Learning Center – Allergy & Air
Once again, the season of allergies is upon us and whoever has had to deal with the complications knows how difficult it can be on you. This is especially true for children who must face the same severity of symptoms but with much more fragile bodies. However, thanks to modern medicine, it is easy for you to combat those symptoms now and make life much easier for your children. People come up with all sorts of remedies when it comes to allergies.
However, the last few decades have shown that we can create products that can have an excellent effect on allergy symptoms and provide relief immediately. Here are a few products that you should keep in your collection to make sure your child goes through allergy season comfortably.
1. Antihistamines
This is the most obvious thing that you can have in your medicine collection since the sole purpose of antihistamines is to combat allergy symptoms. Not only are they effective in most cases, but they are also relatively cheap, so everyone can afford to have them. Their function does not include preventing allergic reactions because that is not possible through medication. It only reverses the effects that your body faces when it produces a chemical called histamine for protection. Do keep in mind that antihistamines can have a sedating effect, so having your kid take it in school may not be a good idea. However, some children may also show opposite side effects by becoming hyperactive. It is by far the most reliable allergy relief for kids.
2. Prescriptions
There are some cases where children do not get any relief from OTC medication when they have an allergic reaction. Such a situation may require something stronger which you may need a prescription for. However, once prescribed, these have a much better impact on your child than regular antihistamines. These medications are stronger but have fewer chances of developing side effects like drowsiness. They also need to be administered less frequently, usually once a day instead of 4-6 times a day for some antihistamines. The only drawback is that you cannot get these medications without a prescription from your child’s doctor.
3. Nasal Sprays
For children who feel itching and discomfort in their nasal passages or have watery eyes, nasal sprays are a great solution. These sprays carry steroids and decrease the inflammation that your child may have in their nasal passage. This inflammation causes swelling and other symptoms, which then lead to coughing, sneezing, and runny nose. Nasal sprays are extremely easy to use as you simply need to spray them in your child’s nose. However, one thing to keep in mind about these is that they take some time before they become effective.
4. Cromolyn
If you can track the allergy season to the point where you know when your child will start having a reaction, then this product can be beneficial. Cromolyn is a medicine that only recently became available over the counter and parents who can track their children’s seasonal allergies love it. The purpose of this nasal spray is that it blocks histamine production by blocking mast cells. Each spray can inhibit histamine production for up to 4 hours and if you plan properly, you can go through the season without any discomfort at all. Medical professionals suggest using this spray at least one to two weeks before the start of allergy season.
Conclusion
All the treatments mentioned here are commonly used during allergy season. Be sure to find out if the product you are choosing is explicitly meant for a child or at least suitable for them. Some products may be too strong for a child and you do not want to create any unnecessary complications.
