What affect do seasonal allergies have on child behavior?

How many million comments on this do you want?

I'll take a million and then some -- hopefully representing both sides of the issue.

Mr. B and I are having a ...... discussion, okay, maybe it's really a confrontation about the effects of allergies. I just want some information whether it proves my point or disproves my point (I'm intentionally trying not to present my point but I might not do a good job of it).

And yes, I will be consulting a doctor about this -- tomorrow -- but I want to know what I'm talking about when I call and I'm hoping the knowledgable and generous A2Kers can help.

My experience is that seasonal allergies mostly made me sleepy, dopey and grumpy as a kid. It's a bit better now. A bit.

hamburger could tell you how grumpy I got, and I'd have to admit it was the truth.

The emphasis though was on sleepy. Even my school friends could tell when my allergies were going to be bad as I started needing more and more and more sleep.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-16-allergies-depression_N.htm

ha!

http://www.achooallergy.com/blog/seasonal-allergies-suicide/

~~~

can't sleep
need to sleep
can't get enough sleep
need to sleep
can't think straight after a while

http://www.feingold.org/enews/06-2003.html#seasonal

They used to make me utterly miserable, highly agitated, exhausted, and doubtless very, very grumpy when I was a kid.

I don't know much about the allergy part of it but I seem to remember a previous discussion wherein we discovered that allergy treatments cause some issues, themselves.

I remember talking about asthma and seasonal allergies. Asthma meds can make kids behave totally crazy.

I still get super cranky when my allegies are bad.

Thanks for those links eBeth! Suicidal? Damn.

Interesting stuff about the protiens and how they affect they cause the body to react and how that impacts the brain.

I think "allergy" is so overused that it isn't taken seriously much. I know I'm guilty too. I remember talking to my doctor once and she got off on a rant about how everyone says they're "allergic" to perfumes and smoke, etc., saying you can't be "allergic" to those things. You can be annoyed. Your body can be irritated. Your nose can run, your eyes can burn, all manner of things can happen but you still aren't allergic.

I am an elementary school counselor and for years I have noticed an increase in behavior problems in the spring. Particularly Increased anger outbursts and defiance.

Hi Ambruck and welcome to A2K.

I wonder if behavior problems caused by allergies are more common than reported. Or maybe it's reactions to allergy medications.

My son seems to have terrible reactions to allergy meds. We end up in a terrible cycle of the allergies making him miserable and the meds making him miserable.

Zyrtec seemed to be working but one morning he asked if it could make him have strange dreams. We looked it up and sure enough it can make people have vivid dreams.

I can't even imagine dealing with a whole school of kids being affected in such a way.