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Hay Fever

by Lauren Feder, M.D. (excerpt from Natural Baby and Childcare)

In a medical journal article on spring allergies, an astute doctor writes, "Nasal diseases have sometimes been regarded as disorders that are unimportant ... to those who do not have them." If your child suffers from hay fever (also know as allergic rhinitis), you're one of many who can relate to the good doctor. Seasonal allergies affect nearly one in ten Americans; some experts estimate that the number is as high as 20 percent. (Strangely, allergic rhinitis appears to be most common among the young and affluent.

While spring allergies may not pose a life or death situation, symptoms can be so severe that they affect a child's quality of life and ability to play and work in school. Allergies can disturb sleep, impair concentration and cause emotional problems. Conventional medicine has many anti-allergy treatments available, but these drugs often come with annoying side effects like drowsiness and dry mouth. Hay fever, known as allergic rhinitis, is common in both young and old. Familiar annoying symptoms of hay fever run the gamut and usually center around the nose - watery runny nose, stuffed nose, sneezing, watery eyes, post nasal drip, itching in the throat, nose and eyes. In addition there can be a horizontal crease at the top of the nose from rubbing the nose, dark circles under the eyes and cough or wheeze. Seasonal allergies appear at different times of the year, such as springtime allergies (i.e. due to pollens in the air). While perennial complaints are year round (dust, mold, animal dander, second hand tobacco smoke, food allergies including milk and food additives, and pollution). Children who have a family history of allergies are more prone to having allergies. Besides hay fever, eczema and asthma are also common. Allergies can also make a child susceptible to coming down with infections such as sinus or ear.

Allergies occur when a substance, typically nontoxic such as pollen, enters the body and for some reason the body misreads it as being harmful. As a result, the body overreacts with an allergic immune response that can range from mild to severe. Typically, many of these substances in the air such as pollens are not toxic. However, in some children, there is a chain reaction that releases histamine from the cells that gives the familiar but annoying allergy symptoms. It has been suggested that this oversensitivity causes a dysfunction in the immune system which may be linked to antibiotics, vaccines, and stress in addition to family predisposition. According to Gary B. Huffnagle, Ph.D., an associate professor of internal medicine and of microbiology and immunology in the University of Michigan Medical School. "Antibiotics knock out bacteria in the gut, allowing fungi to take over temporarily until the bacteria grow back after the antibiotics are stopped. Our research indicates that altering intestinal microflora this way can lead to changes in the entire immune system, which may produce symptoms elsewhere in the body." If confirmed in human clinical studies, Huffnagle believes his research findings could help explain why cases of chronic inflammatory diseases, like asthma and allergies, have been increasing rapidly over the last 40 years - a time period that corresponds with widespread use of antibiotics."

Pollens are minute yellow seeds blown from the wind, they come from the middle of the flower. Allergies from dust mite droppings permeate the air like pollen. They are more pronounced in warm humid weather. On the other hand, mold is found in houses especially in the cool dark areas. Mold spores are released into the air causing allergic reactions.

Conventional Treatment Hay Fever and Allergies
Medications are used as needed for seasonal allergies, while a child with perennial allergies may be prescribed medications year round. These include antihistamines, decongestants and steroids. In addition, the child may undergo a whole battery of allergy tests to identify hidden allergies. Prick skin tests using a small needle test for food and environmental allergens. A positive test will form a bump at the site of the skin prick. The test is uncomfortable for children, and not always reliable. Allergy testing is more reliable in children over five years old. Also a blood test (R.A.S.T.) is available, though considered less accurate than skin testing. Allergy shots, meant to make the child less sensitive over time to allergens, are also sometimes recommended by allergists. This approach is expensive, time consuming and uncomfortable for the child. General Home Treatment

Dust-free environment. Dust mite droppings are the cause of allergies from dust. Be sure to keep a clean environment. Carpets, heavy curtains, stuffed animals attract dust. Many of my families with allergies report better results with hard wood floors rather than carpeting. Keep your child's room free of clutter.
Cover mattress, pillow, box springs with allergy proof plastic cover
HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Accumulator) filter for airborne allergies. Reduces mold, pollen, dust mite droppings, animal danger.
Nasal rinses, known as nasal lavage or irrigation, has been shown to be helpful for children with hay fever. The saltwater solution is sprayed into each nostril either by using a bulb syringe or a neti pot. The neti pot, used in India for centuries, has a spout for the nose. The salt to water ratio is 1 level teaspoon sea salt to 2 cups (1/2 liter) of lukewarm filtered water. Use once or twice a day as needed.
Bathe (including washing the hair) to get rid of pollen from the day
Healing applications: Lemon is good for watery runny nose or eyes, allergy and hay fever. Use lemon as a steam inhalation, chest compress, or lemon slices in socks and kept in place on the soles of the feet.

I have seen many children who are taking a multitude of allergy medications. They arrive for a homeopathic consultation because the medications, which merely suppress the symptoms and not treat the deeper underlying condition, are either not effective or parents are uneasy with their child taking so many medicines. See Seasonal Sneeze Relief for more information about homeopathic and herbal medicine treatments.

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