Seasonal Allergies in Kids
It’s the month of June. Birds are tweeting, the sun is shining, and parents everywhere breathe a sigh of relief. We made it through cold and flu season y’all. We made it.
The kids run in the house after an afternoon playing outside, and that’s when you hear it. THE SNEEZE. Then a sniff. Then another sneeze. No, no, no, no…NO. Not another cold! No. What in the actual $%*&!
After you’ve covered your face and put your head down on the counter to contemplate your life choices, you peak up at the sniffling children. They don’t look sick. Lots of eye rubbing, sneezing, and sniffling, but everyone seems otherwise OK? The sniffling and sneezing lasts for many days and even weeks, longer than a cold would, yet no other signs of illness emerge.
Allergic Rhinitis, Hay Fever, or Spring Allergies
If this scenario sounds familiar to you, your kids are likely experiencing seasonal allergies. It sure is familiar to me - my own darling cherubs started the snot covered eye rubbing right around May 1st.
This condition goes by many other names: allergic rhinitis, hay fever, or spring allergies, just to name a few. Regardless of the term, it’s one condition that leads to a whole lot of misery!
In a nutshell, an allergy is the body’s abnormal, overreactive response to a normal thing. Think of the kind of response you get when you ask a 3 year old to put on shoes. Overreactive and abnormal, right?
With seasonal allergies, a normal substance in the environment, such as pollen, is recognized by the body as an invader that must be destroyed. The immune system releases antibodies to fight off the invader, which in turn triggers the release of many chemicals, including histamine, into the bloodstream.
Why Do Allergies Occur in Kids?
In kids with this overreactive response, histamine and it’s chemical pals can wreak havoc and turn your child into a red-eyed boogery creature from the black lagoon. Allergy symptoms in kids occur when the eyes, nose, and throat get irritated from histamine. Sneezing, coughing, and itchiness ensues.
This will last as long as your child is exposed to the allergen. In spring or summer, this is usually at least a few weeks if not a couple of months, depending on the allergen in question. Tree pollen and grass pollen are two of the biggest offenders, and they are nearly impossible to avoid.
Allergies vs. Viral Colds in Children
In most older children allergies are fairly easy to diagnose and treat. Take a peak at the chart below to help determine if your snot factory, I mean child, is experiencing seasonal allergies or a summer cold (aka, a virus). The typical allergy symptoms in kids are summarized in the first column. Common cold symptoms are listed in column 2.
In younger kiddos (babies and toddlers) and in children of any age with any sort of respiratory condition such as asthma or other lung disease, parents should always confirm with their pediatrician if respiratory symptoms linger or if seasonal allergies are suspected.
Allergies aren’t common in children younger than 2 years old, since it typically takes a couple seasons of exposure for reactions to occur. And any severe persistent symptoms or trouble breathing in kids of any age are an emergency and necessitate immediate care. In particular, children with asthma typically need a contingent for allergy season built into their Asthma Action Plan.
When to Call Your Children's Doctor
If it’s the first season your child has allergies, it’s also a good idea to check in with your doc. The pediatrician can rule out other causes and help confirm your diagnosis via phone or message chat. If they think your child needs to be seen it will help ensure all looks well.
A provider can take a look at those allergy symptoms up close and personal and make the final call. Think of this as an opportunity to say hi to the office staff, who you haven’t spoken with on the phone or seen in person for what… a week? Two weeks? If you have young kids you’ve likely called or visited 62 times over the winter, but best to pop in so they don’t forget you! (Tired mom sarcasm…)
Are Children's Allergies Just in the Spring?
For anyone reading this who got through May and June and thought - hey! Ha! Yes! We didn’t have any spring allergies, we’re good! Fear not, because spring allergies are also known as seasonal allergies which means that they come around yearly every season, and yup, you guessed it, there are common allergic triggers in OTHER seasons! Ragweed in the fall or dander in the winter, anyone?
The following references were used to compile this information:
Nemours KidsHealth. (2022, January). Kids and Allergies. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/allergy.html
Healthychildren.org. (2021, June 2). Is It Allergies or a Cold? How to Tell the Difference. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/allergies-asthma/Pages/Is-It-Allergies-or-a-Cold-How-to-Tell-the-Difference.aspx
This article has been reviewed by Andrea Morrissey, PharmD, Board Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist, and Chief Content Officer of Kids Med Guide. The content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical guidance, and call 911 in an emergency.
Kids Med Guide is not liable for your interpretation or reliance on this material. You assume full responsibility for its use and any resulting decisions.
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