You immediately reach for the Kleenex to wipe your child's dripping nose. This sneezing, if caused by allergies, is common around this time of year. Allergies affect up to 40-50 million Americans. In children, allergies can affect a child's ability to learn, concentrate, and interact with others. As a result, 1.5 million school absences a year can be linked with allergies.
Allergies are preventable, though.
An allergy is an abnormal sensitivity to a specific substance that most people find harmless. Most common this time of year is hay fever, which is usually caused by pollen. Allergies run in families , so if you are allergic to something, your child is more likely to have an allergy. If your child has a cold longer than a week or two or develops a cold at the same time every year, contact your doctor. If the area swells or becomes itchy in 15 to 30 minutes, your child may be allergic to that specific substance.