Children's Services

Commonly Heard Terms

HAYFEVER

Seasonal hayfever occurs in the spring and early summer or in the fall. In the spring and early summer, it is usually caused by pollens from trees, grass, and spring mould spores. In the fall, it is caused by pollen from ragweed and fall mould spores. Grass, ragweed, pollen, and dust are just a few of the airborne allergens that can cause hayfever.

A child may suffer from itchy, watery eyes, headache, stuffy or runny nose, and sneezing. It may affect the eyes even more than the nose.

To determine the causes of hayfever, your doctor will need a complete history of your child's condition, including information on how often your child has this problem, whether there is any seasonal variation to it, what affect the environment has on it, and what the family history is.

Hayfever may be treated with over the counter medications such as antihistamines and decongestants. Avoidance of the offending allergens is recommended if possible by keeping the windows closed, using air conditioning, and not hanging clothes outside to dry.

Talk to your doctor before giving a child any medication. In severe cases, immunotherapy or "allergy shots" may be necessary.

HEADACHES

Although many parents have the idea that children shouldn't get headaches, they are in fact quite common, especially in school-age and adolescent children. Headaches can be caused by colds, eyestrain, hayfever, trouble at school or with friends, sinusitis, or toothaches. Some children are headache prone. Often at least one of the parents has the same problem. The pattern of recurrent headaches may develop at a fairly young age, but it is more likely to start after children are in school.

Tension headaches are another major cause. While they are more common in adolescents, they can occur in preteens as well. These headaches produce a sense of tightness around the head, especially over the temples. The neck muscles may also be tight. Typically, tension headaches are a response to stress. Children and teens are no different in their responses to stress; the challenge may be to find out what the stress is.

If you can't identify the problem and the headaches continue, it is best to contact your doctor to check for other medical causes.

HEAD LICE

If your child comes home with head lice, there is no need to panic. Contracting head lice is common in children and is not caused by lack of cleanliness. Head lice do not carry disease. They can cause itching and some inconvenience. Lice outbreaks are common through the school community.

Head lice are tiny, wingless, greyish insects that live and breed in human hair. They lay their eggs, called nits, on hair shafts. The eggs are most commonly found behind the ears and at the back of the neck close to the scalp. The eggs are small greyish specks that cannot be washed away like dirt or dandruff. Head lice can only survive for 48 hours off the human host and cannot live on household pets.

Head lice are spread through head-to-head contact, and the sharing of personal items such as brushes, scarves, hats, helmets, and stuffed animals. To minimize the risk of repeated outbreaks, remind children not to borrow these items.

Your first clue in detecting head lice is a more frequent itching of the scalp. To check for head lice, carefully examine hair around the back of the neck and behind the ears close to the scalp. Since head lice shy away from light, you may have to look for their eggs. If you discover head lice on your child, report the case to your child's principal and the families of your child's playmates immediately.

Special medication shampoos/rinses are effective at killing head lice and eggs. You can buy these shampoos without a prescription at the drug store. Talk to your pharmacist about the best product for your child. For further information, contact the Community Health Department Head Lice Information Line at (519) 883-2000, ext. 2286.

HYPERACTIVITY

Some children are called hyperactive when they demonstrate a short attention span, increased impulsiveness, easily distracted, and high activity level. Hyperactivity may be a part of Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. Hyperactivity can also be seen in association with other problems such as family stress, learning problems, psychiatric disorders, or certain medical problems.

There is no single test that can give a definitive diagnosis of ADD. The diagnosis is made by a physician, usually making use of reports or questionnaires completed by parents, caregivers, and teachers. Clinical observations, performance tests, and rating forms are also used in the evaluation of the child.

Medical experts are not always sure what causes hyperactivity. It is not caused by diet, the environment, or the parents. However, the environment can aggravate the child's behavior. Research suggests that heredity plays a role in ADD. Many children with ADD also have other learning disabilities.

Medication, behavioral therapy, and modified teaching methods may be advised. The goals of therapy are to improve the child's functioning at home, in school, and with other children through modifying his or her inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. The best long-term outcome for ADD results from treatment with a combination of parental education, medication, psychological treatments, and appropriate classroom intervention. Talk to your doctor if you have further questions regarding hyperactivity.

HYPOGLYCEMIA

A lower than normal level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.