Symptoms of seasonal allergies include: itchy, stuffy or runny nose, itchy and red eyes, cough, sore throat, trouble sleeping.
Seasonal allergies symptoms usually do not appear in children less than 2 years old. If your younger child has these symptoms, it likely is from a cause that is not allergies.
Treatment for allergies includes:
- limiting outdoor activities when pollen counts are high (sites pollen.com can help you determine when this)
- keeping car and house windows closed, and using air conditioning instead
- taking a shower before bed to rinse pollen off the hair and skin
- using a HEPA filter air purifier
- nasal saline sprays and rinses after being outdoors
There are also a variety of over the counter medications for allergy symptoms. These include:
1. Nasal saline sprays and rinses (little noses or simply saline) regularly, especially after being outdoors.
2. Medicated eye drops: ketotifen (zaditor, alaway), olopatadine (patanol), or azelastine (optivar) as needed.
3. Nasal steroids: fluticasone (flonase), or triamcinolone (nasacort). While likely the most effective treatment, and while these start to work within hours of starting, they must be used consistently for days (and sometimes weeks) before they are fully effective.
3. Oral antihistamines: we recommend cetirizine (zyrtec) or fexofenadine (allegra). These come in liquid form or chewable tablets for younger kids. These can be taken as needed.
You should not have to spend more by paying for the brand name of medications listed above. Ask your pharmacy if they are not stocking the generic form of the medications listed above.
If you’ve tried these measures and still need help, please contact our office to schedule an appointment with us.