These are signs that your child may have an allergy:
-
Irritated, red, itchy eyes;
-
Repeated sneezing: Children also sneeze when they have colds, but is more commonly associated with allergies;
-
A runny nose, with clear, watery discharge, not thick, yellow and green;
-
So-called allergic shiners, or dark rings under the eyes;
-
So-called clucking - kids with allergies often click on the roofs of their mouths with their tongues;
-
The so-called allergic salute: Kids with allergies develop a habit of frequent, upward rubs with their mouths. This causes the development of an allergic crease, or a line across the bridge of the nose.
In summary, the differences are:
A cold:
-
Usually begins with or is accompanied by a sore throat;
-
Generally doesn’t last more than ten days;
-
Usually occurs during winter months;
-
The child usually complains about the symptoms;
-
Can include a fever;
-
Family members may also be ill;
A seasonal allergy:
-
The symptoms disappear when the child moves from one environment to another, signaling that they’ve moved away from the allergy trigger;
-
The symptoms can be ongoing;
-
Is more serious during spring and summer;
-
There is usually no fever;
-
The child might not complain abut feeling unwell, even though the symptoms are present;
-
Symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, ticklish throat and sneezing are present.
(Health24, updated February 2010)
Read more:
Allergies
What is a fever?
Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)