Children’s allergies crop up unpredictable and run the gamut from mild to extremely serious. They are also unpredictable, which is why parents are often so worried about nascent reactions to both pollen and peanut butter. It’s easy — if terrifying — to identify Anaphylaxis, but often nearly impossible to tell the difference between a cold and a more minor allergy. The whole thing is, to put it mildly, terrifying. That does not mean allergies are an insurmountable foe.

Fatherly built this guide to allergies to help parents be proactive. We talked to pediatricians and product experts about signs of allergies to look out for, how to keep kids with allergies safe, exactly what to do during an allergic reaction, and more.