My daughter asked me this question one day not too long ago when she barged into our room one morning crying. She has been sneezing for quite some time already and it was still very early in the morning. She woke us up complaining about how stuffed her nose was. We also noticed she kept on wiping her eyes. I suspected right; allergies!
She was not happy about the whole thing because she was actually looking forward to the field trip they were having that very day.
I did not know exactly how to respond to her question, but I told her about my sister, her aunt, who also had allergies when she was small. Thinking about it now, I think they have exactly the same type of allergy. I did have allergies too, but it has been sometime now since I last had an allergy attack. Mine though was different; I itched every time I ate shrimps or crabs; and that was when I was still very young; around 12 years old.
I remember very well what we did after the crying incident that morning; we told her to take a bath and to get ready for the field trip. I then called my sister on the phone (she lived in another state) and asked her about her allergies. She told me to go to a pharmacy and ask a pharmacist for the best medicine for allergy. She reminded me to specifically tell the pharmacist that Abby, my daughter, is going to a field trip, and to make sure that the medicine she will be taking will allow her to enjoy the activity; one that will not make her sleepy. I did as I was told and Abby was able to join and enjoy her field trip that day.
Why Do People Have Allergies?
It has something to do with heredity; when someone in the family has allergy, a Mother or a Grandfather or a sibling, chances are that someone else in the family will also have allergies.
Environment also plays a big part why some people have allergies and some do not. If a person with a genetic tendency for allergy is exposed in an environment where allergens are aplenty, then surely an allergy attack is imminent.
What Can Be Done About It?
So if you know somebody in your family who has allergy, then be aware and be prepared. Avoid places that are full of allergens. An example of an allergen is pollen. If you live in an area abundant with trees and flowers, then you are exposed to pollen and you are at risk always of an allergy attack.
What then? Well, the most effective way of treating allergy is called pretreatment. It is very simple: people with allergies take the medicine before the allergy attacks, not after the attack.
For those who are severely exposed to allergens, like people who live in areas with blossoming trees and pollen, doctors advise that they take allergic medication before the allergy season begins.
Having allergies can be a nuisance. However, when treated properly, they cease to be such, and people with allergies can go on with their lives allergy-free.
