Allergies Can Disturb Your Child’s Sleep
Evidence received from millions of doctors and parents reveal that allergies can disturb the sleeping patterns of a child. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America claims that allergies are a chronic problem of the young.
About 29% of the responses received from a survey reveal that children suffering from allergies stay awake all night. In addition, about 40% of the parents conveyed that nasal allergies like allergic rhinitis affected the performance of kids in school.
Allergic rhinitis and nocturnal wheeze are two major conditions that lead to lack of sleep in children and adults alike.
What is Allergic Rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is also referred to as “hay fever”. This condition is marked by swollen nasal passages which is caused by allergens like dust mites and pollen grains, etc.
Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis
Some typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis are:
- Nasal congestion
- Post-nasal drip
What is Nocturnal Wheeze?
Some allergens have the capacity to induce wheezing in the lungs. This is majorly caused by the narrowing down of the bronchiole tubes which carry air to the lungs. Shrinking passages cause heavy wheezing and can also increase the intensity of asthma attacks in children and adults.
How do Allergic Conditions Disturb Sleep?
Allergic rhinitis and nocturnal wheeze can disturb your child’s sleep on account of the following reasons:
- Blocked nasal passages make breathing difficult
- Breathing from the mouth make the lips and throat dry
- Inflammation followed by pain can disturb your child’s sleep
- Snoring can also lead to sudden breaks in your child’s sleep
- Nasal congestion can make your child stop breathing in repeated intervals
Ways to Overcome Sleeping Disturbances
Some preventive measures to reduce sleep disturbances caused due to allergies are listed below:
- Make your home dust-free – pillows, sheets, mattresses, etc
- Change the water of humidifiers
- Vacuum clean your furniture and carpets
- Eliminate foods your child maybe allergic to
- Use anti-decongestants to clear the nasal passages of your child
- Antihistamines can be used to control the symptoms of an allergy as well
Consult a physician or doctor for dealing with the symptoms of an allergy. As parents, you can do your best by providing a clean and safe environment for your child to sleep in so that allergies do not keep depriving them of their sleep.
Source: Allergies Keeping You Awake?