Pediatria pre prax 2/2009

Allergic rhinitis and treatment option

Allergic rhinitis is the most frequent allergic disease and affects substantial portion of pediatric population. Since it is not considered a serious or life threatening disease, symptoms are often overlooked and therapy delayed. Untreated allergic rhinitis impacts the quality of child’s life and is considered to be a risk factor for bronchial asthma. Treatment options have substantially improved in last years and the safety profile of used drugs as well. This review provides current recommendations for treatment.

Keywords: allergic rhinitis, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, therapy, antihistamines, nasal steroids, immunotherapy.