The 411: catching the runny nose and seasonal allergies
Fuller spent a lot of time outside on Tuesday. The weather was in the high seventies and everything seems to be blooming. Including the blooming box of tissues.
Wednesday, Fuller woke up with a runny nose, lethargic attitude, and a slight fever. By the end of the day I was worried that he had an ear infection because he acted in pain whenever he would drink something or swallow.
I told my husband I would decide today if I should take Fuller to the doctor. I think that window has closed though. Fuller is acting normal with a cough and stuffed nose, but eating and no fever.
I admit that I am one of those people who hates the process of going to the doctor and I really don’t want to do that to Fuller. And I really, really don’t want to be one of those moms who takes her kid the to doctor every time he sneezes or coughs. But then again, if something like this happened in our area, it does make me a bit more concerned.
Seasonal allergies are a bummer and I wonder what I can do to help him. He doesn’t really communicate his aches and pains intelligently, though he does demand an “issue” when he sneezes.
I checked Dr. Google for “kids seasonal allergies” and got back a lot of links. I was very wary that many of them would go to pharmaceutical companies, but I did find a few that were put together by doctor’s trying to provide a service to parents.
Their article on spring allergies gives a list of things that you can do to minimize allergies and the first two I am guilty of doing… we keep the windows and doors open to get that “spring air” inside the house and if it is warm, I push the kid outside to play.
Other signs of having allergic rhinitis include the ‘allergic salute,’ a common habit of children which consists of rubbing their nose upward. This is usually because the nose is itchy and this practice can lead to a small crease in the skin of the lower part of the nose. Children with allergic rhinitis also commonly have ‘allergic shiners,’ which are dark circles under the eyes caused by nasal congestion.
Interesting. I think I will be at least calling the doctor’s office to get a call back from a nurse and talk it out with her. If there is something that could help Fuller and keep him from staying inside all day just to stay well, then maybe I do need a doctor’s opinion. I mean, Dr. Google is great, but who do I give my co-pay to?
kids allergies, seasonal allergies, Dr. Google, Dr. Paul, Keep Kids Healthy, allergies, children’s allergies
