It’s spring! Of course, with this year’s warmer than usual weather, it may be difficult to tell when winter departed and spring arrived.
Unfortunately, I didn’t need the calendar or the weather to tell me that spring was here. All I had to do was look at my son’s red and swollen eyes. He suffers from seasonal allergies and each spring he has at least a month of symptoms that include itchy, red, watery eyes.
Although seasonal allergies don’t usually result in long-term health complications, they can disrupt day-to-day activities including the ability to function at work or in school. This is a big concern for many parents, especially those who have young children who may not understand their symptoms. But regardless of age, anything that disrupts a child’s ability to learn is very concerning.
The most common symptoms of seasonal allergies affect the nose and nasal cavity (allergic rhinitis) and the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis). These symptoms include nasal congestion, nasal drainage, sneezing, itchy eyes, watery drainage from eyes, red, irritated eyes and swelling around the nose and eyes.
Typically people with seasonal allergies have symptoms in the spring and/or fall when spores and pollen are released into the air by trees, grass and other vegetation. Although the spores and pollen can be an irritant and cause people who don’t have allergies to sneeze or have other mild symptoms, people who have allergies to these have a different response. If the body recognizes the spores or pollen as invaders (or allergens), the immune response released chemicals to defend itself. The immune system’s response in this setting is usually hyperactive (overactive) and results in the allergy symptoms. Fortunately, there are treatments available for people with seasonal allergies.
A typical day in early spring in our home begins with cool compresses for my son’s eyes, sometimes before he gets out of bed because he can’t open his eyes due to the swelling and drainage. After 5-10 minutes of the eye compresses, we try to clear the nasal congestion by having him blow his nose repeatedly. There is usually a lot of nasal drainage that developed overnight and sometimes we have to let him breathe over some light steam help break up the congestion. (A humidifier can be used or breathing over a sink with the hot water running can be helpful.) We then put in his allergy eye drops, have him chew his allergy medicine and sometimes we use his allergy nasal spray. This routine adds 20-30 minutes to our morning routine, which means we have to get up earlier.
Of course, we are happy that there are effective treatments available and many of them are available over the counter. But treating seasonal allergies usually requires more medicines throughout the day so children often need to have medicine available at school or they will start having more symptoms, which can easily disrupt their day or cause distractions.
It is extremely important to communicate with your child’s teacher and other school staff if your child has seasonal allergies (or any other illness). In addition to providing medicines for your child at school, be sure to ask whether your child is paying less attention when his allergy symptoms are present. If a child is less able to concentrate during school, he/she may require more reinforcement at home. Additionally, some of the allergy medications that are taken by mouth can cause drowsiness. If your child is awake throughout the night because of symptoms, this may also lead to daytime sleepiness.
If you have a child with seasonal allergies, here are some tips.
- Wash hands often, especially after playing outside.
- Keep windows closed and use the air conditioner, if necessary
- Limit outside time when pollen counts are very high. Find other indoor activities that allow physical activity.
- Inform teachers and school staff about symptoms and treatments for your child.
- See your health care provider if over-the-counter treatments are not working.
- Ask your health care provider if a consultation with an allergist is needed.
For more information about seasonal allergies, visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at www.aaaai.org
