Research to Find the Best Remedy
For young children, parents need to watch for symptoms of allergies to get them the help they need so they can enjoy this magical time of year.
Unfortunately, just about every child suffers through bouts of cold, with symptoms that include sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes. It is natural for parents to assume their child has a cold or flu, and treat them with common medications, run the humidifier and wait for it to pass.
But recurring, or seasonal symptoms, may indicate that your child has allergies. Here are some signs, and common treatments:
Hay fever season
During the spring, summer and early fall months, many allergy sufferers are confronted with tree, weed and grass pollens, as well as mold spores. The release of pollen and mold spores will happen at different months depending on where you live.
Pollen allergies are difficult to avoid without leaving the environment, so the most common treatments are drug-related, such as anti-inflammatory sprays, antihistamines, decongestants or combinations. Natural remedies, such as nasal rinses, are also popular.
Some doctors may also recommend treatment with a decongestant spray, anti-allergy eye drops, or in extreme cases desensitizing injections.
If you suspect your child is exhibiting pollen allergy symptoms, talk to a doctor about they best available treatments.
Allergy testing
In determining your child’s allergies, the services of an allergist might help you determine the types and severity of allergies that he or she suffers. This can eliminate lengthy trial and error to get to the root causes.
With some simple tests — there are a range available from skin testing to injections, to blood tests — a doctor might be able to tell you if your child has a plant, animal or food allergy, or whether your child’s symptoms are related to some other ailment.
Other allergens
Not all allergies are related to seasonal plant blooms. Many children may be sensitive to pet hair and dander, household chemicals and other environmental factors such as dust mites.
When your child shows allergy symptoms, pay attention to their environment. Do they sneeze after playing with the cat or dog? Do they get headaches or other symptoms after you’ve used a household cleaner? Does the dust created by vacuuming cause their eyes to itch and water?
As a parent, you may be able to pinpoint the cause of your child’s reactions, and change your routine to avoid the problem in the future. Simple solutions, such as regularly bathing your pets, or waiting until your child is away at school to clean your home, may be all it takes to clear the air in your household.
For pervasive toxins, other steps may be taken, such as frequent changing of the air filter in your home’s heating and cooling system, using a strong air purifier to remove particulate matter from the air and switching to household cleaners that are nontoxic.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests the following to help protect children from common allergens:
- Help children breathe easier by not smoking indoors, keeping surfaces clean of pet dander, dust and pollens, limiting outdoor time on ozone alert days, and staying away from motor vehicles.
- Reduce lead exposure by testing your home and children and avoiding products — such as paints — that contain lead.
- Store chemicals responsibly, in approved containers. Wash fruits and vegetables, and keep children away from foliage that has been fertilized. Some parents may choose organic foods, free of pesticides.
- Install carbon monoxide monitors in your home, and test appliances, fireplaces and stoves for carbon monoxide leakage.