Medical And Pharmaceutical Options For Child Allergy Treatment

In regards to child allergy treatment, the options are pharmaceutical medications, emergency and rescue medications, and medical therapies.

Medications

Medications used for child allergy treatment are available both over-the-counter (OTC) and by prescription.  Doctors will often recommend trying the OTC version first to see if it is effective, and then move on to prescriptions drugs if needed for better or longer-term maintenance control.  Of course, this depends on the condition, associated symptoms and illnesses, side effects, and effectiveness.  OTC medications are helpful to stop occasional and unexpected allergy reactions.  Often, prescription strength medications are better at minimizing drowsiness and other side-effects of medicinal child allergy treatment.

Different medications used in child allergy treatment have different uses depending on the allergy and the reaction.

• Blockers— allergy medications in this category work by blocking blood chemicals which cause allergic reactions.  Both histamine blockers (antihistamines) and lekotriene blockers are used.  Antihistamines can be found in both OTC and prescription strength; leukotriene blockers are relatively new, but offer promise in the maintenance of child allergies and asthma.  Leukotriene blockers are available by prescription.
• Decongestants—decongestants are used to narrow blood vessels in the nose and clear congestion; decongestants may be either OTC or prescription-strength.
• Steroids—steroid medications come in oral, inhaled, and topical forms.  Inhaled and oral steroids may be used to relieve symptoms of asthma and breathing difficulties caused by allergies; these work to dilate airways and reduce airway inflammation.  Oral steroids are also used in child allergy treatment to treat skin rashes caused by allergies and promote skin healing.  In addition, steroids used to treat skin allergies may be applied topically in cream form.

Medications used in child allergy treatment are available in different forms, including oral liquids, tablets and chewables, and pills, inhalers and nebulized solutions, drops and sprays.  Preants and the child's physician can determine the best delivery options given the age and abilities of the child.

Emergency Rescue Allergy Medications

For some children, child allergy treatment may require the use of emergency medications and rescue medications.

• Epinephrine—injectable epinephrine is the best fast response to a severe child allergy reaction.  Epinephrine is adrenaline and is used by the body to quicken the pace of the heart and open swollen airways.  Injectable epinephrine is often prescribed in an auto-injector for patients who have had a severe reaction to an allergen in the past; injectable epinephrine is to be used immediately until the child can reach medical help.  Parents and all caregivers of allergic children should be trained in how and when to use injectable epinephrine.
• Steroids and asthma medications—steroids and asthma medications may be employed as an emergency measure to restore breathing in a child with compromised airways which are the result of inflammation due to an allergic reaction, or those which arise as a secondary reaction when allergies trigger severe asthma attacks.  Fast-acting inhalers or nebulizer solutions may be prescribed ahead of time for children with a history of such reactions, or these medications might be administered by emergency medical personnel and/or emergency room doctors.

Therapies

Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, provides lasting treatment for allergies when allergies significantly impact or threaten the life of a child.  In essence, immunotherapy consists of creating an allergen immunization.  This therapy is also called desensitization or hyposensitization.

When allergy shots are used as child allergy treatment, an allergy extract—a mixture of allergens which have caused reaction in the child—is formulated ad injected into the child to build up the body's resistance to the allergen, much in the same way injected viruses can be used to build up immunity to a disease.

Medical interventions are highly effective methods of child allergy treatment.  For the most appropriate and safest course of treatment, it is recommended that a child's allergies be discussed with the treating physician.