Does junior perpetually wake up to a runny or blocked nose, watery eyes and sneezing fits? Then, he is likely to suffer from allergic rhinitis. BY: DANIEL GOH

What’s childhood without soft toys? Karen Tan has a three year-old son who is diagnosed with asthma and allergic rhinitis. “ We still bring Joshua to see a paediatric allergist every two months. And because he has asthma and perennial allergic rhinitis, he has been sensitised to house dust mites! That’s why we have to play down on soft toys and woollen blankets, ” says the 35-year-old regional account manager.

Perennial allergic rhinitis affects kids year-round and is triggered by indoor allergens such as house dust mites (ubiquitous in every home), mold, pet dander, and cockroach particles. When you have an allergy, your immune system releases inflammatory chemicals (most commonly, histamines and leukotrienes) into the blood stream to attack what it perceives as an invader. Each time you’re exposed to that allergen, symptoms return, often increasing in severity. Two mums who have kids with perennial allergic rhinitis share their experience.

MORE ABOUT DUST MITES 

“Dust mites thrive in warm and humid places like Singapore. The bed and mattresses are their favourite hunting grounds. So I make sure I wash Joshua’s bedsheets and blankets regularly in hot water!” says Karen.

Teoh Hui Cheng, 42, an administrative manager with two kids aged seven and four, advises: “My eldest son is diagnosed with asthma last year. And his asthma case is related to allergies. Before that we thought it was just symptoms of flu or cold until it got worst. I’ve tried many methods to control his situation like installing expensive air purifiers and buying expensive vacuum cleaners, but it’s useless. His conditions did not improve till I brought him to see a paediatric allergist.The allergist told me that his problem may be triggered by dust mites.”

Vacuum cleaners can only remove dust mites from the surface, says Karen. And if you think vacuum cleaners can suck up all the dust mites, then you’re wrong. These dust mites will dig even further into the mattress, and majority of them will still remain in the mattress after vacuuming.

KEEP DUST MITES AT BAY

Dust mites are the most common indoor allergen. But there are preventive measures you can take to keep these microscopic creatures at bay. Right about now, there are plenty of parents like Karen, wondering whether there’s anything they can do about their child’s chronically drippy nose, itchy, watery eyes, and up-all-night cough.

Dr. Paul V. Williams, an allergist at Northwest Asthma and Allergy Centre in Mount Vernon acknowledges air purifiers are not effective when it comes to taming dust mites. “But with regular use of anti-mite detergents and vacuum cleaners with high efficiency particulate air or HEPA filters, you may notice the dip in the number of dust mites in the bedroom,” he says.

Dr Paul also adds: “Dust mite proteins all settle within 20 or 30 minutes of becoming airborne. They can cause allergic reactions such as runny nose, conjunctivitis, asthma and eczema.”

WHAT TO AVOID

Plenty of medications exist to reduce symptoms, but it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacists before buying any, say Dr Paul: “Allergy treatment is complicated. Just because a certain anti-histamines worked for an older sibling, or a friend, doesn’t mean it’ll work for your child,” he says.

However, Dr Paul also recommends staying away from the following, such as:

• Nasal Sprays These medications tend to have rebound side effects that can cause more symptoms than they cure.
• Multi-symptom Preparations These might contain overlapping and unnecessary ingredients – combinations of decongestants, anti-histamines, pain relievers, and or cough suppressants and expectorants. To reduce the chances of overdosing, be sure to buy only single-purpose medications.
• Natural Therapies While some people swear by herbal supplements (such as eucalyptus oil, goldenseal, or zinc) or using chiropractic treatments, there have been no clinical studies verifying their effectiveness.

Children over five may be candidates for immunotherapy. When immunotherapy is effective, a child may become less sensitive to allergens, and allergy symptoms will become milder and may even go away. The hope is that eventually juniors need not subscribe to an endless supply of tissues by their side.