Childhood Allergies--7 Top Tips For Coping With Pediatric Allergies

Childhood allergies can be frustrating for both the child and the parent, and an increasing and alarming number of children are affected. Whether this is due to climatic change, environmental conditions, food preparation methods or other causes is the subject of much research.

If your child is suffering from allergies chances are high that it presents as sneezing, runny nose or stuffy nose, watery eyes, itchy skin or sore skin. There are a number of things which can be done to help alleviate the symptoms. The following seven points have been shown to be effective coping strategies for childhood allergies.

1. Fabrics--Pollen is probably the number one cause of most allergies. As your child runs about outside he or she will invariably be picking up a good deal of pollen on their clothing. As soon as your child comes in, change their clothes, and wash their old clothes immediately.

This might seem excessive, but it's a great way of getting rid of the unseen pollen quickly. Similarly, it's a good idea to consider removing other fabrics in the home which could collect pollen, dust, mites and pet dander, such as carpets and rugs. Replacing these with laminate or wood flooring and area rugs could make a big difference.

2. Dampness--If your child suffers indoors as much as outdoors then consider ways to reduce dampness around the home. Excessive dampness can lead to mold growth and unseen spores in the air which can be a common cause of many allergy sufferers. Use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity and consider using sealant and grout that is mold resistant in bathrooms and kitchens.

3. Saline Nasal Spray--Having a stuffy nose is irritating enough for adults, but for children with allergies it can be doubly tiring because they want to be much more active than most adults. Having a stuffy nose causes them to be out of breath easily and making them even more miserable.

Decongestant sprays are available, but a good home remedy is to use salt water. Simply use a squirt bottle and mix eight parts water with one part non-ionized salt. Have your child use this as a decongestant and you'll be surprised at the difference it makes. You can also buy ready made saline solutions at most drug stores.

4. Hydration--It is always important to make sure that you keep your children hydrated, especially in the warmer months. Continual sneezing can lead to a surprising level of moisture loss, and sneezing, running noses and watery eyes can lead to dehydration.

Make sure you keep your children hydrated with a bottle of water handy at all times, and plenty of cool drinks. Cold drinks can help sore throats and even stuffy noses feel much more comfortable.

5. Hot baths--Showers are good too, but a hot bath can really help unblock sinuses and ease congestion. During the spring and summer months, try to encourage your child to have a hot bath at the end of each day. By helping relieve many of the symptoms right before bed-time you can often help them to get a better night's sleep.

6. Don't Rub--One of the symptoms of many childhood allergies is itchy or sore eyes, and children tend to respond by rubbing their eyes frequently. This is of course the worst thing to do as this only increases the irritation, as well as transferring more pollen from their hands to their eyes.

As well as encouraging them not to rub their eyes, give them a cold compress and have them sit with it on their eyes for a few minutes at a time. This will help relieve much of the itchiness and soreness.

7. Tissues--Your child will probably go through a fairly large quantity of tissues as they sneeze their way through their allergies, but this can have a detrimental effect on their noses. Young skin is much softer and more sensitive than adult skin, and using the softest tissues possible will give them additional comfort while encouraging them to use tissues.

Tissues with lotion are kinder to their softer skin, preventing the skin around the nose from being rubbed sore. Look for non-allergenic tissues and avoid those with scents as fragrances may contribute to rather than help the problem.