When Allergy Medicine Goes to School

If your child has fall allergies, think twice about sending your kid off to school loaded up on an over-the-counter (OTC) medication to control that sniffling and sneezing.

Your child may not be any better off than if you sent her to school untreated. Those OTC allergy medications probably are making your child drowsy, making it hard to concentrate in class.

Experts estimate that more than 6 million children have nasal allergies, or allergic rhinitis, which is the cause of more than 800,000 missed school days a year.

The physical side effects of the medications used to treat nasal allergy symptoms can affect a child's alertness and ability to concentrate and interfere with school performance. Drowsiness can have the greatest impact on children's participation both in and out of the classroom.

Also, nasal allergy symptoms left untreated can interfere with school performance.

So what's a parent to do?

You can start with an OTC remedy. Antihistamines are first-line therapy, but there are side effects.

People can underestimate the sedating effect that OTC antihistamines can have. People taking them can behave as if they're drunk and their ability to do higher reasoning can be impaired.

The same goes for children. If they are taking OTC antihistamines, their school performance will be affected.

Of the OTC medications, cromolyn sodium, or NasalCrom®, is not sedating and is one of the safest non-prescription allergy medications. However, it isn't the most effective medication for people with significant allergies. Claritin®, a non-sedating antihistamine, is now OTC.

Prescription medications may be best

The best way to cope with a child's seasonal allergies is to get a prescription from the doctor that won't have those kinds of side effects.

There are several good choices, such as Clarinex®, Allegra® and Zyrtec®, that don't cause as much drowsiness or the unpleasant side effects such as dry mouth and difficulty urinating.

A word about nasal sprays

For hay fever suffers, antihistamines help stop runny nose, itching and sneezing but have little effect on stuffiness. If you're using an OTC nasal decongestant spray to clear up stuffiness, use it carefully. These sprays only can be used for a few days before they produce a "rebound effect", clogging up your nose all over again.

Tips for dealing with seasonal allergies

The National Safety Council offers these tips for alleviating the sneezing and sniffling that comes with seasonal allergies:

• Start allergy medication one week before allergy season begins, and take it regularly.

• Combine an antihistamine with a steroid nasal spray for improved symptom relief.

• After your child plays outside, have him or her change clothes and take a shower to remove adhering pollen.

• When you mow the lawn, wear a special mask that filters out 12 to 25 micron-sized particles.

• Install a dehumidifier in the laundry room and basement to reduce dampness; change the water reservoir often to prevent mold growth.

• Remove carpets, which are dust-mite breeding grounds.

• Cover your child's mattress and pillows with an allergen-blocking barrier.

• Avoid cigarette smoke.

Related Articles Sending Kids to School With Meds Fighting Allergies 'Naturally' Allergy Treatment

External Sources The National Association of School Nurses The National Safety Council The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

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