April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring allergies! If you’re concerned your child may have allergies read on for some information to help wrap your mind around what that might mean.

What is an allergy?

Allergic rhinitis is the medical term for what most people know as allergies or hay fever. Allergies happen when your body overacts to things (called allergens) that don’t cause problems for most people. When your body is exposed to an allergen your body releases a chemical called histamine as a defense against the allergen. The release of histamine causes your symptoms.

The 2 forms of allergic rhinitis:

• Seasonal (hay fever):
  • Allergies that occur in the spring (late April and May) are often due to tree pollen.
  • Allergies that occur in the summer (late May to mid-July) are often due to grass and weed pollen.
  • Allergies that occur in the fall (late August to the first frost) are often due to ragweed.
  • Pollen allergies tend to be worse on hot, dry days and less bad on rainy days.

• Perennial: Caused by other allergens such as dust mites, pet hair/dander or mold. These symptoms occur year round.
  • Mold is common where water tends to collect, such as shower curtains and damp basements. It can also be found in rotting logs, hay, and mulch. This allergy is usually worse during humid and rainy weather.
  • Animal dander. The skin, saliva, and urine of furry pets such as cats and dogs are allergens. You can be exposed to dander when handling an animal or from house dust that contains dander.
  • Many allergens, including dust mites, are in dust. Dust mites are tiny living creatures found in bedding, mattresses, carpeting, and upholstered furniture. They live on dead skin cells and other things found in house dust.

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis:

• Sneezing.
• Coughing.
• Itching (mostly eyes, nose, mouth, throat and skin).
• Runny nose.
• Stuffy nose.
• Headache.
• Pressure in the nose and cheeks.
• Ear fullness and popping.
• Sore throat.
• Watery, red, or swollen eyes.
• Dark circles under your eyes.
• Trouble smelling.
• Hives.

Whats the difference between Allergies and Cold/Flu?

• Allergies can last for several weeks and often can last longer than a cold or flu.
• Allergies do not cause a fever.
• Nasal discharge from allergies is thin watery and clear. Nasal discharge from a cold or flu tends to be thicker.
• Itching is common with allergies but not with a cold or the flu.
• Sneezing is more common with allergies and the cold or flu.

Can allergies be prevented or avoided?

Allergies cannot be prevented but your symptoms can sometimes be eased by the following:

• Keeping windows closed. This is especially important during high-pollen seasons.
• Washing your hands after petting animals.
• Using dust- and mite-proof bedding and mattress covers.
• Wearing glasses outside to protect your eyes.
• Showering before bed to wash off allergens from hair and skin.

Allergy Treatments

Several medicines can be used to treat allergies. Your doctor will help you determine what medicine is best for you depending on your symptoms, age and overall health. Types of medicine available:

• Antihistamines help reduce the sneezing, runny nose, and itchiness of allergies. These come in pill form and as nasal sprays. Many are available over the counter. Some require a prescription.
• Decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, temporarily relieve the stuffy nose of allergies. Decongestants are found in many medicines and come as pills, nose sprays, and nose drops. They are best used only for a short time. Nose sprays and drops shouldn’t be used for more than 3 days because you can become dependent on them. This causes you to feel even more stopped-up when you try to quit using them. You can buy decongestants without a doctor’s prescription. However, decongestants can raise your blood pressure so its best to discuss with your provider prior to use.
• Leukotriene inhibitors are prescription pills that help block leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are another class of chemicals that the body releases when exposed to allergens.
• Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray that helps prevent the body’s reaction to allergens. This medicine may take 2 to 4 weeks to start working. It is available without a prescription.
• Nasal steroid sprays reduce the reaction of the nasal tissues to inhaled allergens. This helps relieve the swelling in your nose so that you feel less stopped-up. They are the most effective at treating patients who have chronic symptoms. Many nasal steroids are now available without a prescription. You won’t notice their benefits for up to 2 weeks after starting them.
• Eye drops. If your other medicines are not helping enough with your itchy, watery eyes, your doctor may prescribe eye drops for you. Some are available over the counter.
• Allergy shots or sublingual tablets (also called immunotherapy) are an option for people who try other treatments but still have allergy symptoms. These shots or dissolvable tablets contain a very small amount of the allergen you are allergic to. They’re given on a regular schedule so that your body gets used to the allergens. This helps decrease your body’s sensitivity to the allergens. Over time, your allergy symptoms will become less severe.

If you think your child has allergies, please call our office to schedule a same day visit or discuss your concerns with your pediatrician at your child’s next well visit.

We get a fair amount of questions regarding sports physicals so if your child is planning to play sports here is some important information or reminders!

Sports Physical vs Well Child Check Up

You may be asking what’s the difference? Do I need both? Are they interchangeable?

A Well Child Appointment is typically more comprehensive than a Sports Physical and counts towards your sports physical requirements while also reviewing other developmental issues including social, psychological and emotional well-being. If your child has had a Well Visit within the past year of needing a sports physical your pediatrician can complete the sports participation form for you and you do not need to schedule a separate sports physical appointment anywhere else!

Sunset does require that your child to have had a well visit within the past year in order to complete the form. If it’s been more than a year, for your child’s safety, you will need to schedule a well visit for your child before our providers can complete the form.

Does Sunset Pediatrics do Sports Physical Appointments?

Because sports physicals are less comprehensive than a well child visit, Sunset does not routinely or typically offer sports physicals and would recommend you instead schedule a well child visit with one of our pediatricians. It is also important to note that some insurance companies will treat sports physicals as a wellness visit and will not cover both in the same coverage year. We feel strongly that the well visit is a more comprehensive assessment of your child’s health and readiness for sports and we highly recommend prioritizing your well visit over a sports physical appointment at another location.

Important Information Regarding Timing of Well Visits and Sports Form Completion

End of August and early September when Sports Physicals are typically required for Fall sports participation is the busiest time to try to schedule a well visit and our providers’ availability will be severely limited. Therefore we strongly recommend if your child is planning to play Fall sports and you have not scheduled your well visit already, that you do so as soon as possible.

Additionally, if it’s been more than a year since your child has been in for their well visit, we encourage you to schedule your well visit over the summer. This will ensure no delays in your sports participation and we typically have much more availability and scheduling flexibility in the summer months.

How to Submit a Sports Form to Sunset

If you have a sports form that needs to be completed for your child, please send it to us through the patient portal. Remember that there are often 2 pages to the form: one for the parent to complete and one for the provider. The provider will need both forms with the parent information already completed in order to complete the physician part of the form.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our providers work hard to get forms back to their patients as quickly as possible, but due to the high volume of requests our office receives at the start of each school year, we do have a 3 business day turnaround time for form completion. We ask families to please plan accordingly and understand that same day requests for forms may not be able to be honored or could incur an added fee.

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Janeene Gordon will be joining Sunset Pediatrics on Jan 1st, 2025!

While she may be new to our team, her experience in clinical pediatrics is extensive. With more than a decade of patient care under her belt, she has developed a family-centered approach to pediatrics that combines evidence-based medicine with a respect for each child as a special individual with unique strengths and challenges. She strives to partner with families to provide the best care possible and ensure each child’s physical, social, and emotional well-being.

After being raised in small towns in Wyoming and Maine, Dr. Gordon’s family relocated to the Pacific Northwest. She graduated from college at the University of Oregon with a degree in music, and after spending several years working as a professional bassist, she followed her passion for science to New York City, where she earned her medical degree at Columbia University and then completed a pediatric internship and residency at New York University. From there, she went on to gain extensive experience in pediatrics, working at diverse practices in New York, Las Vegas, and Washington, DC. During that time, she had the opportunity to treat patients of all ages and from all walks of life. She also spent time serving as pediatric academic faculty at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where she had the privilege of caring for children and families on active duty.

When she isn’t providing care for her patients, her interests include painting, drawing, and all kinds of art. In her spare time, you might also find her dancing, doing yoga, playing music, or exploring the exciting city of Portland!

Dr. Gordon is honored to be joining the team at Sunset Pediatrics, and looks forward to contributing to their strong commitment to children and their families. Her practice is open to new patients of all ages, from birth through adolescence.

Between May 1st and May 31st, we ask you to fill out this survey and tell us how you feel your most recent visit with us was. We appreciate your honest feedback and strive to do all that we can for our patients and families.

By doing this, you’ll also be entered to win one of four prizes!

The survey is also offered in Spanish and Vietnamese.