Breathe Easier Knowing Spring's Pollen Triggers

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SUNDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Spring can be challenging if your child is one of the more than 35 million Americans with hay fever. But a bit of preparation can help the youngster enjoy being outside, one expert says.

This involves three steps, explained Dr. Clay Stallworth, a pediatrician with MCG Pediatric Primary Care Associates and MCGHealth Children's Medical Center in Augusta, Ga.:

• Know if your child has allergies and what causes them.
• Find out when plant pollination will occur.
• Begin treatments before symptoms appear.

Allergies tend to run in families. If both parents have allergies, their children have a 75% to 80% chance of developing allergies, Stallworth noted. The risk drops to 40% if one parent is allergic. Children usually develop seasonal allergies at 5 to 6 years old, but they can develop them at any age, even as adults, he added.

Signs of allergies include:

• Sneezing more often than usual
• Eyes that continually water
• Cold symptoms that last more than 10 days without fever
• Repeated ear and sinus infections
• Prolonged loss of smell or taste
• Frequent throat clearing or hoarseness
• Persistent coughing

The best way to prevent allergies is to limit exposure, and Stallworth outlined some ways to do that:

• Schedule outdoor activities for late afternoon or after a heavy rainfall, when pollen levels are lower. Pollen index levels fluctuate from day to day, but you can find out what they are by checking local weather reports.
• Close windows and doors and use air conditioning instead of window fans. Air conditioning helps filter out pollen particles.
• When landscaping, choose plants that don't aggravate allergies.
• Don't mow lawns or rake leaves when children are outside because these chores can stir up pollen.
• Don't hang clothes or sheets outdoors to dry because they'll pick up pollen that will be brought indoors. Pollen can also be brought indoors by people or pets.

-- Robert Preidt

SOURCE: MCGHealth, news release, March 2009

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