When your child is suffering from allergies, it can be difficult to find solutions that don’t involve the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. When you’re searching for answers to helping your child cope with either season, dietary, or other types of allergies, consider these drug-free options:

Saline Rinses and Sprays

Rinsing the nostrils is one of the best ways to prevent the problems that arise from exposure to histamines. Many parents balk at the idea of washing the inside of the nose, but it is one of the safest methods of drug-free allergy relief.

The following options are great for cleaning nostrils and alleviating allergy symptoms:

  • Premade saline solutions designed for use with a Neti-Pot or similar device.
  • Premade saline sprays. These can be purchased for adults or children, but are generally safe for all ages regardless of formulation.
  • Homemade saline solutions used for either of these applications. Always ask your doctor or healthcare provider to ensure your solution is mixed properly and avoid discomfort during use.

Dietary Changes

When your child is suffering from allergies that cause stomach issues, hives, or other symptoms, dietary changes can be a great, drug-free way to address the problem.

These changes can involve additions, subtractions, or substitutions. They may include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Subtracting irritants from the child’s diet. Using pediatric allergy testing, doctors can identify the foods that cause reactions in your child – such as wheat, dairy, shellfish, etc. – so you can work toward removing them from their diet.
  • Adding holistic healing foods to your child’s diet. Many parents rely on naturally-healing foods such as local honey to address allergy issues in their child. Just be sure your child is not allergic to the foods you’re hoping to introduce before adding them to heavy rotation in their diet.
  • Substitute irritants with alternative options. These days, there is an alternative to almost every food. Choose non-dairy milk, cheese, and yogurt for dairy allergies or wheat-free breads, pastas, and other dishes for gluten-intolerant children. Whatever your child’s dietary needs, there is likely a substitution available at your local supermarket or health food store.

Adding Probiotics

In addition to changing your child’s diet, you may also want to consider adding a regular probiotic to their routine. Probiotics are drug-free supplements that introduce live cultured organisms – like you might find in yogurt and other natural sources – to your child’s body. These supplements aid in digestion and help prevent the symptoms of allergies.

For more information on the use of probiotics and all-natural allergy prevention and relief that works, contact the experts at Pediatrix – your go-to Phoenix pediatricians.