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Common Cold or Seasonal Allergies : How to Tell the Difference
Pollen counts are usually higher in the morning and on warm , dry , breezy days . They ’ re often lowest when it ’ s chilly and wet outside . When mold or pollen counts are high , plan to have indoor play time . And if you need to go outside , have your child take allergy medication before venturing out .
During spring , many weather services monitor pollen and mold spore levels — check out local news stations ’ websites or broadcasts , or look to weather sites or apps . You can also go to www . weather . com to look at current levels of mold spores , grass pollen , tree pollen , and weed pollen .
3 . Get the allergens out ! Just like peanuts should be kept away from kids who are allergic to them , seasonal allergies should be treated the same way . Start by trying to get the allergen ( s ) out of your house :
• Run the air conditioner if possible ( to remove excess air moisture , filter out pollens from the outside , and provide air circulation throughout your home ), and make sure to clean out air conditioner filters once a month
• Close windows and doors during pollen season to keep allergens from coming in
• Have kids change clothes or bathe after playing outside so as not to bring any allergens inside
• Let kids with seasonal allergies skip mowing the lawn or weed whacking
Allergens also need to be removed from the body , which is easier said than done . When we breathe in air with pollen or ragweed in it , it stays in our noses until it ’ s removed . So if your child breathed in pollen and is allergic , the allergen is sitting
in the nasal passages , continuing to cause problems . Kids need to blow their noses regularly and thoroughly to clear out allergens .
Some people like to use a neti pot or nasal wash , which are nasal irrigation methods that “ flush ” out the nose with saline water and take the allergens with it . Just be sure to follow all directions for proper use and cleaning , and talk to your child ’ s doctor to make sure these products are appropriate for your child .
4 . Treat the symptoms . Even with these preventative methods , your child will probably still be affected by seasonal allergies , but the symptoms can be treated .
If allergies are left untreated , your child can experience chronic nasal congestion , sleep apnea ( periods of paused breathing during sleep ), asthma , and a higher susceptibility to respiratory infections such as bronchitis .
If reducing exposure doesn ’ t do much or isn ’ t possible , medicines like decongestants , antihistamines and nasal spray steroids can help relieve allergy symptoms . In some cases , doctors may recommend allergy shots ( this is called “ immunotherapy ”) when control measures and medications don ’ t work .
LEARN MORE
For more information about seasonal allergies , talk to your child ’ s primary care doctor , and check out these articles from Nemours ’ KidsHealth :
• Seasonal Allergies ( Hay Fever )
• All About Allergies
• Environmental Control Measures
• Learning About Allergies ( for Kids )
• Allergies ( for Teens )
• Common Cold
Visit blog . Nemours . org to learn more about common ( and not-so-common ) health issues facing kids and parents .
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