Managing Your Child's Allergies: 10 Questions with the Experts

Did you know that as many as 40 percent of American children are affected by allergies? This school year, cumulatively kids across America will miss over 2 million school days due to allergy symptoms. Classrooms and other indoor areas often harbor allergens like dust, mold and pet dander, while playgrounds and ball fields can contain outdoor allergens like pollen or ragweed. These allergy triggers make it difficult for many kids to focus, having an affect on their attention span and working memory. Recently, I had the opportunity to pic the brains of Dr. Paul M. Ehrlich and Parenting expert Maria T Bailey.

Dr Ehrlich is the associate chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Beth Israel Medical Center and clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine. He practices as an allergist, immunologist and pediatrician, specializing in pediatric asthma.

Maria T. Bailey is the founder and CEO of BlueSuitMom.com and Newbaby.com. A mother of four and former Fortune 100 executive, Maria hosts Mom a nationally syndicated radio show for moms called Mom Talk. She also hosts "The Balancing Act" on Lifetime TV and created Smart Mom Solutions, a product line that offers solutions to everyday challenges for busy moms. In addition, Maria has authored several books including "Trillion Dollar Moms: Marketing to a New Generation of Mothers" and "The Women's Home-Based Business Book of Answers." Maria has been a media resource for outlets such as the BBC, CNBC, World News Tonight and CNN MONEY. Her media features include USA Today, Self, Smart Money, O, The Oprah Magazine and Woman's Day. Her own children are allergy sufferers. This is what Dr Ehrlich and Maria T Bailey had to say on the matter:

Tiffany: Besides common allergy symptoms, such as sinus irritations, and skin irritations, what other sorts of symptoms should parents watch out for in their children to determine whether they should be concerned that a symptom might be an allergic reaction?