Be Prepared

Beyond day-to-day symptoms, your doctor may ask other questions to help determine what types of allergies may be affecting your child and what the most effective treatment is. Here are some potential questions you should think about ahead of time.

• When did you first notice your child’s allergy symptoms? How old was he or she?
• Does anyone else in your family have allergies? Mom? Dad? Siblings?
• What treatment methods, if any, have you tried before?
• Is your child on any medications for allergies or other conditions?
• Where do symptoms occur? Could your child be suffering from indoor allergies, outdoor/seasonal allergies, or both?

You should also let your child know what to expect at the doctor’s appointment. The doctor may perform an allergy test that requires pricking the skin, or a breathing test that requires blowing into a tube. If your child is anxious about the appointment, reassure them that the skin test won’t hurt and practice breathing with a pinwheel or noisemaker. The doctor’s visit is about getting them allergy relief so they can focus on having fun and living an active life, not their allergies.

Ask the Right Questions When You’re There

These are the types of questions that often come up when you talk to your child’s doctor about seasonal and indoor allergies . Remember, this isn’t a quiz. The doctor or allergist is an expert and wants to develop the best treatment plan to get your child back on track.

• How do you know if my child has allergies?
• Are there specific allergens that seem to worsen my child’s allergy symptoms?
• Once symptoms do go away, should I expect allergy symptoms to reappear in my child?
• Will my child show symptoms all year?
• In the future, how do I know if symptoms are allergies, or if it’s something else, like a cold?
• Will my child’s allergies ever get better or go away?
• Can I do anything around the house to help manage my child’s allergies?
• Should my child see an allergy specialist?
• Do you have any samples of Children’s Claritin® I could try?