Our Top Tips to Help Your Child Nip Those Springtime Allergies in the Bud

As pediatric allergy specialists, our team at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics in Rockville, Maryland, is ramping up for spring allergy symptoms, and we want to help your young ones avoid as much misery as possible. Hay fever is one of the most common forms of allergy in the United States, and the outpouring of new pollen is a trigger for many kids with allergies. 

In Maryland, the heavy springtime pollen producers are trees: ash, hickory, maple, and oak. Of course, we also share plenty of other pollen allergens with the rest of the country, such as grasses and weeds. Bermuda grass and weeds like amaranth, orache, sagebrush, and wormwood are the usual non-tree culprits in the Rockville and Baltimore areas. 

To aid you get through the sneeze season, we’ve compiled our top tips to help your child nip those springtime allergies in the bud. Some of these are likely on your list already and a few may be new to you. Either way, let’s hope they can help your young one breathe easier this spring. 

Reduce exposure

If allergens can’t get to your child, symptoms won’t start. It’s a simple idea, but it’s also one that’s hard to put into practice. Life won’t stop for hay fever season, so at best you can only try to minimize exposure to seasonal allergens. Days that are both dry and windy have the potential to carry the most airborne pollen. 

Track pollen counts in your area with the goal of keeping your child indoors when possible on the days of highest pollen activity. As well as pollen counts for the day, know that pollen activity tends to peak between 10am and 4pm. On high-pollen days, things like driving your child to and from school may help avoid a full-blown pollen attack. 

Control air quality

You have some control over the air quality in your home. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can be fitted on furnaces, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, and portable room air purifiers. These filters trap particles of pollen size, so they can remove the tiny offenders from inside your home. 

Keep your windows closed through hay fever season, using heat or air conditioning as needed. Think about traffic into your house. If it’s practical, keep shoes and outerwear contained, such as in the garage or a mudroom that you can isolate from your living space. 

Think about finishing laundry in the dryer if you’re usually a clothesline person, and don’t forget your four-footed family members. Wipe down their fur if they have inside and outside privileges. 

Confirming your child’s sensitivities through allergy testing can better focus your efforts. Consider a visit to Abdow Friendship Pediatrics for allergen testing, the first step in immunotherapy, more commonly known as allergy shots. Immunotherapy works by exposing your child’s system to tiny quantities of known allergens. Over time, they develop a tolerance, keeping allergic reactions to a minimum. 

Contact our office by phone or online to schedule an appointment for your child. We’re standing by to help you through the springtime allergy season, so book today.