It’s finally spring in DC!  Though it seemed winter would never end, the cherry blossoms are out, birds are chirping, and allergy season is in full swing!  While I love this city, the annual sneezing, watery eyes, and never ending cough so many people experience this time of year can be frustrating.  We end up seeing lots of kids in the office whose parents are out of ideas on how to get their allergy symptoms under control.  Here are a few simple tips we can all do to minimize our kids’ achoo’s while enjoying the long awaited sunshine and warm weather.

 

Don’t get too up-close and personal with allergens.   This does not mean you are stuck indoors; we just need to be smart about it.  If your child is especially prone to seasonal allergies, keep the house as pollen free as possible by keeping windows closed and having everyone wash up after playing outside.   You may want to avoid going outside on particularly high pollen count days.

Scrub a dub dub.  Besides washing up after playing outside, kids should bathe and wash their hair nightly.  Many of my patients say their symptoms are worse overnight which makes perfect sense if they are rolling around in pollen from their hair the whole time.  If you can’t get your kids clean before bedtime, change the sheets the next day.  Overall, try to keep the bedroom as allergen free as possible to guarantee a restful sleep.

 

Medicate.  Even with our best effort to minimize allergen exposure, sometimes medicine is needed to finally control your symptoms.  There are many over-the-counter remedies – antihistamine chewables, liquids or pills; nose sprays; and eye drops – that are safe to use for children.  Always ask your physician what medication and dose is appropriate for your little one.  These medications actually work best if you start taking them before allergy symptoms kick in.  Many kids need to start on their allergy medication regimen by March in order to be ready in time for the spring pollen season.  If you haven’t started your children on their allergy medication yet, though, it’s not too late to get some benefit from it.

 

See a doctor.  Your pediatrician is always a valuable resource when it comes to helping your child feel better.  Sometimes an allergist is also recommended – a specialist who can help figure out specifically what is triggering your child’s symptoms.  This can be especially helpful for kids who still cannot get relief after doing all of the above steps.

            

Happy Spring!