If your child has seasonal allergies---commonly called hay fever---you're probably used to him sneezing and sniffling through pollen season. But monitoring pollen counts from trees, grasses and weeds in your area will help you avoid the worst of it. Reducing exposure to allergens will reduce current symptoms, and prevent even worse attacks in the future.
Step 1
Go to Pollen.com for current pollen level monitoring in your area. Sign up for their Allergy Alert emails, which will send you two-day forecasts for your area every time the pollen counts hit moderate levels---the point where hay fever is often triggered. "Pollen counts measure how much pollen is in the air and can help people with allergies determine how bad their symptoms might be on any given day," says KidsHealth.org. It will vary based on the season, and the time of day. For instance, tree pollen season is in the spring, grass pollens are released during summer months, and autumn is ragweed season---but the exact beginnings and ends of these seasons vary by region. Typically tree pollen is worst in the early morning, summer grasses are at a peak in the afternoon and early evening, and ragweed is strongest mid-day, according to pediatrician Vincent Iannelli, M.D., F.A.A.P., president of KeepKidsHealthy.com. Also, pollen counts will be higher on warm, dry days and lower when it's wet and cold.
Step 2
Go to Weather.com, the official website of The Weather Channel, for a local PollenCast: daily pollen and mold counts and forecasts that are specific to your city or zip code. You can check the current counts and 3-day forecasts for trees, grass, and weed pollens, as well as mold spores, and look at a detailed history of counts in your area.
Step 3
Visit the National Allergy Bureau (NAB), a division of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology AAAAI.org/nab. Email alerts are available by signing up for its free My NAB service, which allows you to design your own home page with customized content. NAB is responsible for reporting current levels of pollen and mold spores to the public, and their information comes from a network of over 80 counting stations staffed by volunteers. Special equipment is used to collect samples of airborne pollen and spores, and then they're examined under the microscope. Some states have numerous stations, while others have only one, so depending how close you live to the city where the station is located, the report may be different from your home town.
Step 4
Close windows and doors, and keep your child inside when pollen counts are highest, relying on air conditioning instead of outdoor air. Be sure she especially avoids activities like mowing the lawn, which can exacerbate allergies. If she does go outside, change and wash her clothes when she comes home, and wash around her eyes with a washcloth to remove any pollen residue. You can also try nasal irrigation: putting saline solution in her nose with an eyedropper, neti pot or nasal spray to flush pollen out of her sinuses.
Step 5
See his pediatrician or an allergist if your child is still suffering despite careful avoidance of pollen. Common treatments a doctor might recommend include immunotherapy---allergy shots---as well as over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines, decongestants or topical steroids.
Things You'll Need
- Computer with internet connection
- Air conditioning
- Washcloth
- Saline solution or saline spray
- Neti pot or eyedropper
