seasonal allergies

 About seasonal allergy
 

"Achis!" It is the third sneezing attack of your morning's child and, while you are holding out another tissue, you wonder if these catarrhal symptoms (sneezing, nasal congestion and discharge) have anything to do with the recent change of season. If your child develops similar symptoms each year at the same time, it is most likely that you are right and that it is a seasonal allergy.

Seasonal allergy, sometimes called "hay fever" or "seasonal allergic rhinitis", is accompanied by allergic symptoms that occur during certain times of the year, usually when the outside mold releases its spores and plants (trees, shrubs and herbs). they release tiny particles of pollen into the air to fertilize other plants.

The immune systems of people allergic to mold spores and / or pollen treat these particles (called allergens) as if they were invasive and release chemicals, such as histamine, into the bloodstream to defend against them. It is the release of these chemicals that causes the allergic symptoms.

The pollen count measures the amount of pollen in the air, so it can help people who are allergic to know how bad their symptoms might be on a given day. Pollen concentrations are usually higher in the morning and on warm, dry and windy days and lower on cold and wet days. Although not always accurate, pollen counts that facilitate local weather forecasts can help plan outdoor activities.

People may be allergic to one or more types of pollen and / or mold. The specific type of pollen to which a person is allergic will determine when their symptoms will appear. For example, in the states of the central part of the US Atlantic, trees pollinate between February and the end of May, pollen from grass and grass is released between May and the end of June and pollen from the bad herbs, between August and the end of October, so that children suffering from this type of allergy are more likely to have more intense symptoms at this time of year. And mold spores tend to reach their maximum levels between mid-summer and late fall, depending on the location.

Even a child who has never had a seasonal allergy can develop it. Seasonal allergies can be started almost any time in a person's life, although they usually develop when the person is about 10 years old. They usually reach their maximum expression at the beginning of the second decade of life and allergic symptoms usually disappear in later stages of adult life.
Signs and symptoms

If your child develops a "cold" every year at the same time, it is quite likely that it is a seasonal allergy. The symptoms of the allergy, which usually appear suddenly and last while the person continues to be exposed to their allergen in particular, include the following:

    sneezing
    itchy nose and / or throat
    nasal congestion
    watery nasal discharge
    cough

These symptoms are usually accompanied by itchy eyes and watery and / or red eyes,what is called allergic conjunctivitis. If your child also has wheezing, wheezing, and a feeling ofchoking, it is possible that your allergy has ended up turning into asthma.Diagnosis

Seasonal allergies are fairly easy to identify because their symptoms reappear year after year after exposure to seasonal allergens.

Talk to your pediatrician if you think your child might have this type of allergy. He will ask about the child's symptoms and when they usually appear and, based on these responses and the child's physical examination, should be able to make a diagnosis. If not, the pediatrician may refer them to an allergist, who will probably request a blood test and / or skin tests to detect the allergy.

To determine the cause of the allergy, allergists usually request one of the following types of skin tests:

    A drop of the allergen is dropped on the skin in the form of a purified liquid and that area of ​​the skin is gently pricked with a small puncture device.
    A small amount of the allergen is injected under the skin. This test stings a little but it can not be considered very painful. After about fifteen minutes, if a lump appears surrounded by a reddish area (as if it were a mosquito bite) at the injection site, the result of the test is positive.

Although a skin test or a blood test indicates the presence of an allergy, the child must also have symptoms to be able to diagnose an allergy. For example, a child who tests positive for lawn pollen and who sneezes often while playing on the lawn may be considered to have an allergy to lawn pollen.
Treatment

There is no definitive cure for seasonal allergy, but it is possible to alleviate its symptoms. Start by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. During the season in which this type of allergy occurs, keep the windows closed, use the air conditioning if possible and stay indoors when the pollen concentration is high.

Ask your child to wash their hands or take a shower and change clothes after playing outside. And a child with a seasonal allergy should not mow the lawn (as pollen particles and spores from the mold are raised as the mower passes).

If reducing allergen exposure is impossible or ineffective, there are medications that can help alleviate allergic symptoms. These include decongestants, antihistamines and nasal sprays containing corticosteroids. If your child's allergic symptoms can not be controlled with medication, your pediatrician may recommend that you visit an allergist or immunologist to administer allergy shots (known as immunotherapy) regularly, which can help Desensitize the child to allergens.