Guess who's here? Spring, and summer is soon approaching! aaaaand allergies! We couldn't forget about those right?
This post is sponsored by UCHealth, as always all opinion are my own. You can read more about that here.
I wish I didn't have to deal with them in my household but unfortunately, my son Ayan suffers from mild seasonal allergies. We recently discovered this (two years ago), as he had never suffered from seasonal allergies in the past. It was one of those really warm days during late winter (Coloradans, you know what I'm talking about). We were outside playing tag with the kids when suddenly Ayan had a hard time catching his breath. Soon after that, he was coughing nonstop, followed by a runny nose & watery eyes.
We brought him inside and things slowly eased up for him.
As soon as spring was in the air it happened again. This time, I followed up with his pediatrician, who suggested he might suffer from mild seasonal allergies. He recommended Ayan take a small dosage of over-the-counter antihistamine every morning if hi symptoms persisted. Luckily, things weren't too bad and there were days he didn't have to take medication.
Each year is so unpredictable to know when exactly his allergies will come back and how severe they will be. At the start of this spring his symptoms came back and this year has been tough. I wasn’t sure if it was allergies or a cold, as they have the same common symptoms. How can you tell what is what?
Dr. Melissa Voutsalath, a UCHealth Primary Care physician in Monument, treats many patients for allergies this time of year.
In its article titled “Allergy Season in Full Bloom” UCHealth shares that it’s not easy to tell if you have allergies or a cold since many of the symptoms are the same. The article states that a fever would be more common with a cold than allergies. And sometimes you can have both allergies and a cold, which is just the worst.
Picture from UCHealth website.
When my son starts to experience all the symptoms mentioned above, I know it’s time to stock up on over-the-counter medication to help him stay comfortable. He is such a champ and always tries to fight it off but sometimes he just needs a little boost to help him throughout the day, as symptoms usually tend to worsen in the afternoons. If we treat the allergies first and it doesn't make him better, then we know we need to take a visit to our primary care physician to check out what’s going on.
It's super important to know when to see your primary care physician.
According to UCHealth, if symptoms persist or worsen, it may be a viral infection that can turn into a bacterial infection,. You should call your primary care provider to determine the best course of action.
"Aaahh-chooo! It’s allergy season in the Rockies”
Dr. Dreskin says “what's more likely to cause seasonal allergies are family genetic components. If both of your parents have allergies, chances are 60 to 70 percent that you will have allergies. If neither of your parents suffer from allergies, it's more like 20 percent.”
What are the best treatments for common seasonal allergies?
In this article, Dr. Dreskin suggests you start by taking over-the-counter medications,: "The generic brand is just as good and a lot cheaper."
Hear that? We don't have to break our back on buying the most expensive brands!
Of course there are other treatments like allergy immunotherapy that can be given via shots or oral sublingual treatments. It’s best to receive medical advice from your healthcare provider to find the best treatment plan that works for you and your family.
Untreated seasonal allergies
Acco left untreated, seasonal allergies can create other health issues.
The health system reports that allergies can affect not only the nose; they affect the eyes and lungs too. According to Dr. Dreskin, the thing we most worry about is having allergies develop into an asthma attack for a patient with underlying asthma.
UCHealth also reports that seasonal allergies can effect the body, including fatigue, difficulty thinking or interfering with sleep. Allergies also can develop into a sinus infection. “Although allergies do not cause pneumonia directly, those with severe allergies do have an increased frequency of getting pneumonia," said Dr. Dreskin
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