Pesky Seasonal Allergies

What causes allergies in kids?

Allergies arise when an immune system becomes hyperactive, reacting to typically benign substances such as pollen from grasses, weeds, and trees. Typically initiating in childhood and persisting into adulthood, allergies can be effectively managed with various therapies, often under the guidance of a pediatrician. In cases where symptoms prove challenging to control despite standard treatments, an allergist may recommend allergy testing. If results are positive, allergy shots can be administered to help desensitize the immune system.

Is it a cold, an allergy or asthma?

For some children, they’re at their worst in the spring when trees are pollinating; for others, it’s in the fall when grasses are pollinating.

Common allergy symptoms in kids include:

• Runny nose

• Sniffling

• Sneezing

• Wheezing

• Watery, itchy eyes

• Itchy ears and throat

• Thin, clear nasal drainage that persists

Some less common symptoms include:

• Patches of bumps or itchy, red skin that won’t go away

• Hives (itchy skin eruptions that usually last for a few hours and may move to different parts of the body)

• Headache

• Fatigue

• Nausea

If your child is wheezing or having breathing difficulty that seems to be triggered by allergies or other factors such as exercise, cold air or air pollution, it may also be asthma. If you suspect your child may have asthma, we advise reaching out to us to schedule an appointment for a thorough evaluation.