Allergy and ear infection

[Debraj]

Hi, my neighbor, Sheetal, a 31-year-old woman and has a 8-year-old daughter. She is very concerned about her daughter, who has had ear infections in the past 3 months due to uncontrolled allergies. Her symptoms include runny nose, watery eyes and occasional congestion. Sheetal reports that her daughter's symptoms begin in March and last all summer. Sheetal thinks she has allergies because both she and her husband have seasonal allergies, which require daily medication. upon questioning, however, Sheetal says that her daughter has never formally been diagnosed with seasonal allergies and that she forgets to mention it whenever they see the pediatrician. Sheetal says her friend’s daughter is taking loratadine syrup and recommended that her daughter should also do the same to prevent ear infections. She is hesitant to start any medication for her daughter because she does not want her to take it every day. Is there any recommendation I could make for her? Please help.

[Aman]

@Debraj Since her daughter is only 8 years old, it would be appropriate to refer her to her primary care physician for treatment of allergic rhinitis. Typically, patients who are younger than 12 years should be referred to a physician. Other patients who should be referred to a physician are those who are pregnant or lactating; show signs of a current infection; have symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis, undiagnosed or non-controlled asthma, COPD, or moderate to severe allergic rhinitis; or are experiencing severe side effects of treatment. Since Sheetal is concerned about her daughter taking a medication every day, it may be beneficial for the daughter to undergo allergy testing. The primary care physician can determine whether it would be appropriate for the kid to take her medication during the allergy season. Since she has had multiple infections due to her allergies, it may be beneficial to discuss with her primary care physician whether she should see a pediatric ear, nose, and throat physician.