What causes different types of allergies and how do they manifest?

Allergies happen when your body thinks something harmless is actually harmful and tries to fight it off, like when you think a cookie is a monster.

Your body has soldiers, called immune cells, that protect you from real dangers like germs. But sometimes they get confused and attack things like pollen, pet dander, or even food.

Imagine your nose is like a gatekeeper. When something like pollen comes in, the gatekeeper thinks it's an intruder and sends out tiny helpers called histamines, which make you sneeze, itch, or have a runny nose.

• If you're allergic to food, like peanuts, your stomach might feel upset or even cause hives on your skin.
• If you're allergic to animals, like cats, your eyes might water and your nose might run when you’re near them.
• If you're allergic to dust mites, you might have a stuffy nose or cough a lot.

It's like the body is playing a game of tag with things it thinks are enemies, even though they aren't.