Today was quite warm with a high temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. It is heartening to think that spring is just around the corner.
However, this time of year when the weather starts to warm up is also the season of hay fever.... My 10-year-old son has severe hay fever and I really feel sorry for him. He took over-the-counter medicine for about a week, but his symptoms did not improve, so yesterday we went to the hospital to have him prescribed medicine: a month's supply of oral medicine, eye drops, and nasal drops.
I am considering sublingual immunotherapy because I feel too sorry for him every year. Sublingual immunotherapy is a treatment that weakens allergic reactions by gradually absorbing allergens into the body. I heard that we have to take medicine every day for about three years, but if that will cure my hay fever, we should try it. I know that Yuzo Kano of bitFlyer also Tweeted that his hay fever was cured by sublingual immunotherapy. I checked with the hospital counter and there is no co-payment of medical expenses for children as it is covered by insurance.
This treatment cannot be started during the pollen season and will be able to started in late May. I'm sure we'll forget how painful hay fever can be by that time... but this year I'm definitely going to get him the treatment!
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今日は最高気温21℃とかなり暖かい日でした。多分もう、このまま春に向かうのだろうなと思うと心が弾みます。
ただ暖かくなり始めるこの時期というのは、花粉症の季節でもあり…。うちでは10歳の長男の症状がかなり酷く、もう気の毒になるレベルです。市販薬を一週間ほど飲みましたが改善しないので、昨日は病院に行って薬を処方してもらいました。1ヶ月分の飲み薬と点眼薬、点鼻薬がでました。
毎年これでは流石に可哀想過ぎるので、舌下免疫療法での治療を考えています。舌下免疫療法とは、アレルゲンを少しずつ体内に吸収させることで、アレルギー反応を弱めていく治療法です。3年ほど毎日薬を飲まなければならないらしいですが、それで花粉症が治るならやるべきなのかも。集中力は落ちるし、夜も何度も目が醒めるし、あんまりなので。。。bitFlyerの加納裕三さんも、舌下免疫療法で花粉症が治ったとTweetされていましたよね。病院の窓口で確認しましたが、保険適用となるため子どもの場合医療費の自己負担はありません。
この治療、花粉が飛んでいる時期に始めることはできず、5月の下旬からとなるそうです。その時期になると花粉症のつらさを忘れしまっているような気もしますが・・・今年は絶対に治療を受けさせようと思います！