Kids Sidelined by Allergies, How Parents Can Help

Missing School, Losing Sleep, Sitting Out: What’s Happening to Our Nation’s Kids? There’s a silent epidemic in America. Our nation’s children are suffering with allergies and many are not receiving the treatment they need, according to the new landmark survey Pediatric Allergies in America, issued by the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. Allergy symptoms can cause children to feel tired, miserable, irritable and even depressed. It’s having a profound effect on all aspects of their lives. Allergies are interfering with school: 40 percent of children with allergic rhinitis report their condition interferes with their school performance Kids aren’t living their lives to the fullest: Only a third (32 percent) of parents reported their child with allergies felt “full of life” all of the time. They aren’t getting enough sleep: 40 percent of parents indicated that their child’s allergies interfere a lot or somewhat with their sleep. Allergy symptoms are limiting children’s activities: Twice as many parents (21 percent) say allergies limit their children’s activities. Only 11 percent of parents whose child did not suffer from allergies reported that their child’s health limited their activities. The symptoms are serious: Although the most bothersome symptom is a stuffed-up nose (27 percent), almost half (46 percent) of parents reported more serious symptoms such as headache and ear and facial pain — as the most bothersome symptom their children experience. The survey also found that there’s room for improvement in the management of allergies for a number of reasons. Healthcare professionals overestimate their patient’s satisfaction with their allergy medicines. There is also dissatisfaction among parents with current treatments, which have caused them to go so far as to ask their doctor to change medication or to simply stop taking them. In anticipation of the biggest medical meeting of the year on allergies from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Jennifer Derebery, a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of allergy-related hearing loss and associated disorders, will be available for interviews. She works in private practice at the renowned House Clinic in Los Angeles and is the first woman president of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). She’ll talk about the latest on allergies, including the best ways to prevent symptoms, reduce allergens in your home and the how to stop allergies from holding back your kids. https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/player.aspx?sid=47278