Allergies

Seasonal allergies are very common at this time of year. Typical symptoms include watery, itchy, red eyes; a clear runny nose; sneezing; and an itchy palate or throat. The most common triggers are trees in the spring, grasses in the summer, and weeds in the fall!   

Non-medication management of allergies includes cleaning the nose with nasal saline (sprays or rinses- such as Simply Saline, Ayr, or Zarbees saline spray - but generic is fine), rinsing the eyes with artificial tear drops (Refresh or Systane are common brands).   Effective non-drowsy medcations, which are given orally and are over-the-counter, include Zyrtec (or generic cetirizine), Allegra (or generic fexofenadine), and Claritin (or generic loratidine).  In addition to oral antihistamines, medication for eye allergies available over-the-counter include Zaditor Eye Drops.  These medications can be given as needed for allergy symptoms.

If you think your child has seasonal allergies and he or she is not responding to medication OR if you are not sure, please make an appointment in our office.

Many children do not require allergy testing if they respond to treatment with medication as needed.