The symptoms of airborne allergies in preschoolers appear similar to symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. Preschoolers often have runny noses, congestion, sneezing and itchy, watery eyes when they are suffering from airborne allergies, otherwise known as allergic rhinitis. Though there are many causes of these symptoms, testing can be performed to determine the exact cause of the allergy and treatment can then be initiated.
Causes
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are many different causes of airborne allergies in children. Certain allergens, such as house dust mites, cockroaches and animal dander and saliva, are present during the entire year. Other allergens, such as pollens, molds and grass are present during specific seasons of the year. Tree pollen is common in the spring, grass pollen in the spring and summer and weed pollen in the fall. A preschooler is at higher risk for developing allergic rhinitis if he has a parent or sibling with allergies or asthma. Additionally, being exposed to cigarette smoke can increase the risk of development of allergies.
Symptoms
As discussed on MayoClinic.com, a runny nose is common in both processes but is likely to have thicker, discolored mucus with a cold. Allergic rhinitis usually has a thin, watery nasal discharge and does not present with a fever or with body aches. Additionally, symptoms from airborne allergies last as long as exposure to the allergen is present. For this reason, these symptoms often come and go while symptoms from a cold are present for about five to seven days and then disappear completely.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of airborne allergies in children is initially made by taking a careful history of the events surrounding the symptoms. If the physician is concerned about airborne allergies, he may pursue further testing for the culprit allergen via a skin prick test or a blood test. Skin prick testing is performed by scratching the surface of the skin with a small amount of the allergen extract and measuring the skin reaction. This reaction is a small raised bump at the site where the skin was scratched. A blood test measures antibodies that are related to the allergens to help determine which allergens are most likely to be causing symptoms.
Treatment
For preschoolers, the most effective method of treatment for airborne allergies is often prevention. For indoor allergens, it may help to use dust mite protective covers over pillow cases and mattresses and to wash sheets in hot water weekly. If the child is allergic to pet dander, it may help to vacuum frequently and to keep the pet out of the child's room. If these methods do not help with the allergies, medications such as a non-sedating antihistamine or an intranasal anti-inflammatory can be used. Finally, if the child has severe airborne allergies and medications do not help, immunotherapy may be considered. Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, involve a series of injections with increasing amounts of allergen extract over a period of years. Ultimately, these injections allow the child to be exposed to the allergen without developing symptoms.
Considerations
A physician should always evaluate a preschooler if a parent is concerned about airborne allergies. In children under the age of one, airborne allergies are less likely to be the cause of symptoms of nasal congestion and sneezing. For this reason, other potential causes should be pursued before this diagnosis is made.
