Ensure Academic Success – Allergy Medications Can Help

Treating your child's allergies may be just as essential to ensuring academic success as starting them off each morning with a good breakfast. In a recent survey, 94 percent of the respondents stated that their allergy symptoms affected their quality of life, including their performance at school and work.

Allergy symptoms often lead to difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and daytime drowsiness—all of which may make it difficult for your child to perform well in school. Children dealing with untreated allergy symptoms often find it difficult to concentrate and may have behavioral problems such as increased irritability or hyperactivity. Your child's allergies may also affect activities outside of the classroom, with a diminished activity, interest, and performance in extracurricular activities such as sports.

Many children with allergies also have asthma that, if untreated, may also affect performance in school and leisure activities. The shortness of breath, wheezing, and nighttime cough associated with asthma can impair sleep, leading to fatigue and decreased concentration. "Asthma attacks" may also impair athletic performance and the fear of having an attack is enough to discourage some children from participating.

The good news is that many treatments are available for allergy and asthma symptoms. Unlike many older medications, which have a high incidence of sedation, current regimens will allow your child to be awake and alert during the day and sleep well at night. Irritability may decrease when the child is no longer suffering from constant allergy symptoms, and involvement in extracurricular activities may be easier when they can breathe freely.

Remember, a child who does not feel well may not learn well. If your child has allergies or asthma, make sure they are getting the essentials needed for academic success.

Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs.