(KAIR)--According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies are the fifth leading chronic disease in the United States among all ages, and the third most common chronic disease among children under eighteen years old.

Food allergies are more common in children than adults, and Dr. McGarrett Groth, a Family Physician at Atchison Hospital says they can be especially hard to detect. Sometimes, outward signs such as hives or a rash can clue a physician in to what is causing the reaction, but other times, it can be more chronic where the rash comes and goes, which can make pinpointing the cause a little more difficult.

Groth says that a child's body will have a worse immune response the longer they are exposed to an allergen, and can get worse over time. However, there is hope for better treatment despite the increasing number of children developing allergies. He says there is research currently being conducted in the development of allergies and how they can occur. Doctors have been seeing an increase in the number of allergies in children, but Groth is not sure if that is because doctors are diagnosing it better of if it is actually increasing in frequency.

Groth adds that over the counter medications can help with some allergies.  He says they will never totally get rid of the allergy, but can do quite a bit to alleviate most of the symptoms associated with it.

Groth says that if you suspect your child is suffering from allergies, the best thing you can do is to watch for symptoms and see what triggers that particular allergy.