Which of the symptoms listed below is the child experiencing right now?
Choose your child's allergy symptoms from the list below and see what is recommended.
Child must have this allergy really bad.
The best bet would be to visit the nearest urgent care clinic. if you don't think so, here is what we recommend to use over-the-counter.
Talk about pain, antihistamine, cough, decongestant and itchyeyes relief.
Preventive measures
Prevent exposure
Obviously, if you don't want your child to have symptoms, you will take preventing exposure to allergens seriously.
- Get an app that shows you the pollen calendar and pollen counts in your area.
Use this as a guide to prepare him or her for outside activities. - Smear petroleum jelly in the nasal passages when outdoors to trap pollen and prevent it from getting to the inner lining of the child's nose.
- Have child use sunglasses when outdoors if the pollen count is high.
- Keep windows closed.
Intranasal steroids
This is the most effective preventive treatment. It is also the best choice if symptoms are moderate to severe.
The real benefit comes with daily use. Better to start about a week before the allergy season starts.
Know that you can start it anytime, but you will get symptoms relief within a day, but full beneficial effect may take up to 7 days of daily use.
The goal is to use it daily until the allergy season is over for effective and enjoyable allergy season.
There are subtle differences between the different type of intranasal steroids. Be sure to use our eyedrops comparison table to help you make an informed buying decision.
Antihistamine
Give this to the child first thing in the morning before he or she steps outside for effective prevention.
Remember, you have to get the antihistamine in there to block the histamine receptors before the histamine starts causing havoc.
Child must have this allergy really bad.
The best bet would be to visit the nearest urgent care clinic. if you don't think so, here is what we recommend to use over-the-counter.
We must have left something out.
If you think your child has allergy:
Please go back and choose the symptom(s) that you feel closely relate to what he or she has or may have had and let's recommend something.
Remember, there is no cure for allergy. All we can do is manage the symptoms.
Decongestants
Decongestants relieve a stuffy nose by narrowing the blood vessels that line the nose and sinuses.
You should only get a decongestant if the child complains of alternating runny and stuffy nose. Even then, use a saline nasal spray with the antihistamine first before deciding on a decongestant.
Decongestants will not help with a runny nose, and antihistamines will not help with a stuffy nose. With this in mind, you may need a combination of antihistamine and a decongestant for effective relief.
Which decongestant?
Look for pseudoephedrine behind the pharmacy counter. You can get a combination product of something+D like loratadine+D, cetirizine+D, or fexofenadine+D. If your child cannot swallow pills, stick with 2 separate products - a behind the counter pseudoephedrine syrup and an over-the-counter antihistamine syrup.
Antihistamine
Antihistamines are most effective when taken before your child comes in contact with the allergen.
If a contact has already occurred and your child is reacting with a runny nose, start with a saline nasal spray to thin the mucus and accelerate the clearance of the allergen from the nasal passages. This should be your primary focus before giving antihistamines.
Should you decide on an antihistamine, we recommend second-generation non-sedating H1-Antihistamine blockers.
These have been well studied in children, less sedating side effects and more specific for allergy symptoms. You shouldn't use them for cold symptoms, however. Won't work. Only works for allergy related symptoms.
Examples are loratadine, cetirizine, fexofenadine. There are differences among them. So be sure to compare them using this app comparison table for allergy medications.
Pain / Fever reducer
Mainly Headache?
Give the child acetaminophen.
Mainly Sinus Pain / Pressure?
Prefer ibuprofen or naproxen. These has anti-inflammatory properties.
Both a headache and sinus pain / pressure?
Either acetaminophen or ibuprofen / naproxen will be adequate.
Cough Relief
Night time cough will be common with children's allergy. This is one situation you will use Benadryl. For allergy relief due to night time coughing. It helps control both a runny nose and cough.
We still prefer using Honey especially if the child is too young to take Benadryl at night.
Stay away from cough suppressants. Not only do they not work, it can be dangerous for your child. They suppress the cough reflex which serves as a defense mechanism. The absence of this defence mechanism can lead to choking and a violent coughing episode.
Allergy Relief Eye Drops
First Choice
Eyedrops with the antihistamine Ketotifen Fumarate as active ingredients. These are more effective than others and can last up to 12 hours between doses.
Second Choice
Eyedrops that end with the letter capital "A". Examples include Naphcon-A, Visine-A, Opcon-A and store brands. A stands for Allergy.
These are cheaper but less effective and has more side effects compared to the Ketotifen containing eyedrops. They would need to be applied every 4 to 6 hours to maintain relief. Use these if the first choice is too expensive for you.
Be sure to compare eye drops using the comparison tools of this app to make an informed decision.
Steroidal Nasal Sprays
Intranasal steroids (INS) have anti-inflammatory properties. Their main advantage is the ability to reduce a runny nose and congestion at the same time.
The inside of the nose can easily become inflamed as a result of pollen or other allergens.
A steroidal nasal spray will relieve symptoms like a runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy nose by reducing and preventing this inflammation.
They are recommended for moderate to severe allergic rhinitis. Now, how do you know your child has moderate to severe allergic rhinitis?
You know if your child says symptoms are:
- getting more difficult to tolerate.
- getting so bad that it is hard to function at school or home.
- interfering with sleep.
- making you change antihistamines because one is no longer working as good.
If any one of these applies to your child, add intranasal steroids to the allergy treatment regimen.
Good examples are triamcinolone acetonide, fluticasone nasal spray.
You can compare antihistamines or decongestants using the comparison table to see which will work best for your child.
- Let others know if the recommendation worked for your child.
- Share the treatment outcome with others.
- Add to the recommendation.
- Improve on the recommendation.
- Quickest way to ask a pharmacist a question.
- What about answering a few questions?