How To Help Kids With Seasonal Allergies
Little Red Noses & Watery Eyes
A Garden Acupuncture team member says, "It breaks my heart to see kids suffering with the symptoms of seasonal allergies. My own son has these allergies but luckily I am able to give him herbs, acupuncture, painless laser treatments and remedies to alleviate and prevent symptoms. I look forward to seeing less and less little red, swollen, watery eyes around Brooklyn once the word is out that Acupuncture and TCM is safe and effective for babies and kids of all ages."
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6 Kid Friendly Tips To Minimize Allergy Symptoms At Home
Besides our kids feeling super yucky from allergies, it makes mornings challenging for the whole family when symptoms are usually aggravated. The symptoms also disrupt focus in school. Many kids with allergic asthma use nebulizer treatments which may cause them to behave a bit wildly or cause insomnia after the steroids take effect and the lack of sleep doesn't help much to boot. Here are some easy recommendations to help you get started at home:
1. Use a HEPA air filter. A HEPA air filter is not to be confused with an ionizer. This type of filter is excellent for cleaning allergens and pollution out of the air. We like the Austin Allergy Machine Jr. for apartment living. Keep it on low overnight in the bedroom of the family members who are suffering with allergies; rotate them between rooms on medium or low during the day to clean the air. You can easily vacuum that filter clean and it usually only needs to be replaced every few years, unless you have pets. If you have pets, vacuum the floors, under the beds, and the furniture regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum.
2. Cover your pillows and mattresses. Allergy protector covers help to prevent dust mites.
3. Wash/rinse hair every night. Pollen lands in the hair and then rubs off on the pillow causing allergies to flare up at night.
4. Use saline nasal irrigation spray. Some kids loathe this, but little ones endure it and older ones quickly learn how effective it is. Later on they can use a neti pot instead of the saline sprays.
5. Anti-inflammatory supplements. The supplements we recommend and keep in stock at the office are: fish oils (gummies for the kids!), probiotics which populate the body with good bacteria to fight off bad bacteria, Vitamin D3, local raw honey (babies under the age of one should not take honey) and quercetin ascorbate which can be found as powder and added to herbs or juice. We always advise checking with a health practitioner before taking supplements on your own.
6. Avoid inflammatory foods which cause inflammation and increase mucus. Avoid dairy, white refined grains such as breads, crackers or pasta, sugar, Polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as canola, grapeseed, cottonseed, safflower, corn and sunflower oils, artificial flavor enhancers such as MSG, DSG or glutamate which can be found in Chinese food, ketchup and processed deli meats. Check outThe Low Histamine Chef for delicious healthy recipes.
Allergy
Why is Acupuncture effective for treating seasonal allergies?
The American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy recently reviewed multiple research studies of groups receiving acupuncture versus control groups. The researchers determined that acupuncture treatments improve allergies. They stated treatments "produced significantly higher diminution of nasal symptoms" and continued "our meta-analysis showed that the acupuncture group has superior effect(s) in reduction of both rhinitis symptoms and the requirement for anti-allergic medication compared with the control group.”
Study Shows Acupuncture Treatment Improves Allergies, Soothes Sinuses and Decreases Nasal Symptoms.
Acupuncture has the ability to modulate cytokines which are immune system cell secretions as well as the ability to induce anti-inflammatory actions. These two properties make acupuncture an effective tool in addressing allergies.
Garden Acupuncture Pediatric Program
Needles are not retained in infants or babies and do not need to be used at all for children if they are not interested in our "Tap Tap" method.
Common questions about how we treat kids click here.
Individualized Attention For Kids for 2 Months 16 Acupuncture Treatments Home Care Instruction For Parents Acupuncture of Needle-Free Laser, Gentle Micro-Current, Shoni Shin, Tui-Na and Gua Sha Nutritional Support, Information & Education
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We recommend beginning treatments before allergy season arrives to prepare the body. For the 2015 spring season it's best to start March & April for the best chance of eliminating symptoms. Allergy treatments are still greatly beneficial during active symptoms as acupuncture can help reduce them. We invite you to bring in your littles as soon as you can! Feel free to get in touch with us to see what would be best for your family.