"There are two types of allergies, perennial and seasonal. Seasonal allergies
occur during the times of the year when outdoor allergens such as ragweed, tree
pollens, grasses and weeds are at their highest concentration in the air. Perennial
allergies occur year round from common indoor allergens like dust mites, pets,
second hand smoke and mold."
Conventional allergy treatments for children
"Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is a common problem in infants and children. The most common symptoms include a stuffy or runny nose with clear drainage, sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, sore throat, throat clearing and a cough that may be worse at night and in the morning."
"The medications that are used to control the symptoms of allergic rhinitis include decongestants, antihistamines and steroids. If symptoms are mild, you can use over the counter medications as needed. Avoid using topical decongestants (such as Afrin) for more than 3-5 days at a time or frequent use of over the counter allergy medicines with antihistamines, as they can cause drowsiness and poor performance in school."
"Prescription allergy medications include the newer, non-sedating antihistamines, such as Allergra, Claritin, Clarinex and Zyrtec (usual dose is 1-2 teaspoons or 1 pill once a day), and topical steroids, such as Nasonex, Flonase, and Nasacort (usual dose is 1-2 squirts in each nostril once each day)."
"If your child's symptoms are well controlled, then you can decrease the dose of the nasal steroid that you are using for 1-2 weeks and then consider trying your child off of it and see how they do. Continue the antihistamine for 1-2 months or until your child's allergy season is over. Keep in mind that Claritin is now over-the-counter and it is also available in the generic forms Alavert and loratadine."
"Singulair is another medicine for kids with allergies. Although previously just used as a preventative medication for kids with asthma, it is now also approved to treat allergies. It is available as a chewable tablet and is approved for kids over age one."
"To be effective, your child should be using these medications every day.
They will not work as well if just used on an as needed basis. They are in general
very safe with few side effects, but the nasal steroids have been associated
with growth suppression when used in high doses. This is however rare, and your
pediatrician will monitor your child's growth to make sure this does not happen."
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"If your child's symptoms are not improving with the combination of the antihistamine and steroid, then we may also use a decongestant, such as Sudafed, AH-CHEW D, or as a combination (Claritin D)."
"For seasonal allergies, it is best to start using these medications just before your child's season begins and then continue the medicines every day all through the season. For perennial allergies, your child may need to take these medicines year round. Your child may also benefit from nasal irrigations using saline nose drops 1-3 times a day. This will help the sinuses drain." ( www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/treatment_guides-/allergy.html)
There are a multitude of ways to treat allergies with alternative and allergy herbal medicine. Chinese medicine offers many herbal remedies to fight allergies. According to Chinese medicine, allergies are caused by a blockage of energy in the liver or lung systems. "The liver type affects the eyes and causes headache and itchy throat, skin and nose. Lung-derived allergies cause coughing, wheezing, sneezing and skin disorders. The allergies could be caused by visible or invisible phlem or deficiencies." (tcm.health-info.org/Common%20Diseases/allergies.htm)
To combat allergic rhinitis Chinese medicine uses allergy herbal remedies acupuncture. "Previous research has shown, for instance, that Chinese herbal medicine can treat atopic dermatitis, while acupuncture has been proven effective in relieving the symptoms a number of allergic conditions. However, few studies have examined the combined use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies in the treatment of allergic rhinitis."
"A study in the September 2004 issue of Allergy has concluded that a combination of Chinese herbs and weekly acupuncture sessions may be more effective than a placebo at relieving the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis. The authors of the study also suggest that future research be conducted to investigate the effectiveness of an acupuncture-herb combination in the treatment of other conditions."
"In the study, a total of 52 patients between the ages of 20 and 58, all diagnosed with seasonal allergic rhinitis, were randomly assigned to a traditional Chinese medicine group or a control group. In the TCM group, patients received a standardized 20-minute acupuncture treatment once a week for six weeks, with points on the large intestine, gallbladder, lung and liver meridians stimulated. Additional points were selected based on each patient's individual symptoms. All of the patients were treated while in a supine position. After the needles were inserted, they were manipulated to obtain de qi. The needles were manipulated again 10 minutes after the start of treatment."
"Along with acupuncture, TCM patients received a basic herbal formula (consisting of schizonepeta, chrysanthemum, cassia seed, plantago seed and tribulus), which they were instructed to take as a decoction three times per day, parallel to acupuncture treatment. In addition to the basic formula, every patient received a second formula tailored to the patient's individual TCM diagnosis."
"In the control group, patients were given acupuncture at standardized non-acupuncture points distant from meridians, and were treated superficially with needles smaller than those used on the TCM patients. The needles were not manipulated, and the same points were needled at each acupuncture session. Control patients also received a non-specific herbal formula comprised of coix seed, licorice, poria, hops, oryza, barley, hawthorn fruit, and medicated leaven."
"To measure the effect of each therapy, patients used a visual analogue scale to rate the severity of hay fever suffered during the previous week on a 10-point scale, and an assessment-of-change scale to measure any changes in symptoms. Patients also filled out an allergic rhinitis questionnaire to rate the severity of symptoms, and a pair of quality-of-life surveys. In addition, patients were asked to document the number of anti-allergy."
"The study found that "the combination of acupuncture and an herbal decoction, tailored to the patient and administered according to the diagnostic principles of traditional Chinese medicine, could be effective in treating mild-to-moderate forms of seasonal allergic rhinitis." (www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2004/dec/12allergies.html)
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