Summer break will end sooner than you think. Before the hustle and bustle of back-to-school gets rolling, now is a good time to confirm if your child has allergies with proper allergy testing. If you’ve noticed that a child has recurring incidents when interacting with certain items, while playing outdoors, or eating foods that seem to be allergen triggers, summer is the perfect time for North Texas parents to make an appointment with a board-certified allergist to get tested properly.
Top Reasons to Get Allergy Testing Before School Starts
It’s often easier for parents to notice anything out of the ordinary in their children’s diets or routines during summertime. And getting into the allergist’s office before school starts is an excellent idea for many reasons.
Allergy Testing Confirms Issues
Perhaps you’ve noticed your child scratching, or have seen and heard signs of congestion or hay fever. Or maybe a child has said they don’t feel so great after eating foods like tree or ground nuts, eggs or milk. In these cases, a trip to an allergy treatment center can confirm what (if any) allergies they have. This information can be used to get started on a customized treatment plan to make life easier.
Gives Time to Discuss Allergies With Kids
Finding out that your child has food allergies can be especially concerning, but knowledge quells fear. Adjusting to life with any allergy is about learning new and better ways to live. Your local allergist will give you and your child a plan of action to go along with treatments that provide relief.
A pediatric allergist is your source for information on how to talk to your children about their allergies. You can also find and review tips for talking to your child about their food allergy online. This helps prepare them so they can be more confident about their food choices when they go back to school, over to friends’ homes, and so on.
Schedule Initial Treatments While School Is Out
Going to an allergy specialist during the summer means that children won’t have to miss class to get testing or start their treatments. Treatments like allergy shots (SCIT), oral immunotherapy (OIT), or sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) are all initially performed in the office on a regular schedule.
Visiting during the summer means there is no conflict with school, and as your child’s body adjusts to the presence of the allergens, they can be comfortable at home if they become ill. As a long-term solution, allergy treatments take time to build up in effectiveness, so a child may begin to experience relief within a few months. Taking action during the summer gives your kids the chance to start the new academic year feeling better.
Get Used to Lifestyle Changes
Learning avoidance techniques and how to communicate about their allergies for safety, becoming familiar with their triggers, and/or learning to read food labels is a big change for a child. Choosing to seek allergy testing and treatment in the summer gives children time to make these adjustments.
Children are always taking in and processing new information. Giving them enough time to adjust to an allergy diagnosis can help erase apprehension. This allows them to build confidence so that they are mindful of allergy management, yet not consumed by it.
The sooner families complete allergy testing, the sooner a child can start personalized treatment plans to feel better. This is the best reason to seek testing, as children who get allergy relief can focus on their academic and social success.
See North Texas’ Top Local Allergist for Allergy Testing
Dr. Mireku and the staff at TexasAllergyMD allergy treatment centers are committed to helping young North Texans with allergies in McKinney/Prosper and Southlake live healthily and without fear. Request your appointment before school starts, or give us a call at (469) 375-1525.
