Seasonal Allergies Don’t Have To Put the Summer On Hold, Part One

Summer is really the prime of life for children. The freedom from encumbering overcoats and stifling clothes, the end of the school year and a two month vacation, and the longer days all create a paradise for play.

But for some children and even adults, the spring and summer months present a daily challenge of living and coping with often-severe allergies. Research shows that as many as forty-five million Americans (twenty percent of the population) struggles with some form of allergy, with hay fever and asthma symptoms being among the most common.

Children usually develop seasonal allergies before their sixth birthday. While for many children allergy symptoms abate or even disappear during the summer months, some nevertheless continue to struggle with seasonal allergies. Other children will unfortunately discover new allergies that present themselves in warmer temperatures. They’ll need their parents help remaining active and even comfortable.

Summer presents new allergy problems.

Late spring and early summer make up the blooming time of thousands of plants and flowers. Tree pollens, molds and mildews stimulated by warm, wet temperatures, and grass allergies all typically last from spring through mid-summer. Making matters worse, ragweed begins blooming in mid-August and continues through October. Ragweed, among the most common allergies, often provokes hay fever and other allergic symptoms.

Pollen levels vary from day to day. Typically, pollen counts in the atmosphere are highest between five and ten in the morning. Many local news outlets publish or broadcast pollen levels each day, so parents can anticipate their fluctuation.

The three basic types of allergic reactions.

Allergic reactions are typically classified according to level of severity:

- Mild reactions affect a certain part of the body with symptoms such as watery eyes or hives. They do not spread to other parts of the body.
- Moderate reactions typically include respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing but may also include itchiness. They will spread to other parts of the body.
- Severe reactions are extremely painful and usually involve some form of anaphylaxis, a condition in which a drastic drop in blood pressure sends the body into shock. Severe reactions are relatively rare but require immediate medical assistance.

Dealing with hay fever, the most common reaction.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, hay fever is the most common allergy problem in children. Also called allergic rhinitis, hay fever carries all the classical signs of allergy suffering: sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, and postnasal drip and congestion.

Hay fever also contributes to ear infections in children. Inflammation and fluid accumulation in the ear can cause infections that in some cases may lead to temporary hearing loss. Itchiness, popping, and fullness (or stopped up ears) are also common symptoms.

Skin reactions and other allergy symptoms

Children struggling with allergies sometimes breathe through their mouth to compensate for stuffed nasal passages. "Shiners," or dark rings around the eyes, are also common.

Besides hay fever symptoms, children commonly suffer allergic reactions to the skin. Atopic dermatitis, often called atopic eczema, occurs alongside reactions such as sneezing and watery eyes (also called allergic conjunctivitis.) Its symptoms strongly resemble psoriasis and other forms of skin rash. Atopic eczema is extremely common in children and even some kinds of dogs. It’s also non-contagious.

Allergic contact dermatitis occurs when the skin comes into direct contact with an allergen. Typical sources include poison ivy, poison oak, and several kinds of detergents that carry a high nickel content. Treatments include taking antihistamines and washing the infected area with soap and water. Other treatments involve applying either calamine lotion or a poultice of colloidal oatmeal.

Obviously parents whose children play in the woods or other forested areas need to advise themselves and their children about the shapes and signs of poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and other allergy-inducing plant life. A supply of first aids, including non-drowsy antihistamines, colloidal oatmeal and calamine lotion should also be kept close at hand.

Indoor allergies are controllable with parents’ help.

With the hot weather days, children may be forced to spend time indoors. Unfortunately, indoor allergies are just as prevalent during the summer months. Staying indoors is often recommended to children with severe allergy symptoms if only because air conditioning systems help to filter out much of the pollen floating in the air outside.

Some of the most common indoor allergens during the summer months include dust mites, pet hair and dander, and mold spores. Hay fever is again among the most common symptoms, but in some instances allergic asthma is also possible. A persistent wheezing or noisy breath is the most frequently occurring sign of allergic asthma, and patients should consult their doctor or an allergist to obtain the right diagnosis and treatment.

Many parents often believe a clean house or sterile indoor environment will help alleviate allergy symptoms. While that’s a noble goal, many of the substances that form common household dust (made from dozens of different biological and chemical sources) cannot be removed through normal cleaning procedures. Vigorous housecleaning can even make allergy conditions worse by forcing long-settled dust in corners and buried deep within carpeting to rise into the house’s air, worsening the indoor air quality.

Michael Kabel is senior staff writer for http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources, unique baby gifts, baby gift baskets and baby shower favors. Don't forget to also visit their baby and pregnancy article area for more helpful articles on parenting, pregnancy and much more.