Allergy season can affect people of all ages, including children and teens. Dr. Ekta Shah, a pediatrician and allergist at Atrium Health Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, shares tips for helping your child navigate spring allergies, including understanding their triggers, building a treatment plan and implementing simple lifestyle changes to make allergy season less bothersome.
Allergy symptom triggers in kids and teens
Seasonal allergies — also called seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever — occur when an allergen (something you’re allergic to) triggers an immune system reaction. When the body comes in contact with an allergen, such as pollen, it produces the chemicals histamines, prostaglandins and leukotrienes that cause allergy symptoms.
The most common symptoms of allergies in children and teens include:
- Clear runny nose
- Stuffy nose
- Postnasal drip (mucus in the back of the throat)
- Itchy nose and throat
- Watery, itchy eyes
- Throat clearing
- Sneezing
- Nose rubbing
- Sniffling
- Fatigue and poor sleep
- Trouble concentrating in school
- Red, dry, itchy or scaly rashes on the skin, particularly on skin creases and the ankles and wrists
- Worsened asthma symptoms
- Behavioral issues from lack of sleep
- Increased sinus and ear infections
The most common seasonal allergy triggers for kids and teens include:
- Pollen from flowers, trees, grass and weeds (like ragweed)
- Mold spores and other fungi
Other allergy triggers include:
- Dust, which can contain dust mites, animal dander, mold and pollen
- Furry animals
- Toys or clothing made with animal hair
Helping your child manage their allergies
To help your child manage their allergies, Shah suggests:
- Teaching your child to wash their hands and face or rinse off in the shower as soon as they come inside after playing outdoors.
- Having them take their bath or shower at night before bedtime.
- Having them change their clothes after playing outdoors.
- Limiting their time outdoors on high pollen count days.
- Drying their clothing in the dryer rather than hanging them outside to dry.
- Keeping pets away from your child’s bedroom and wiping down the pet’s fur after they go outside. Bathing pets more frequently can also help.
- Using air conditioning in your home and vehicle (use the re-circulating mode in the car) rather than having the windows open to reduce allergen exposure.
- Using over-the-counter allergy medications, such as allergy eye drops, non-sedating oral antihistamines, nasal steroid sprays or nasal antihistamine sprays.
- Before using any over-the-counter medications, it's important to check with your pediatrician to ensure proper use and dosage for your child.
- Avoid oral and nasal decongestants, as they can cause unpleasant side effects.
When to talk to your child’s pediatrician
If over-the-counter medications and lifestyle changes don’t help, talk to your child’s pediatrician about how to best manage their allergies. They may suggest that your child be evaluated by an allergist and consider immune therapy, such as allergy shots.
You should also check with your child’s pediatrician if they take prescription medications to avoid any potential interactions with over-the-counter allergy treatments.
To learn more about how to keep your child safe from seasonal allergies, schedule an appointment with an Atrium Health Levine Children’s pediatrician near you.
