Pediatrics | Pediatric Allergy/Immunology Questions Seasonal Allergies

What can I do for my son's seasonal allergy?

My son is 10 years old, and he has severe seasonal allergies that come every spring. What can I do for them? Are there any allergy shots for seasonal allergies?

3 Answers

Yes, allergens immunotherapy is an approved and very effective treatment for environmental allergies. You should have your son evaluated by an allergist who specializes in allergen immunotherapy.
Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that your son is suffering from seasonal allergies. Most of the allergy sufferers that I care for will not only have nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing, but will often also have red itchy eyes. Asthma can also be exacerbated by seasonal allergies, so it's an important problem to tackle. Fortunately, there are good treatments available. If the symptoms are intermittent, an antihistamine such as cetirizine or fexofenadine given on an as needed basis, is a good place to start. If the symptoms are more severe, a mild intranasal corticosteroid like fluticasone, can be very helpful. Nasal sprays seem to be more effective if given daily during the allergy season. If the medications do not provide adequate relief or if you are unhappy with the amount of medication that your child is requiring, desensitization via allergy shots should be considered. We know that given enough time, your child will likely "outgrow" his allergies. It is unfortunate that it can take 20 to 40 years, however, to do so! With allergy shots or allergen immunotherapy, we are simply trying to force your child to adapt to the allergies in six to twelve months. Allergy testing is required to identify exactly what your child is allergic to. Those allergens, usually grass, tree, weed pollen, as well as molds, dust mites, and animals, are items used to desensitize; there are no medications in the injections. The injections are started at a very low concentration, but the strength and volume of the injections are gradually increased over time during the build up period.
Yes. There are! There are shots and there are drops and also medicine.