Richard Merkler, MD, FAAP, provides expert allergy treatment and management for pediatric patients at his Midtown West in Manhattan, New York City practice. Seeking treatment for allergies is important; untreated environmental allergies can cause ongoing pain, discomfort, and even further complications.
In people with environmental allergies, the immune system reacts to normal environmental substances, such as pet dander, pollen, and dust, as if they were harmful. This results in the release of histamine, which causes uncomfortable cold-like symptoms.
There are a few ways to determine whether the culprit is a cold or allergies:
The most common symptoms of environmental or seasonal allergies include:
Children’s allergies often closely mimic those of adults. The most common allergens include pets, dust mites, pollen, and mold spores. In the inner-city, mice and cockroaches are common allergens for children.
Treatment plans generally include 2 components: medication and exposure control.
Medications used often include long-acting, non-drowsy antihistamines in combination with a nasal spray approved for the patient’s age. These medications, when combined, can help minimize allergy symptoms.
Exposure control is the process of ensuring the child’s exposure to allergens is as limited as possible. When children are allergic to pets, this may include swapping out carpet for wood floors and keeping the pet out of the child’s room and especially off of their bed. When the allergen is mold, it may include setting up a dehumidifier at home and having all pipes checked for leaks to prevent the growth of mold.
There is no cure for allergies, but symptoms can be managed long-term through a variety of treatments. In some cases, children naturally outgrow their allergies.
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