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 percent to 80 percent chance of developing allergies, Stallworth noted. The risk drops to 40 percent 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.
SOURCE: MCGHealth, news release, March 2009
