Allergies Ah, Spring…
IS IT YOUR CHILD’S SEASON FOR SNEEZIN’? By Anne Borgmeyer, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC, AE-C
or some children, sneezing arrives with springtime. Recent data from the National Health Inventory Survey indicate that 15 to 20 percent of kids younger than 18 years of age have a respiratory allergy, making it one of the most common conditions in children. When the allergy season affects your child will depend upon where you live and which allergies bother her. The immune system usually protects
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the body from invading organisms that can cause illness. An allergy is the immune system over-reacting and pro- ducing antibodies to a usually harmless substance. The antibodies, immuno- globulin E (IgE), cause cells to release chemicals that result in an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions can cause symptoms — ranging from mild to very severe — in the eyes, nose, throat, sinuses, lungs, lining of the stomach or skin. Very serious allergic reactions are called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can occur with a food, a drug or a bee sting allergy. It is not clear why some people have reactions, but kids who have fam- ily members with allergies are more likely to have them as well. Spring is in the air in many parts of
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the country, and with spring comes tree pollen. Tree pollen is a major trigger of allergies. Actually there are three pollen seasons in most areas of the country. Besides tree pollen in the spring, there is grass pollen in the sum- mer, and weeds, like ragweed, cause problems in the fall. The seasons begin and end depend- ing on the climate. Specifi c pollens are more common in certain areas of the country. Allergy maps online or allergy counts by local media can help you learn the allergy levels near your home. The National Allergy Bureau (NAB) is a source that compiles pollen and mold levels from certifi ed stations across the nation. NAB is certifi ed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). You can fi nd allergy counts for your geo- graphic region at
www.aaaai.org/nab. Ash, beech, birch, cedar, cottonwood,
elm, hickory, maple, oak and pine trees pollinate in the spring and are com- mon causes of a spring pollen allergy. Common spring allergy symptoms are: sneezing; a runny nose; a congested or stuffy nose; itching on the roof of the mouth, nose, or lips; itchy or watery
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