Seasonal allergies, also called allergic rhinitis, cause cold-like signs and symptoms such as itchiness in the nose, roof of the mouth, throat, eyes and ears, along with watery eyes, runny nose, congestion and sneezing. But unlike a cold, allergies aren’t caused by a virus; they are caused by an allergic response to outdoor or indoor allergens, such as mold, trees, pollen and pet dander.

Allergies, which affect an estimated 60 million people in the United States both young and old, can really take a toll on your daily routine, and they are a nuisance both in the daily life and professionally. Whether you’re affected year-round or during a specific season, learning how to manage allergy symptoms can be vital to restoring your comfort and quality of life.

This condition can also be expensive to manage. From 2000 to 2005, the cost of treating allergic rhinitis nearly doubled from $6.1 billion to $11.2 billion, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. More than half of that was spent on prescription and over-the-counter medications. Some experts recommend patients purchase store-brand, over-the-counter medicines as an effective means of managing both the condition and its associated costs.

“There are a number of very effective over-the-counter treatments to address the symptoms of seasonal allergies,” says Dr. William Berger, professor of allergy and immunology at the University of California, Irvine. “In fact, to help patients save money, I would recommend many of the store-brand, non-sedating antihistamines sold at leading retailers and pharmacies, such as Cetirizine or Loratadine. These products are approved by the FDA, but cost significantly less than the brand names.”

According to Berger, many allergy sufferers may find better relief of their symptoms by trying one of these newer, more effective treatments now available in the aisle, like Fexofenadine, which just switched from prescription to over-the-counter in 2011.

“Effective management with medicines, ideally before the allergy symptoms start, is key,” he says.

You can find more information about the symptoms and treatments for allergic rhinitis at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (www.aaaai.org), or the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (www.acaai.org).

The post Bid Adieu to Achoo: Finding Relief from Spring Allergies first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

“Many well-intentioned caregivers can get mixed up when it comes to administering medication,” says Dr. Michael App, a pediatrician in Grand Rapids, Mich. “With so many factors playing a role in proper dosage, such as weight and age of the child, it is essential that caregivers closely follow the directions on the label to avoid potentially life-threatening mistakes.”

Several manufacturers of children’s medications are also making efforts to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of errors. Perrigo Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products for retailers’ store brands, has been investing in equipment to insert “flow restrictors” in the bottles of all of their pediatric acetaminophen products. Flow restrictors reduce the size of the bottle opening and limit access to the medicine inside the bottle. Perrigo has added flow restrictors to all of its infants’ products and began converting the packaging of all of its children’s products with flow restrictors in January 2012. Perrigo is also participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Consumer Healthcare Products Association PROTECT initiative, which is bringing together experts to create strategies to reduce unsupervised medication ingestion in children.

Experts remind caregivers to be diligent and avoid these common medicine mistakes:

Not Paying Attention to Potential Drug Interactions
Caregivers should always check medication labels and take care to avoid administering multiple drugs at the same time, unless recommended or prescribed by a pediatrician. Also, before administering medicine, caregivers should always review the enclosed packaging materials and directions.

Overmedicating Due to Measuring Errors
When administering medicine, caregivers should always use the dosing device provided by the pharmacist or manufacturer, and never attempt to “eyeball” the proper amount. That household teaspoon your mom used? According to a study in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, household spoons or similar objects can hold two to three times more liquid than standardized materials. Most pediatricians recommend using a syringe over any other dispensing device for the most accuracy.  

Basing the Dose on Age Instead of Weight
“Children grow at different rates, which makes it hard for parents and doctors to base dosage recommendations on age,” says App. “Since children metabolize medicine differently depending on how much they weigh, this is how most manufacturers label their dosage recommendations – not based on age. This is especially important for children who are over- or underweight.”  

Forgetting Vitamins
As with adults, doctors need to know every medication or vitamin that a child is taking, as certain vitamins can decrease the effectiveness of medicines or cause complications. Caregivers should always have a list of medicines on hand that lists the types and dosage amounts of every medication, vitamin and supplement that a child takes, as well as a list of allergies.

Not Taking Medicine as Directed
Most prescriptions, especially antibiotics, are meant to be used in full. Even though a child may feel better, it is important to complete the dosage, or else the illness could recur. Furthermore, this practice can ultimately contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the same vein, caregivers should avoid giving leftover pills from a previous prescription for something they “self-diagnose” to be the same as a previous illness. It is also important to avoid giving medicine for any purpose other than that specified by the instructions.

Failing to Adhere to Expiration Dates
Manufacturers list expiration dates on packaging for a reason, as these dates are generally based on internal testing that demonstrates the longest period a medicine is known to be effective. Using medicine left in the cabinet after it has expired can result in reduced effectiveness.

“Parents should always ask their pharmacist or pediatrician if there are any special precautions or directions with any drug – over-the-counter or prescription – their child is taking,” says App.

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