Maybe it's a persistent cough, or perhaps a runny nose and sneezing. Itching of legs and arms also could be keeping your child up at night. Headaches, earaches, even vomiting could be other signs of allergies, any of which can prevent restful sleep.

Whatever the allergy symptom, and whether they have one or several, many children endure frustrating sleep disturbances as a result of their sensitivities to such things as food, dust mites, mold, pollen and pet dander.

According to Health Canada, a federal department responsible for health improvement, children as young as infants are affected, especially if allergies run in the family. The key to a good night's sleep is realizing what triggers your little one's symptoms and doing what you can to eliminate these things from their environment.

"The most effective treatment and the most desirable treatment for children with allergies is avoidance," says Dr. Rob Reinhardt, medical affairs director at Pharmacia Diagnostics and a practicing family physician in Kalamazoo, Mich. "You can't do effective avoidance unless you know specifically what your child is allergic to and not allergic to."

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.