Grow Up Strong -- Manage Allergies
Allergies affect millions of children. The bad news is that if you suffer from allergies, your kids are much more likely to develop allergies. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help manage your child's symptoms, whether they are seasonal or year round.
Regardless of the frequency or severity, it is important to address allergies as soon as symptoms occur. Diagnosing and treating an allergy -- by eliminating the trigger, using medication, or making lifestyle changes -- will help keep allergy symptoms from affecting your child's energy levels, concentration, peer relationships, physical activity, and overall health. It also will prevent his or her symptoms from worsening in the future.
Your pediatrician may be able to identify what is triggering your child's allergy symptoms.
Let the doctor know:
- your child has had any lifestyle changes since before the symptoms were noticeable
- What your child was doing or if he or she was eating anything before the symptoms appeared
Next, the pediatrician may want to administer an in-office radioallergosorbent test (RAST), a blood test used to determine the cause of allergy symptoms. If the trigger is something unavoidable, as is the case with seasonal allergies, your doctor will either suggest an over-the-counter antihistamine or prescribe a longer-acting medication.
Allergy shots also are an option, depending on the severity of your child's symptoms and the potential for allergic reactions. For most food allergies, doctors will prescribe an EpiPen, a self-administered shot of epinephrine to have on hand in the event of an emergency.
Note About Antihistamines: Most short-acting antihistamines are known to cause drowsiness, although certain over-the-counter medications, such as Claritin and Alavert, are now available in nondrowsy formulas. Try to avoid frequent or long-term use of allergy medicines as they may make your child tired.
