Rhinite allergique chez l’enfant

Abstract

Allergic rhinitis has for a long time been considered to be a relatively minor allergic symptom, much less important than anaphylaxis and asthma. Its true frequency was unknown. Its management remained empiric. Its association with asthma was not clearly determined, although concerning adults, this association was rather well-known. A number of studies in children have now made more certain the association between asthma and allergic rhinitis, the impact of rhinitis on the child's quality of life, and the significance of allergic rhinitis in the natural history of allergy and asthma. This review will cover some current aspects of allergic rhinitis: its association with asthma and food allergy, quantification of atopy, and its impact on daily life. It leads to recommendations for everyday practice of allergy in pediatrics. Given that allergic rhinitis probably begins earlier and earlier, children with this condition need to be followed closely and, if necessary, have their allergy tests repeated. Specific immunotherapy certainly merits to be used more frequently.