Allergy symptoms can be mistaken for a common cold but we will tell you what you have to look for to be able to differentiate them well.
We could define an allergy as an exaggerated physical response to an external stimulus. Currently, it is increasingly common for children to have some type of allergy (to pollen, to some food, to certain medications, to insect bites, etc.) so it is important to know the symptoms and signs to to be able to make the pertinent decisions.
This time, we are going to focus on spring allergies that are usually directly related to pollination and flowering of certain trees and plants. The weather will play a fundamental role within spring allergies, since on rainy days you will see how the symptoms are much more bearable while dry, warm or windy days are usually more difficult due to the distribution of pollen.
Pollen allergy is also called pollinosis , a disease that increases its incidence in the young population with respect to the general population and that, curiously, affects people who live in an urban environment to a greater extent than in rural areas.
Pollen allergy or pollinosis causes symptoms that can be mistaken for symptoms of a cold :
- Sneezing
- Itchy nose and eyes
- Runny nose or more mucus
- Nasal congestion
- Cough and itchy throat
- Itchy skin
- Crying eyes
In turn, you may have heard of pollen allergy under the name of hay fever . This name includes the set of symptoms: itchy throat, palate, ears and conjunctivitis in the eyes.
These symptoms can lead to rhinitis, asthma or hearing a wheezing in the chest. This happens when the inflammation affects the lungs and there is difficulty in breathing, which has also been called pollen asthma that appears acutely during spring times while the rest of the year can disappear or present with very mild symptoms.
One of the clearest and simplest ways to differentiate a cold from a spring allergy , taking into account that the indicated symptoms can occur in both conditions, is that the cold is usually accompanied by episodes of fever, they usually complain of a general malaise, show irritable and usually disappear in a short period of time. However, in the case of the spring allergy, we will see how the symptoms are perpetuated no matter how much we try to alleviate or reduce them if we treat them like a cold.
Index
How can you tell if it is a spring allergy
When spring arrives it is very common to see children with letters painted on their arms and some dots next to them, that is the prick test. It is a skin test in which it is checked if there is an allergy in the child and what type of pollen in particular.
Symptoms of pollen allergies in children
This test consists of introducing a drop of allergen into the child’s forearm and checking for any type of reaction, which is usually redness on the skin and a welt where the puncture has occurred.
The letters or numbers that they paint on the forearm are to mark what type of allergen has been introduced at each height and thus know without any doubt which is the external agent that causes the symptoms.
This test is the most used and the simplest for children, since there are only a few light pricks and a drawing on the arm. Depending on the intensity of the allergy, it is possible to know in a short time what the result of it is.
Tips to relieve spring allergy
Once it has been confirmed that the child has an allergy, it is important to take into account some tips to be able to alleviate their symptoms and avoid them as much as possible without going crazy or driving the little one crazy.
- The best and most foreseeable recommendation is to avoid exposure to the allergen , it does not imply that you have to leave him locked up at home and without going out, but to better choose the places to which he can go with the help of pollen maps .
- Be attentive to pollen level alerts and notifications , which will allow you to predict which days are the most or least suitable for outdoor activities.
- Preferably it is better to have the windows closed to prevent the entry of pollen and the ventilation of the house is preferably done first thing in the morning for a short period of time.
- Dry your clothes inside the house, when you put them outside, pollen can stick on the clothes.
- Bet on children’s sunglasses to protect the eyes from direct contact with pollen.
