Care Advice
What You Should Know About Nose Allergies or Hay Fever:
- Hay fever is very common. It happens in about 15% of children.
- Nose and eye symptoms can be controlled by giving allergy medicines.
- Pollens are in the air every day during pollen season. So, allergy meds must be given daily. They need to be used for 2 months or longer during pollen season.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Allergy Medicines:
- Allergy medicines are called antihistamines. They are the drug of choice for nasal allergies.
- They will help control the symptoms. These include a runny nose, nasal itching and sneezing.
- The key to control is to give allergy meds every day during pollen season.
Long-Acting Allergy Medicines:
- Long-acting allergy medicines (such as Zyrtec) are best for nasal allergies. No prescription is needed. Age limit: 6 months and older.
- Zyrtec dosing for 6 months to 2 years: 2.5 mL (2.5 mg) every 24 hours.
- Zyrtec dosing for 2 years and older: follow package directions.
- Advantage: causes less sedation than older allergy meds such as Benadryl. It is also long-acting and last up to 24 hours.
- Downside: sometimes will have breakthrough symptoms before 24 hours. If that happens, you can give a single dose of Benadryl.
- Cost: ask the pharmacist for a store brand. Reason: costs less than the brand name products.
Nasal Saline to Wash Out Pollen:
- Use saline (salt water) nose drops or spray (such as store brand). This helps to wash out pollen or to loosen up dried mucus. If you don't have saline, you can use a few drops of water. Use bottled water, distilled water or boiled tap water. Teens can just splash a little water in the nose and then blow.
- Step 1: put 3 drops in each nostril.
- Step 2: blow each nostril out while closing off the other nostril. Then, do the other side.
- Step 3: repeat nose drops and blowing until the discharge is clear.
- How often: do nasal saline rinses when your child can't breathe through the nose. Also, do them if the nose is very itchy.
- Saline nose drops or spray can be bought in any drugstore. No prescription is needed.
- Other option: use a warm shower to loosen mucus. Breathe in the moist air, then blow each nostril.
Eye Allergy Treatment:
- For eye symptoms, wash off the face and eyelids. This will remove pollen or any other allergic substances.
- Then put a cold wet washcloth on the eyes.
- Most often, an allergy medicine given by mouth will help the eye symptoms. Sometimes, eye drops are also needed. (see next topic below)
Antihistamine Eye Drops for Eye Allergy Symptoms:
- Often, an oral allergy med for nose allergies will also control the eye allergy symptoms.
- If the eyes remain itchy and poorly controlled, buy some antihistamine eye drops. Ask your pharmacist to suggest a brand (such as Pataday). No prescription is needed.
- Age: approved for 2 years and older.
- Dose: follow package directions.
- For severe eye allergies, use of antihistamine eyedrops every day will help the most. Use these eye drops until pollen season is over.
Wash Pollen Off Body:
- Remove pollen from the hair and skin with shampoo and a shower. This is especially important before bedtime.
What to Expect:
- Since pollen allergies recur each year, learn to control the symptoms.
Pollen - How to Reduce the Pollen Your Child Breathes:
- Pollen is carried in the air.
- Keep windows closed in the home, at least in your child's bedroom.
- Keep windows closed in car. Turn the air conditioner on recirculate.
- Avoid window fans or attic fans. They pull in pollen.
- Try to stay indoors on windy days. Reason: the pollen count is much higher when it's dry and windy.
- Avoid playing with the outdoor dog. Reason: pollen collects in the fur.
- Pollen Count: you can get your daily pollen count from Pollen.com. Just type in your zip code.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Symptoms are not better in 2 days after starting allergy medicine
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.