How To Know If Your Child Is Suffering From A Seasonal Allergy
You may have noticed that your child tends to fall ill during a particular season every month. Or you may suspect an allergy but not be sure of it. If you know what to look for, it will help you get one step closer to helping your kid deal with it better and possibly preventing certain allergies. If you know what has caused the problem, simple things like cleaning your air conditioner or washing your linens more often could help cut down the allergens in your home.
Common Allergens to Look Out for
While a lot of kids do get affected by the pollen in the air during the spring, many of them also react to indoor allergens during the fall. So it can be a little difficult to pinpoint what is causing the problem. For example, dust is one of the leading causes of an allergy. Dust is made of tiny dust mites along with pollen, mold, and a number of other fine particles that can affect a lot of people.
The fur of animals like dogs and cats may not agree with some children while others may react to certain materials used in clothing or toys. Many different foods cause reactions in kids and bacterial enzymes used in cleaning products may also bring out allergic reactions.
When to Suspect an Allergy and Common Symptoms
Some allergies are very easy to detect because your child may noticeably react to a particular substance or in particular conditions. But some of them can be a lot more subtle, making it difficult for a person to pinpoint the allergen. However, there are certain signs or symptoms that you should look out for. If they keep occurring in a certain place or at a certain time, keep our eye out for a common factor that may help you figure out what your son or daughter is allergic to. These are the common
signs:
• Sneezing or sniffling
• A runny nose
• Rubbing of the nose frequently
• Continuous clearing of the throat
• Itchy or runny eyes
Visiting the Pediatrician
Tackling your child’s allergies will require the help of your pediatrician. Since this is an on-going process and needs to be given attention to every year, it is best that you work with your pediatrician in order to diagnose what your child is allergic to and then try to control the symptoms.
The pediatrician may prescribe certain medication like decongestants, nasal sprays or antihistamines. In certain cases they may also send you to an allergy specialist if they feel that your kid requires some form of special treatment.