Banish Your Child’s Summer Allergies
Summer is a glorious time in most places in our country — vacations, hiking, plenty of time outdoors enjoying what many think is nature’s finest season. But late July and early August also bring problems for the 15 percent or so of people who suffer from late summer “hay fever.” The weatherman recites the pollen count every day, and it soars from midsummer to the first frost, bringing misery to millions.
But what is hay fever? Hay fever is a common term for seasonal allergic rhinitis. It is commonly due to environmental allergens such as pollens and molds. Children may have symptoms of hay fever primarily in the spring, when trees and grasses produce pollen as they bloom, or in the late summer and fall, when certain weeds, especially ragweed, bloom. Or they can be unfortunate and have symptoms in both spring and summer!
Allergic rhinitis symptoms are unusual before age 3. Among children who are prone to allergy, symptoms seem to increase through childhood and adolescence. Hay fever is much more common in children who have a family history of allergy or a personal history of asthma or eczema (allergic dermatitis).
Allergic rhinitis sufferers report symptoms that include an itchy, stuffy nose; sneezing; an itchy throat with postnasal mucus production; headache in the forehead or cheekbone area; and itchy, watery eyes. Many allergy sufferers can pinpoint the week every summer when the ragweed pollen count suddenly rises. A child who had no major difficulty with allergies during the winter may rather abruptly begin sniffling or rubbing her nose or eyes constantly.
Allergic rhinitis can be fairly well controlled with modern allergy treatments available from your pediatrician. Nose stuffiness, sneezing and other nose-throat symptoms can be relieved by the use of antihistamines at bedtime (over-the-counter chlorpheniramine — 4 milligrams or more) or prescription non-sedating antihistamines taken usually just once daily (products such as Claritin, Allegra or Zyrtec).
Nasal steroid sprays (beclomethasone, flunisolide, triamcinolone, etc.) are also very helpful for reducing nasal and throat symptoms in allergic rhinitis and are available by prescription. Nasal cromolyn spray can also be very helpful in controlling allergy symptoms and is now available without a prescription.
Itchy eyes are often improved by the use of antihistamines, and also by use of over-the-counter ocular decongestants (Visine AC or other products). The pediatrician may also prescribe eye drops that reduce the itching and inflammation allergies cause. All of these allergy products can be used during allergy season and put aside until the next year, unless they are needed year round for control of indoor dust or animal hair allergies.
Children who are affected more and more severely every year by allergic rhinitis may also find relief from allergy desensitization, or immunotherapy (“allergy shots”). Allergy shots are particularly useful if the child suffers ragweed allergy in addition to dust/dust-mite allergy — they usually peak at the same time in late summer and early fall. One shot can be prepared against both dust and ragweed.
Your pediatrician may refer your child to an allergist for skin testing to determine the allergens that are causing your child’s allergic rhinitis. The allergist may recommend allergy shots if the testing reveals marked allergy, or if medications online without prescription aren’t as helpful as you and your child would like.
Allergy shots can be given as often as once or twice a week for several months, and then less often for maintenance on the schedule your allergist recommends. While the idea of “shots” may sound scary to some children, the shots are relatively painless and do provide tremendous relief to children who are miserable every August. The shots are particularly helpful if symptoms worsen during adolescence or early adulthood, or if the child is also troubled by asthma.
Air conditioning (even a bedroom unit) can be helpful in reducing the child’s exposure to summer pollens. But it’s not possible to avoid exposure to most allergens outdoors. Most allergy sufferers in northern regions breathe a huge sigh of relief when the first hard frost kills the ragweed and dramatically reduces the pollen count.
If your child is struggling with allergy symptoms this summer, your pediatrician will be able to custom-design a regimen that will bring considerable relief. Don’t let August drag your allergy sufferer down!