I experience seasonal allergies, as I am sure many of you do too. It is not fun, but I do have medicines that do an awesome job of keeping me symptom-free and able to enjoy spring! I developed my allergies as a teenager and never really thought about babies dealing with allergies. I love our outdoor spring sessions but they can bother all of our allergies! I can relate and felt so bad for the little ones.
I looked into allergies and discovered that about 40% of children in the U.S. suffer from seasonal allergies, as reported by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Allergies can manifest in a variety of forms and can be confused with the common cold. One difference, however, is that a cold is often accompanied by a fever and symptoms generally dissipate within a week. This is not the case with seasonal allergies, which present with sneezing, runny nose with a clear discharge, watery eyes, and itchy ears, eyes, and throat.
Seasonal allergies are usually triggered by pollen from trees in the spring, grasses in the summer, and weeds in the fall. Perennial allergies occur year-round and are generally associated with indoor allergies, including animal dander, dust mites, molds, and feathers.
The best thing to do as a parent is to journal your child’s symptoms. Note your child’s symptoms, when they are triggered, and the source of the trigger. For example, do they have symptoms after coming home from being with a dog or cat; are their symptoms worse in the morning than later in the day; does a walk or being outside trigger symptoms? This will be very helpful for your pediatrician and, if necessary, an allergist. Once properly diagnosed, your doctor may provide medication for relief of the symptoms and suggest some behavioral changes that can reduce exposure to the allergens.
Here’s to happy, comfortable babies!
What other baby/toddler allergy tips do you have? Please, share.
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