Fighting with your children over their homework is a time-honored tradition, one that can inspire you to pull out your hair. At the peak of your aggravation, you may even say sarcastically, "Are you allergic to homework?" Well, the truth is that they may be allergic to some components of their school assignments. If your child avoids hitting the books, their immune system may hold the answers. 

Books

With school budgets being what they are, your child may end up bringing home textbooks that have been used for years and sometimes stored in damp and humid rooms over the summer. As a result, their textbooks might contain mold, a truly unhealthy substance that can cause allergy symptoms and exacerbate existing respiratory problems. When your student tells you that their homework makes them sick, they might be telling the truth. Any child who doesn't feel well will not do their best work, and if the textbook makes breathing difficult or causes sneezing and coughing, they will avoid it. Check your child's older books for signs of mold, and if you find any, call your child's teacher and arrange for another copy. School systems have to buy a few new copies every year to replace lost volumes, so something can be arranged.

Computers

Some people can be allergic to computers, suffering from headaches and sinus congestion. These symptoms are different than those caused by computer frustration due to internet problems and malfunctioning hardware. When those problems occur, you may not want to be near your computer, but you aren't technically allergic to it. However, some people may be allergic to elements in their computer, including fire retardants. Also, some people may actually be allergic to the electromagnetic fields given off by computers. The issue is rare, but it is real. If your child always feels ill around the computer, they might actually be allergic to it. A good test is to see if they still want to play video games on their PC or notebook. If the problem is the computer, it will not be limited to homework time.

When your child tries to duck their homework, they probably just don't want to do their math or English. Before you jump to conclusions, do check to see if your student consistently feels ill when they do their assignments. If they seem to develop respiratory issues when they are reading Julius Caesar, allergies may be to blame. Consult with your child's doctor and teacher and see what steps you can take to improve this issue. For more information about allergies, contact a company like North Texas Allergy.