The most common symptoms of Rhinitis are sneezing, itching, clear watery discharge and, eventually, a blocked nose. Less frequent symptoms include dull headaches, nosebleeds and excessive clearing of the throat. Your child may also complain of itchy ears, throat and palate. These symptoms occur within a few minutes after being exposed to an allergen, such as pollens (most commonly weeds, grasses, trees), animals (usually cats, dogs, horses) or other inhalants (house dust mites, molds, food products such as various flours). If the symptoms are seasonal, as in the case with hay fever, they're usually attributed to pollens and outdoor molds.
Depending on the season, different triggers can prompt symptoms. Tree pollens are usually the cause in the spring, grass pollens in the summer and early fall. Outdoor molds tend to be a problem from early spring to late fall and during the winter months, indoor allergens, such as molds, house dust mites and animal dander's, cause discomfort.
When the symptoms are seasonal or occur immediately after being exposed to other inhalants, for example, cat dander, the diagnosis is fairly simple. However, when the symptoms occur throughout the year, the condition is known as perennial allergic rhinitis or year round allergies. Other conditions may have similar symptoms.
The common cold can often mimic allergic rhinitis. Although a cold's symptoms don't last throughout the year, they may linger for a few weeks, making it difficult for parents to treat a child's discomfort. Other conditions such as adenoid swelling, nasal polyps, rhinitis medicamentosa (stuffy nose from overusing over the counter nasal sprays), and vasomotor rhinitis (drippy nose from changes in temperature or other irritants) may resemble allergic rhinitis. When no apparent cause is found for the nasal symptoms, the condition is known as non-specific rhinitis. Don't assume that any condition with nasal symptoms has an allergic basis - make an appointment with a doctor or appropriate testing.
During an examinations, your doctor will look for clear nasal discharge and swollen linings of the nostrils. If the nostrils are obstructed and, therefore, there is decreased airflow, your child will likely be breathing through his mouth.
Allergy skin tests help to confirm that an allergy, and sometimes a specific allergen, is causing symptoms. A positive result will be marked by a wheal or welt that is at least 3 mm in size. The most common allergens tested are pollens, house dust mites, and animal dander's and molds. If skin tests don't reveal an allergy, the doctor may need to run other tests to rule out other causes of nasal problems.
