Pollen Allergy Alert

Usually plants produce pollens to reproduce. In some plants, in order for fertilization to take place and seeds to form, pollen must be transferred from the flower of one plant to another plant of the same species done by air currents. The types of pollen that usually causes allergic reactions are produced by trees, grasses, and weeds. These pollens can be blown indoors and can trigger allergic rhinitis within your home, not just outdoors.

Allergy to pollen is called hay fever or allergic rhinitis. This is the most common of all allergic diseases and refers to a group of nasal symptoms that are due to pollen. It is characterized by sneezing, runny nose and itching eyes and sometimes a bad attack can trigger asthma, a serious respiratory condition. Added to this, various symptoms can also be observed like: Sneezing, the most common symptom, may be accompanied by a runny or clogged nose, Itching eyes, nose, and throat Allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by restricted blood flow near the sinuses),The "allergic salute" (in a child, persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose) Watering eyes and Conjunctivitis (an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed eyes).

Don't make the mistake of thinking that only rural dwellers suffer from tree pollen allergy. Recent studies have indicated that people living in urban areas suffer more because the pollen combines with pollutants like petrol and diesel fumes to make the pollen even more allergenic. Diesel fumes, particularly, have been identified as capturing the pollen and keeping it down at street level whereas it would normally rise up on the warm spring and summer air during the day. Many urban schools, situated in tree-lined streets that are also busy with traffic have reported a significant rise in the number of children taking anti-histamines and asthma medications.

Tree pollen affects the body in the same way as other pollen, in that it causes the cells to flood with histamine, which in turn creates an inflammatory response. But because tree pollens are larger than grass pollens they often seem to affect the body in different ways from the typical hay fever response. Therefore your child could be displaying a histamine reaction during the listed months if they complain of feeling persistently unwell and have any of the following symptoms:

• Headache
• Sense of anxiety caused by rapid heart beat, dizziness or hyperactivity
• Skin sensations such as itching, burning, flushing or shivering
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Joint pains

Often, tree pollen sufferers describe their symptoms as "feeling as though they have flu" or they think they are "coming down with a cold."To distinguish coming down cold from pollen allergy, get an allergy test now.

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