Q&A: What can I give my baby for his allergies?

Allergic rhinitis, or what people refer to as "allergies," is not unheard of in toddlers, but is much, much less common than the runny nose of a common cold. Though it sounds incredible, the average toddler has three-to-nine colds each year. Since most of these colds cluster in the winter months, back-to-back colds, lasting a week each, can seem like one long period of runniness. These common infections usually don't start before six months. Has it mostly been the last year where his nose runs non-stop?

Anyway, back to your question. Claritin is technically still for children six and older. A product called Zyrtec is approved for children as young as two years, but I would want to test a child such as yours for allergies first, knowing the odds are good that he is having many upper respiratory infections instead.