It seems these days that almost everyone suffers from some sort of allergy— food, grass, dyes, dust, pets, even medication. But is every stuffy nose really an allergic reaction? Not necessarily.
There are plenty of reasons why kids have stuffy noses—the common cold, enlarged adenoids (a tonsil-type structure in the deep nasal passages that may grow and cause stuffy noses in toddlers and school-age kids). Even sudden change in the weather can block up a nose.
Seasonal Allergy, or Immunology?
This time of year, after our unseasonably short winter, the flowers are blooming, and the pollen from a hundred species of plants and trees is in the air. Allergies are on the rise, and this is the season for all of those annoying symptoms.
If you suspect your child may suffer from seasonal allergies, you may do well to consider what other pathogens could be triggering the allergic-type symptoms. Our bodies work in mysterious ways, and our immune systems give different responses when the allergy is to a food, medication, animal bite, insect sting or an environmental agent like dust or pollen. Although it’s all one immune system, the chemicals released during varying immunological reactions are not all the same, and the appropriate treatment can also vary. An allergist/immunologist can determine what pathogens are stimulating your child's overactive immune response and treat the allergy accordingly.
Why it Matters
In many cases, avoiding your child's "trigger" pathogens is enough to control allergic responses. But food, insect stings, and allergic reactions to medications can be life-threatening to those with severe allergies. Environmental allergic reactions, such as those to dust and pollen, may be nothing more than a nuisance at first, but if left untreated, even these can lead to worsening breathing problems and even asthma.
Serious Reactions
If your child has a serious allergy, including extreme allergies to nuts, bees or penicillin, for example, the remedy for accidental exposure is usually epinephrine (or more commonly known as an Epi-Pen). This is a powerful, life-saving medication that is given as an injection. Families and caregivers who have a child with such as allergy need to be trained to use and have access to an epi-pen at all times. Oral medicines such as Benadryl® are often not enough to save a life during these types of allergic reactions, though they may help with some symptom relief in conjunction with a dose of epinephrine.
Nip it in the Bud
Most allergies can be easily managed by using preventative measures. Prescription and over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines (Claritin®, and Zyrtec®, for example), can prevent seasonal stuffy noses to a certain extent. A newer medication, Singulair ®, works by blocking histamine production.
If your child has recurring or chronic allergy symptoms that do not respond to medications, your pediatrician may recommend a Prednisone trial. This steroid medication has very powerful anti-inflammatory effects, and tends to reduce the swelling of the airway tissues and skin when an allergy gets out of hand. Allergy shots inject a small amount of the allergen into your child's skin in frequent intervals over a long period of time, but for some allergy sufferers who cannot achieve relief by other means, they may work as a last resort to desensitize your child's immune system to the allergen and eventually rid your child of the allergy for good.
Send Fido to the Dog House?
Don't panic, pet lovers! You may not have to banish pets from your home if your child is allergic. Most pet allergies are caused by the animal's dander, which flakes off of the skin, not the fur. Keeping your pet off of your child's bedding and vacuuming frequently may help to manage your child's pet allergies. If your child is definitely allergic to dog fur, consider adopting or purchasing a "hypo-allergenic" breed, such as most "doodle" mixes, Portuguese Water Dogs or poodles. These breeds have "hair" instead of fur and are less likely to trigger allergic reactions.
Know your Stuffy
The key to your family's allergy management is knowledge. Don’t assume that your child’s allergies are the same as yours or other family members. One sneeze may sound like another, but learning its cause is the first step to breathing easy--in any season.
