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Here to Listen
Millions of children don’t need shorter days, the beginning of the
school year or the cooler temperatures to let them know summer’s just
about over. Their nose does it for them.
After all, just as summer gives way to autumn, the fall allergy season
hits its peak. For many children (and adults, too) the sniffling and
sneezing, the watery eyes and the scratchy throat begins in mid-to-late
August. And there’s not much relief in sight until the first frost,
unless you get help from your doctor or pharmacist, according to Dr.
Jay Portnoy, chief of the section of Allergy and Immunology at
Children’s Mercy Hospital.
"It’s not always easy to tell the difference between an allergy and a
cold," Portnoy says. "But one difference is that allergies don’t cause
fever ... if you suspect your child has allergies, you might want to
have him or her tested."
Autumn allergies vary depending on the part of the country and climatic
conditions. Ragweed and mold are the two most common substances that
cause fall allergies in the Midwest.
Ragweed grows on the roadsides and triggers reactions from mid-August
until mid-October. Toward the end of summer and in the early fall, mold
growth increases especially in cold, dark and damp places, like on
plants and on dead leaves in fields. Other autumn allergies that your
child might have include dust mites (tiny insects that live in house
dust) and other weeds.
Ten to 15 percent of children have allergies, which represents about 15
to 20 million children in the United States. Allergies do run in
families and can start anytime in a child’s life, although they aren’t
common before age five. To check for allergies, a "prick" test, where a
small amount of the allergen is placed under the skin to check for a
reaction, is common.
An allergy is the body’s immune system fighting off harmless
substances. This reaction causes symptoms like itchy eyes, a runny nose
or difficulty breathing.
Portnoy says the best treatment for an allergy is simple: avoidance.
"If you know what you’re allergic to ... then avoid going outside when
that count is high," Portnoy says, referring to the mold and pollen
counts taken each day at Children’s Mercy.
The daily count is published in the Kansas City Star, is
available at other media outlets and can be accessed by calling the
hospital’s allergy hotline at 346-1331 Monday through Friday.
Portnoy says progress is being made regularly in the search for allergy
treatments. Medication is available today that is able to minimize
allergic reactions and not make the patient drowsy. Those medications,
generally, are available only by prescription.
Children's Mercy is also investigation a new type of allergy therapy,
called rush immunotherapy. It is similar to conventional allergy
immunotherapy in that patients receive injections of progressively
larger doses of an allergy-provoking substance until they build up a
resistance to it. The difference is the rush therapy is done over a
week or less, instead of over several months with traditional therapy.
"We're making progress," Portnoy says.
To help fight the ill effects of allergies, these steps are recommended:
- Avoid the allergen altogether. If your child is allergic to animals
or goods, that's pretty simple. Outdoor, airborne allergens make
avoidance more difficult.
- Find out more about medications. Most children with allergies use a
combination antihistamine/decongestant because they are available over
the counter and alleviate most problems. Nasal sprays should be
prescribed by your doctor on an individual basis.
- Allergy injections are another option. These injections build up
the child's tolerance and work about 80 percent of the time. The cost,
the regular appointments and the rate chance of an allergic reaction to
the shot itself are some potential disadvantages.
If your child has allergies, consult your pediatrician. Be sure your
child takes his or her medication and call your doctor if symptoms
persist.
With proper treatment, allergy season won't slow your child down.
