Will My Child Grow Out of Their Allergies?

Did you know more than 50 million Americans have allergies? If you’re the parent of a child with allergies, you've likely wondered whether these are lifelong concerns or if there’s a chance your child might outgrow them.

At The Center for Advanced Pediatrics in Darien and Norwalk, Connecticut, our board-certified pediatric providers frequently address this question since many parents hope for a future where their child doesn’t have to constantly avoid certain foods, pets, or environments. 

Talking to your child’s pediatrician for personalized guidance is always best. But there are some general rules of thumb to consider as you look at your child’s future with allergies—keep reading to learn what you need to know.    

What are common childhood allergies?

Childhood allergies are immune system responses to substances that are usually harmless. These can range from environmental triggers to food allergens. 

Here’s a quick look at the most common childhood allergies:

Environmental allergies

Environmental allergies include pollen, dust mites, mold, and animal dander. Symptoms might include sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, or itchy eyes.

Food allergies

Common food allergy culprits are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. Reactions can range from mild itching or hives to severe breathing difficulties or anaphylaxis.

Insect sting allergies

Reactions to insect stings from bees, wasps, or ants can also be problematic for many children, with responses varying from mild swelling to more severe reactions.

Will my child outgrow the allergies they have now?

The answer to this common question depends on the type of allergy your child has and other individual factors. Here’s what research tells us:

Environmental allergies

Environmental allergies tend to persist into adulthood, but symptoms can decrease over time with proper management and treatment.

Food allergies

Many children outgrow food allergies to milk, eggs, soy, and wheat by the time they reach school age. However, whether they outgrow them depends on the type of allergy your child has. 

Peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish allergies are less commonly outgrown, but it's not impossible. Talk to your Center for Advanced Pediatrics provider for information about your child’s food allergies. 

Insect sting allergies

In general, it’s less likely that your child will outgrow allergies to insect stings. However, the good news is that the severity of their reactions can diminish with age and as they grow physically larger.

How can a pediatrician help with childhood allergies?

As your child’s primary care provider, your Center for Advanced Pediatrics pediatrician has a holistic understanding of your child’s health. We offer personalized allergy treatments and management strategies to meet your child’s unique needs. 

Our team begins with the most conservative treatments, such as over-the-counter medications like antihistamines, decongestants, and corticosteroid therapies. 

In addition, our pediatricians help you and your family understand your child’s allergies and what triggers them so you can avoid them. Sidestepping triggers may call for dietary changes, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters indoors, and other avoidance strategies. 

For severe allergies that trigger anaphylaxis, we may prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector and encourage your family to create an emergency action plan for family, caregivers, and school personnel about how to respond in an emergency reaction.  

What to do as your child grows

Since allergies can change over time, regular check-ups with our pediatricians help monitor reactions and allow us to adjust treatments as needed. 

This proactive approach manages symptoms and minimizes the risk of severe reactions.

At The Center for Advanced Pediatrics, we can track your child’s reactions over time, providing valuable insights as your child gets older as to whether they’re outgrowing an allergy or if it’s persisting as they age.

You can get personalized guidance on your child’s unique allergies by scheduling an appointment online or over the phone with a provider at The Center for Advanced Pediatrics in Darien or Norwalk, Connecticut.