Hay fever in children | Hay fever

Hay fever in children

Hay fever is one of the most common childhood allergies. The Robert Koch Institute reported that the number of allergy sufferers in childhood continues to rise. Starting from the 10. year of life the allergy usually already adjusts itself.

Frequently, however, the symptoms only become more severe in adolescence. But there are also small children and even infants who already develop hay fever. Not only do the unpleasant to agonizing symptoms of hay fever cause the child problems, it is also severely restricted in its everyday life.

His physical and mental abilities can be enormously reduced by hay fever. According to statistics, the tendency is more and more towards younger sufferers. The earlier hay fever occurs, the greater the probability that secondary diseases can develop.

Often an allergic asthma can develop from a hay fever. Therefore an early confrontation is extremely important. Adequate handling and appropriate treatment of hay fever in children can prevent secondary damage.

Every third child with hay fever develops allergic asthma, which in turn increases the risk of further diseases. To prevent this, early detection of the allergy is necessary. Parents naturally play an important role in this.

Therapy

The basis of any good hay fever treatment is the adequate handling of the pollen, the pollen count and the pollen calendar. So the first step is to avoid the pollen you are allergic to as much as possible. This is known as allergenic leave.

If this is not sufficient, home remedies, a homeopathic or a drug treatment can have a supporting effect. The drug treatment of hay fever is basically similar for adults and children. However, not all medications are suitable for children.

So-called mast cell stabilizers are recommended as a preventive measure before the onset of hay fever. They are only used locally, i.e. in the form of inhalations, eye drops or nasal sprays. The mechanism of action of mast cell stabilizers has not yet been fully researched.

In order to relieve the symptoms of an allergy that has already broken out, anti-allergic drugs are used in the form of tablets, ointments, eye or nose drops. These are called systemic and local antihistamines. They inhibit the so-called histamine and can thus minimize the allergic symptoms.

However, certain substances can make you very tired. This can affect a child’s concentration and everyday school life. Eye drops with an active ingredient from the antihistamine group are also used to relieve the symptoms of hay fever.

These include Livocab® eye drops. Local cortisone preparations, for example in the form of ointments, can also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Systemic cortisone preparations can be used for short periods as shock therapy.

These can cause some undesirable side effects, especially with prolonged use. Further drying of the mucous membranes and nosebleeds can occur after only a short period of use.In addition, so-called alpha-sympathomimetics can have a supportive effect for a short period of time when the nose is congested and so-called anticholinergics can run against the nose. Both can also lead to all kinds of undesirable side effects.

The dose, the type and duration of treatment are decisive and should be well-considered and selected with care. Hay fever is probably the most common use of Vividrin® eye drops. In this allergy-related disease, symptoms of the eyes and nose occur when the responsible pollen is dispersed by the air.

Local cortisone preparations, for example in the form of ointments, can also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Systemic cortisone preparations can be used for short periods as shock therapy. These can cause some undesirable side effects, especially with prolonged use.

Further drying of the mucous membranes and nosebleeds can occur after only a short period of use. In addition, so-called alpha-sympathomimetic drugs can have a supporting effect for a short period of time when the nose is blocked and so-called anticholinergic drugs can run against the nose. Both can also lead to all kinds of undesirable side effects.

The dose, the type and duration of treatment are decisive and should be well-considered and selected with care and attention. Hay fever is probably the most common use of Vividrin® eye drops. In this allergy-related disease, symptoms of the eyes and nose occur when the responsible pollen is dispersed by the air.

Desensitization, also known as hyposensitization, is probably one of the few ways to permanently relieve the symptoms of hay fever. Desensitization does not treat the symptoms of hay fever, but fights the cause. If the allergy-causing substance has been found out by allergy tests, it can be used.

The allergy-triggering substance is injected as a highly diluted solution to the person affected, first once a week, then usually once a month for 3 years. The concentration is individually increased weekly. The aim is for the immune system to slowly become accustomed to the trigger for the allergy and thus to stop its excessive reactions.

This method is also possible with children. It is considered promising for children because their immune system is still very flexible and capable of learning. Furthermore, children usually suffer from only one allergy at first, so that the treatment is easier than if several allergies have accumulated in later years.

However, desensitization is usually only carried out from the age of 5 years onwards, as there are no well-founded studies on the effects and side effects of desensitization in children under 5 years of age. In addition, monthly injections can be problematic for younger children. Although there is an alternative to injections, the so-called sublingual immunotherapy, it is controversially discussed.

With this method, the allergen is dripped or given daily as a solution or tablet under the tongue for 3 years. Some studies showed only a mediocre effectiveness. How this can be explained and which possibilities for improvement there are, is still being researched.