Allergy Management
Dr Selela – Paediatrician in Margate and Port Shepstone for Children’s Allergy Management
SPECIALIST PAEDIATRICIAN
Childhood allergies can affect breathing, skin, digestion, sleep and comfort. At Dr Selela’s rooms in Margate and Port Shepstone, children receive assessment to identify triggers, relieve symptoms and create a practical plan.
Understanding Childhood Allergies
An allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a usually harmless substance. Triggers may include foods, pollen, house-dust mites, mould, animal dander, insect stings and medicines. Symptoms may include sneezing, a blocked nose, itchy eyes, coughing, wheezing, hives, eczema flare-ups, swelling, vomiting or abdominal discomfort.
These symptoms can resemble infections, asthma, sensitive skin or food intolerance. Dr Selela reviews their timing, possible exposures, previous reactions, medicines, family history, growth and general health.
Conditions Assessed
A consultation may help with suspected food allergies, allergic rhinitis, recurrent hives, eczema linked to triggers, allergic eye symptoms, medicine reactions and allergy-related breathing symptoms. Related eczema, rhinitis and asthma may need coordinated care.
Testing is not needed for every child. Where appropriate, targeted investigations may be recommended according to the history and symptoms. If specialist care is required, Dr Selela can arrange referral.
Personalised Allergy Management
Treatment depends on the likely trigger, symptoms and severity of previous reactions. A plan may include avoiding a confirmed allergen, reducing environmental exposure, age-appropriate medication, skin-care advice, asthma monitoring and guidance for caregivers or school staff.
Parents should not remove major foods from a child’s diet without professional advice. Unnecessary restriction can affect nutrition and growth, especially in babies and young children. Dr Selela balances allergy control with healthy development and practical steps families can follow.
When to Seek Urgent Care
Seek emergency care if a child develops difficulty breathing, tongue or throat swelling, severe wheezing, collapse, unusual drowsiness or a rapidly worsening reaction. A severe reaction can occur without an obvious rash.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I take my child to a paediatrician for allergy symptoms?
Book an appointment when symptoms recur, disturb sleep, affect feeding or school, cause repeated skin flare-ups, or follow the same food, medicine or environmental exposure. Seek emergency care for breathing difficulty, tongue or throat swelling, collapse or a rapidly worsening reaction.
Can Dr Selela diagnose food allergies in children?
Dr Selela can assess suspected food allergy by reviewing symptoms, timing, diet, medical history and growth. Where indicated, targeted tests or referral may be arranged. Avoid broad food elimination diets unless advised by a qualified healthcare professional.