Can Allergy Drops Stop the Allergic March?

Your child may be starting to show symptoms of allergy. Maybe their eyes are itchy or their nose runs and is congested. You may notice they have dark circles under their eyes, a line on the bridge of their nose, or even have a dry skin condition called eczema. Allergy symptoms come in many forms and if addressed early these symptoms can go away completely and even prevent other health conditions like asthma.

There is a progression of allergic symptoms that begins in infancy and progresses over a person’s lifetime. This progression is known as the allergic march. For some, it begins in infancy as eczema where the child’s skin is red, itchy, scaly, and irritated. Next, some children may display food allergies (peanuts, cow’s milk, etc). With time this can turn into allergic rhinitis symptoms like nasal congestion and runny nose in response to environmental pollen. Finally, if left untreated, the child may develop asthma where they have chronic lung inflammation.

Studies have shown immunotherapy is highly effective at reducing allergic symptoms and preventing the progression of the allergic march. Children with allergic rhinitis symptoms were treated with sublingual immunotherapy (allergy drops) for 3-4 years and had fewer allergy symptoms and were less likely to develop asthma. Even children who were already diagnosed with asthma had a great reduction in their symptoms when using allergy drops. This had lasting results when the children were tested even 12 months later.

One allergy medication, specifically cetirizine (Zyrtec®), has shown prevention and delay in the onset of eczema and asthma symptoms with use for at least 18 months. The only problem with long-term medication use is it has drying and sedating side effects and often has to be used forever.

If you think your child is displaying symptoms of allergy or has a history of eczema or asthma, make an appointment at Sinus and Snoring Specialists for a thorough evaluation. Our office has needle-free allergy testing and can create personalized allergy drops based on your child’s test results.

Request an appointment today at 512.601.0303 for a comprehensive evaluation!