It's been a rough couple of weeks for Hunter Johnson, with sinus and ear infections.

Hunter says, "My throat has been hurting. I've had headaches. I've been coughing a lot."

Mom, Lesley, wondered if there was something else behind it. Lesley is an allergy sufferer.

Dr. Mikuls says instead of wondering, parents should look for some signs. If a child has a fever and is just sick for a few days, that's likely viral. If it's a chronic condition, with itchy eyes, nose and throat, it's probably allergies.

Over-the-counter medicine like Claritin and Zyrtec is a good first option but different children will have different reactions.

Dr. Mikuls says, "The story is Claritin and Zyrtec are non-sedating but definitely have people who are tired with those. Conversely, Benadryl , one is enough to put adults to sleep, make it dangerous to drive. Some children aren't bothered at all. All depends on the person."

That's a trial-and-error process that Hunter Johnson didn't have to go through. Dr. Mikuls says allergies were not to blame. That was good news for the third-grader and for his mom who knows all about seasonal misery.

Lesley says, "It's just, you don't want winter to be here, but then you don't have those issues."

There are two other things to try with children: saline nose spray. It's available over the counter and washes out allergens. Showering after being outside also helps.