods like oranges and citrus fruits prevent the histamine (a hormone released when a factor enters the body and causes allergic reactions) reaction in children.

• High carbohydrate intake plays a major role in maintaining children's cognitive behaviors (mood).

• Drinking water is important because dehydration causes energy reduction.

• Starch-rich products and carbohydrates provide high energy and are easily and quickly metabolized.

• Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower have components called phytochemicals that reduce the inflammatory responses of allergies.

• Pineapple is used to treat allergic reactions caused by asthma.

• Omega-3 fatty acids are present in fish and walnuts; these foods reduce the inflammation of allergies.

Conclusion

Providing the correct nutrition and preventing the deficiencies of vitamins and minerals in children has become a severe problem in recent years. A healthy diet promotes children's growth and development properly. Infants' growth is very fast, so providing faster, healthy foods and nutrition is important for their development and growth. Limiting the amount of sodium, sugar, and fat intake for children may help prevent disease. Nutrition education programs, learning about a healthy diet, and avoiding packaged foods help maintain a healthy diet. These programs should be better implemented in schools and colleges to develop nutritional diet management for children and adolescents.