Allergic Rhinitis
Presented by
What is allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis, often called allergies or hay fever, occurs when your immune system overreacts to particles in the air that you breathe-you are allergic to them. Your immune system attacks the particles in your body, causing symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. AR classified into two * seasonal - occurs particularly during pollen seasons. Seasonal allergic rhinitis does not usually develop until after 6 years of age. * perennial - occurs throughout the year. This type of allergic rhinitis is commonly seen in younger children
What are the symptoms of allergic rhinitis? * In most cases, when you have allergic rhinitis: sneezing, a runny nose and postnasal drip. Watery and itchy eyes, ears, nose, and throat are itchy.
Which allergens commonly cause allergic rhinitis? * pollens from trees, grasses, and weeds cause allergic rhinitis. Many people have allergies to dust mites, animal dander, cockroaches, and mold as well.
How is allergic rhinitis diagnosed? * Skin test In this test doctor puts a small amount of an allergen into your skin to see if it causes an allergic reaction. * Lab tests. These tests look for substances that put you at risk for allergies. nasal swab
How is it treated? * Allergen avoidance * Medications(Antihistamines, Nasal corticosteroids, Leukotriene modifiers, Cromolyn sodium) * Allergy immunotherapy

Relevance of AR to children's health
40% of children are affected, On any given day, 10,000 American children miss school because of allergic rhinitis, for an annual total of 2 million lost school days.
Relevant Research Finding * Corticosteroid is the best treatment for AR * A new intranasal corticosteroid, mometasone furoate (MF) nasal spray, has been studied in children 3 to 12 years of age and has been shown to be