Dr. Michael Johnson from Families First Pediatrics came on Good Things Utah to talk about the differences between colds and allergies in children.
He says Allergic Rhinitis (allergies in the nose/throat) affects as many as 40 % of children.
It is somewhat less common in children under five years of age, and rare in children under 2 years of age.
Dr. Johnson says children have a tendency to not tell their parents about their symptoms or simply tolerate their symptoms, making the impact of allergies harder to see.
Many allergy symptoms are seasonal, but up to 50 % of children can have symptoms all year long.
The common cold can mimic allergy symptoms, sometimes making diagnosis more difficult.
Children with "chronic" or frequent cold symptoms should be evaluated for allergies.
If you have questions for Families First Pediatrics, call them at (801) 254-9700 or visit their webpage:
http://www.ffpeds.com/.
Families First Pediatrics is located at 1268 West South Jordan Parkway in South Jordan.
