Allergic Rhinitis In Children

Allergic rhinitis is very common in children and is found to be up to 30% in pediatrics world over. The cause can be either genetic or environmental. 75% of children suffering from asthma also have allergic rhinitis. Although it is not considered to be a life threatening disease, however it can affect a child's daily life and development. Various allergy tests, history and physical examinations are carried out to diagnose allergic rhinitis in a child. Pharmacotherapy, Immunotherapy, investigational therapies, behavior modification and avoiding allergens are used for treatment.

Types and cause

Irritants such as dust, smoke, pollen, animal dander in the environment trigger the release of histamines which results in inflammation in the nasal passage. Seasonal allergic rhinitis usually occurs during pollen seasons and doesn't affect children under 6 years of age. Chronic AR however, stays throughout the year and is commonly seen in younger children.

It is very much inherited and 75% children who suffer from asthma also have allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms

Symptoms may be different from child to child. However the common symptoms include:

• Congestion


• Clear nasal discharge


• Itchy eyes, nose and ears


• Sneezing


• Runny nose

If it's chronic/perennial AR, then the symptoms may also include

• Persistent ear infections


• Fatigue

These symptoms may often be confused with other medical condition. Hence it is advisable to seek a physician for the right diagnoses and treatment. A doctor looks for dark circles around the eyes, swelling in nasal tissues and/or creases under the eyes when diagnosing.

Prevention

You can take the following measures for prevention:

• Avoid irritants such as dust, mites, cleaning chemicals or molds.


• During the pollen season try using air conditioning rather than opening the windows.


• Try avoiding pets.


• Keep your child well hydrated. Give him plenty of fluids including water, broth, soups, freshly squeezed orange juice.


• Give him vitamin C and antioxidants rich food to help strengthen immune system.

Treatment

• The best treatment is to avoid the allergen causing the problem.


• Over-the-counter antihistamines help in reducing the release of histamines and easing symptoms of sneezing, runny nose and itching.


• Use saline nasal sprays to reduce inflammation in the nose. But not for too long as there is a chance of worse rebound of congestion.


• You can either use the available decongestants in the pharmacy or try natural remedy to reduce congestion. If your child is old enough to do steam inhalation, then add a few drops of eucalyptus oil or peppermint oil in steaming water and help him inhale vapors. Else, make your child sit in the bathroom filled with steam to loosen up congestion.

If your child's allergic rhinitis doesn't get any better with the above medications and prevention, then your child may require immunotherapy which involves 3-5 years of allergy shots to help reduce your child's reaction to allergens.