Spring time has come to central Texas, and that means that allergy season is about to kick into high gear. Very often the symptoms of allergies can be almost identical to those of a cold or other illness. So how do you now if you child has allergies, or if they are sick?
It can be hard to tell the difference between the two since the symptoms are very similar. Both present with runny noses, itchy and watery eyes, coughs and sneezing.
Here are 10 things to look for to help tell the difference:
- Is your child’s nose always stuffy or running?
- Are your child’s eyes itchy and watery?
- Do you feel like your child always has a cold?
- Does your child sneeze a lot?
- Is your child always playing (scratching, wiping)with their noes? o
- Is the mucus from her nose clear and thin or thick and colored (yellow or greenish)?
- Does it look like your child has very faint black eyes sometimes?
- Does your child breathe through their mouth?
- Do they have a persistent cough?
If you answered yes to the majority of these questions, then it’s very likely your child has allergies. Luckily, a quick trip to the family doctor and/or allergist can tell you for certain. After finding out what your child is allergic to, you can either treat their allergies with an over the counter allergy medicine for kids or a prescription that your doctor provides.
It’s good to treat your child’s allergies because kids with allergies can be more susceptible to ear and sinus infections as well as asthma.