As a mother, you are always tempted to worry about your children and it is even more worrisome when your child suffers from severe allergies. They could be foodborne, airborne or contact allergies (contact dermatitis), but in any case, if they are severe, your initial reaction is panic and after that, an inordinate amount of attention given to that child. You literally smother them with attention to the point where they feel boxed in. That is no way for you to live life and it certainly isn’t good for your child. So how can you avoid being a smother mother? Here are a few tips that just might help.
First – Get the Connection!
What many mothers don’t quite understand is that stress can often trigger or worsen allergies such as asthma. Did you know that the very same substances that can bring on the traditional hay fever symptoms (sneezing, itchy watering eyes, difficulty breathing, etc) can result in an asthma attack? Such things as pollen and dust mites can be the trigger for an asthma attack and you never know when they might strike.
However, stress can also trigger asthma and, at the very least, can exacerbate the situation. When you smother your children out of concern, you may be creating a stressful situation that can, at the very least, worsen an allergy if they are suddenly stricken with an attack. Understand the connection between stress and allergic reactions. Stay calm. Don’t smother, but do take precautions to try to prevent the onset of an allergic reaction.
Being Informed Is Vital
If your child has been diagnosed with severe allergies of any type, the best thing you can do for your child and for yourself is to learn everything you can about that particular allergy. Being well-informed is the best way to avoid issues. For instance, if your child is allergic to bee stings it doesn’t mean that child must never go out to play. That would be akin to being jailed for a child!
On the other hand, if that allergy is severe enough to trigger anaphylactic shock, it would behoove you to carry an EpiPen and teach your child how to use it as well. If the cost is a concern, you can find an EpiPen coupon that might even save you as much as 80% on the cost. The point is, don’t panic. There are immediate remedies that can buy you time until help arrives if it should be necessary to call.
Keep Your Cool!
Sometimes a child needs to take medication daily for their allergies and at other times a child can medicate as needed. In any event, you can do much as a mother to alleviate any undue stress a child suffers by stepping back once you’ve done your job teaching that child what to do and what not to do to stay healthy. Always keep an immediate response medication on hand (i.e. that EpiPen) and always keep your cool. Your child will react to your stress, so this is perhaps one of the biggest (and hardest) steps you can take.
Your child is already having trouble breathing so don’t be a smother mother! Relax and your calm will reassure your child.
