Leaf Medical, a primary care center in Dumbo is a contributor for health relatic topics. Dr. Stephanie Shaps, a pediatrician at Leaf Medical writes a post about food allergies.

Click more for Dr. Shaps’ article about seasonal allergies.

So it’s that time of year again – though the snow in April may have been deceiving! But yes, spring is finally here. The frost has thawed, the trees are starting to bloom, and the birds are chirping again. But for many of us, welcoming spring also means welcoming many boxes of tissues and trips to the drug store as we find ourselves sneezing and coughing, with itchy, watery eyes and noses. I am of course talking about the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, often called seasonal allergies or hay fever.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, approximately 35 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies and the most common cause of allergies this time of year is pollen. Pollen is that fine powder that is released by trees, grasses, and weeds. It circulates in the air, carried by the wind to fertilize other plants, at the same time landing on our windowsills, our cars, and in our noses and mouths. For those of us who have a pollen allergy, our immune system senses these particles as foreign invaders and mounts a response, including the release of chemicals like histamine, which causes those nagging allergy symptoms. The type of pollen you are allergic to (and you can have an allergy to more than one), determines when you have symptoms. Trees generally pollinate in the spring while grass releases its pollen in the summer. Weeds are the main trigger of allergies in the fall. For those of us with a tree pollen allergy, our time has arrived!

A lot of parents ask me: How do you know it’s allergies and not a cold? Which is a very good question and sometimes it is difficult to tell, particularly at the beginning of symptoms. Here are some hints:

• The hallmark of allergies is itching – itchy nose, itchy eyes, itchy throat. You or your child may be doing a lot of rubbing of your nose or eyes. A classic sign is a horizontal crease along the bridge of the nose caused by the “allergic salute” (frequent wiping of the nose, often with the hand, in an upward direction to relieve itching and mucous). Other features may include dark circles under the eyes, called allergic shiners.
• Also with allergies, the mucous, whether it be from the eyes or nose is typically clear – so watery eyes or a clear runny nose. With a virus or cold you’ll usually see more yellowish or greenish mucous. You may also have a fever with a cold.
• The symptoms of a cold will also tend to improve over the course of 5 to 7 days, while allergy symptoms will persist as long as you are exposed to the offending allergen.
• You can also look for patterns. So if the weather or season has just changed and you or your child typically come down with sneezing, watery eyes and runny nose around the same time every year, that is a clue you are dealing with seasonal allergies. If you have an infant or toddler, think cold first, as it does take a couple of seasons of pollen exposure to develop allergic symptoms.

So what can you do for yourself and your child to get some allergy relief?

Unfortunately there is no cure for allergies but there are steps you can take to alleviate symptoms:

• The first step is to decrease exposure. Most pollen is released early in the morning and travels best on warm, dry and windy days. Try to limit outdoor activities during the times of high pollen counts and keep your home and car windows closed.
• You can follow pollen counts for your area here
• It may also help to change your clothes or even bathe after coming indoors to wash away the pollen.
• There are several over-the-counter medication options for those with seasonal allergies. I tend to recommend the second generation antihistamines for those with mild, episodic symptoms. Cetirizine (Zyrtec) comes in liquid and tablet forms and is dosed by age. For children 2 to 5 years of age, start with 2.5 milligrams once a day in the evening and increase up to 5 milligrams once a day at most if needed. For children 6 years and older, the dose is 5 to 10 milligrams once daily.
• Saline nose rinses will help clear the nose of pollen and remove mucous.
• For those of you with persistent symptoms or questions regarding medications, we encourage you to visit us here at Leaf Medical. There are several prescription medications, including the very effective nasal steroid sprays for both children and adults that can help relieve symptoms. Sometimes a visit to the allergist may also be recommended.

Happy spring everyone!

Leaf Medical (leafcares.org)
18 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tel: 855-529-5323
Fax: 855-765-5323
email: info@leafmedical.org