This time of year finds me stocking meds and tissues for my non-asthmatic kindergartener, and two words will tell you why:
Allergy season.
Spring comes to north Florida a whole lot sooner than the rest of the country and today, for example, the high will reach 68 degrees. We’ve still got a few weeks of temperatures fluctuating between the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, but fine yellow dust already covers my windshield every morning.
The pollen’s back, and it’s only going to get worse.
I’m one of very few parents that welcomes hay fever season for my asthma kid’s sake. With no allergies except the very common and easily avoidable dust mite one, AG generally makes it through spring unscathed. Oh, sure, she catches the occasional late-season virus or case of strep that makes her asthma flare up, but her system laughs in the face of pollen. The switch from winter to spring doesn’t challenge her health, either–that particular trigger only works in reverse on her, from summer to fall and fall to winter. I don’t mean to imply AG never flares in the warmer months–of course she does–but once we hit full-on mild weather in a month or so, she’ll breathe a whole lot easier. And so will I.
On the other hand, her sister’s nose has already started running. My 6 year-old is the very picture of an allergic kid. She gets the whole deal this time of year. The watery eyes, the bags under her eyes, the ever-constant runny nose, and the ear infections. Basically, she walks around miserable until the pollen settles, so my health focus shifts to her. Soon, she’ll start daily nasal washes and when it gets really bad, an antihistamine. She’s usually good for a couple of doctor visits during the spring, too.
I know you’re probably still shoveling snow and scraping ice, but my mind has turned to pollen.
I can’t keep my allergic kid from playing outside during this season’s gorgeous weather and I don’t really want to, either, but I do try to keep the pollen load down inside. Here are some ways to do that:
Shut the windows.
Allergy and asthma websites recommend running the A/C rather than opening windows in spring, but I hate keeping my windows shut to beautiful weather. I compromise by running the A/C every couple of days as a filtering system and keeping furniture well dusted and floors mopped. If my little one just can’t catch a break with her symptoms, though, I shut the house up until she feels better. I’d imagine that the worse your allergies are or the more severe your allergy-induced flares are, you’d want to follow this guideline pretty closely.
Limit clothesline use.
If you dry clothes or bedding outside, on the highest pollen count days, opt for your dryer instead. Hanging clothes outside to dry in the springtime will saturate them with pollen.
Take nighttime showers.
Showering and washing your hair when you come inside for the night keeps the pollen from rubbing off you and onto your bed, where it can trigger nighttime flares. This is one guideline I follow without fail. Kindergarteners are pretty dirty at the end of the day.
Stay inside until after 10:00 a.m.
Plants release their pollen in the early morning, so you’re better off going for a run or heading to the park in the afternoon rather than the morning.
Know any more tips? Help an Asthma Mom out, and share them below.
Hey, long time reader – found you on Reuters. I don’t know anything about asthma, but I find asthma websites are the best source of information for my son’s allergies. I figure, asthmatics are so much more sensitive, they take their allergies more seriously.
I get tired of being told ‘just give him some Clearatin.’ I would like to add a tip for people if budget allows. Air filters. Not the ones that cost megabucks from Brookstone. An inexpensive hepa filtered one from Walmart will make a big difference in your ability to keep the windows open in great weather.
But even the ‘whisper quiet’ ones can be annoying if they are really inexpensive. During the day, the noise is less noticeable than at night. Keep up the great work!
I count my blessings each day that I do not have allergies. Most people think they go hand in hand but not always. I’m so sorry for your daughter. How awful.
I know nasal washes work, but they sound dreadful.
Thanks, AllergyDad–I’m on the fence with air filters. Most of the information I’ve read seems to indicate they’re not anymore efficient that buying one of the better filters for the A/C output…I can see how maybe it would help with the pollen at nighttime, though. Hmm, something to think about.
Big AG,
She’s a little trooper, though, and we keep the desaloratadine close at hand. It’s the only thing that helps her without bothering her stomach. I L-O-V-E it, but the co-pay sure could be better.
We’ve got a little of everything in this house–hay fever, eczema, skin allergies, asthma–BUT no food allergies, and I’m grateful for that.
Hey guess what – it looks like I might be an asthma girl too … who’d have thought?
I went to the allergist yesterday figuring it would be useful to know about environmental allergies, since I know I have a couple (cats, ragweed, probably mold). Turns out I’m allergic to those plus a whole bunch of other things, which haven’t really been bothering me. As long as they aren’t affecting my quality of life I’m not worried, but at least I know I’m sensitized to them so I have more information if it becomes a problem. It was quite a surprise to hear the doc say I am “very allergic” since I don’t consider myself to be at all!
My baby had a cold in the last 2 weeks and I’ve been running on broken sleep, etc. and coughing alot at night … plus my upper airways feeling kind of heavy. Sleeping propped up and taking a cough candy was helpful but didn’t eradicate the problem. I saw a nurse practitioner at my GP’s and she listened to my lungs, but said it didn’t really sound like much beyond needing extra sleep. When I mentioned to the allergist, she said it could well be a very mild asthma thing and she gave me a trial dry powder inhaler. (some of my enviro allergies, like cockroach, are a strong link to asthma risk). Well I tried the inhaler last night and it worked – no coughing & a good night sleep. Hmm.
I don’t think I’d have considered mentioning it before dealing with my son’s possible asthma, researching, and finding your site, Amy! Thank you!
It *could* be the natural progression of the cold, as my daughter recently stopped coughing. It could be that my allergist is a “hammer” and everything is a nail (ie. she is much more likely to suspect asthma and perhaps over-reacts). On the other hand, we coudl be onto something here.
I took a dose this afternoon but I think tonight I won’t take it, and just see what happens. If I wake up coughing – htere’s more evidence for the asthma side.
I’d never, ever have thought I could have asthma. I guess that’s why I didn’t think much of my DS coughing after a cold, becasue it’s “normal” for me too. The regular health practicioners (GP – I have a great GP) never flagged it. Being so much more aware for my son, and having access to a more specialist doc, may end up making a big difference for my health too, down the road.
Who’d have thought ???
Sorry this is so long!
Andie
First of all, I’m so glad–not that you may have asthma, but that my site helped you.
Second, it’s interesting that you mention how your son’s cough seemed normal because you have it, too. That’s just like why it took ME so long to realize AG’s health was poor. I don’t have asthma, of course, but she was my first baby and I was very young–I simply had no idea that EVERY parent didn’t end up in the ER frequently for babies. I know how that sounds, believe me, but I hadn’t ever been around babies much, lol.
Also, the trial you’re giving yourself is pretty much the way AG’s asthma was diagnosed. Before she ever saw a ped. pulmo, the ped. basically said, “Look, if the albuterol helps then she has asthma or something like asthma. If she doesn’t outgrow the symptoms, then it’s asthma.”
Finally, can I just say how much I love the phrase “my allergist is a *hammer* and everything is a nail.” That’s just extremely awesome.
Glad to see you back, Andie, and keep us posted, ok?
I don’t understand where all this yellow pollen was 40 years ago. I live in the south and every spring everything and I mean everything is completely covered with the stuff. Don’t even think about wearing lipstick when you go cause it’s just a magnet for the stuff and it’s not very tasty. What happened in these last 3 or 4 decades? What changed? I know it was not like this when I was a child.