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April Showers, May Flowers……And Allergies

I always look forward to spring especially after those tough winter months; however, I begin to dread the spring as it draws closer. Now, that it's finally spring, my husband is sick. He is down with a stuffy nose, and sometimes, we actually see traces of blood. Yes blood.

A major cause of stuffy noses and cold-like symptoms this spring is allergies. And spring's foliage while pleasing to the eye, also gives birth to an abundance of allergens, which can set your family sneezing all the way through spring.

Common Symptoms

Fatigue, sleep disturbances, sneezing, coughing, headache, ear congestion and frequent hay fever symptoms are classic symptoms of spring allergies. The most common ones affect the nose, and this may include runny nose, difficulty breathing, inability to smell, blockage of nasal passages and even weight loss.

There is a difference between cold and allergies

Like most parents, I am concerned about if my child will be okay through spring. How do I distinguish a cold from an allergy? But according to most doctors, cold lasts for a short period and are often accompanied by a low grade fever while allergies last longer, for weeks.

An allergy will always respond to allergy medications. Allergic reactions can be quite irritating, and I recommend seeing the doctor to make sure that your child get the care that he/she needs.

Some Safety Precautions

Limit time spent outdoors – Wet weather promotes growth of spring foliage with weeds that spring forth allergens. Hence limit the time your child spends outdoors

Spring clean – Create some time for some spring cleaning. Pollens, dust and mold settles easily on furnitures and household items this season. Be sure to wipe down surfaces. Check out SHHM Spring Cleaning Checklist for more tips.

Ventilation – I absolutely cannot stand mold promoted mostly by lack of ventilation. Keep your house ventilated, an humidifier will be really useful at this point especially if you have a newborn.

Common Allergy Medication

First off, if your child is prone to allergies, then start him/her early. The medications are better at preventing than attacking. Antihistamines are available in liquid, tablet, or nasal spray form, and in both non-prescription (over-the-counter) and prescription formulation. Here are some list of antihistamines that assuage most allergies both in adults and children.

Zyrtec Oral: This medication is an antihistamine which provides relief of seasonal and perennial allergy symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose (rhinitis), itching eyes, and sneezing. It is also used for hives.

Nasonex Nasl: This medication is used to prevent and treat seasonal and year-round allergy symptoms of the nose (stuffiness or congestion, runny nose, itching, and sneezing). It is also used to treat growths in the nose (nasal polyps). Mometasone works by reducing swelling of the nasal passages. It belongs to the class of drugs known as corticosteroids.

Clarinex Oral: Desloratadine is an antihistamine that provides relief of seasonal and year-round allergy symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, and watery/itching eyes. It may also be used to treat hives.