ALLERGIES OR INFECTION?

By Dr. Diana Roukoz

This time of year, most St. Louisans are looking forward to springtime temps offering respite from winter and heralding beautiful flowers – but the season can bring a degree of misery, too. If you’re anything like my family, the changing weather often means saying goodbye to viral upper respiratory infections and hello to seasonal allergies.

Seasonal allergies – also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever – are caused by airborne allergens such as pollens that enter through the eyes, nose and throat. These invaders cause the body to mount an immune response, resulting in symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes. There are different allergens in different seasons. For example, in the spring, we predominately have flower, tree and grass pollens. In late summer and early fall, we see ragweed and molds as the major offenders.

Trying to differentiate symptoms of allergies from respiratory infections can be challenging this time of year. Here are a few signs and symptoms to look out for:

„ Sneezing

„ Stuffy nose

„ Itchy and watery eyes

„ Sore throat

„ Cough that does not seem to go away

„ Dark circles under the eyes

Although seasonal allergies are just an annoying inconvenience for most children, others might experience more consequential symptoms leading to complications such as poor sleep and poor school performance, asthma exacerbations and ear or sinus infections.

As with most health-related matters, prevention is key! Even before pollen arrives to blanket everything in green, start taking steps to enjoy the great outdoors and limit allergen exposure. Start with frequent hand washing, changing clothing after outdoor play, showering nightly, keeping windows closed when possible, frequent vacuuming and changing bed sheets regularly. If your family is particularly sensitive, check the pollen level forecast that’s available on many weather apps and limit outdoor activity when pollen counts are highest.

For those who struggle each spring, talk to your child’s doctor about daily over-thecounter allergy medicine and when your child should start taking it. It can be important to get the medicine in their system before symptoms arise.

When preventive measures fail to ward off the onslaught of symptoms, some treatments can help. Start with simple home remedies like nasal saline washes or consider using medications such as antihistamines to help alleviate symptoms. At other times, a focused topical, intranasal or ocular medication does the trick. Reach out to your pediatrician to help determine which option is safest and best for your little one and if a specialist is needed. ln

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