Tips for Navigating Your Child’s Seasonal Allergies

If your child deals with persistent sniffles and congestion caused by seasonal allergies, they’re far from alone. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 children in the United States are affected by seasonal allergies yearly.

Rosa Taveras-Delgado, MD, an AdventHealth pediatrician in Land O’ Lakes, is sharing some expert tips on how to help keep your child feeling well despite seasonal allergies.

What Are Seasonal Allergies?

Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system overreacts and identifies certain substances — such as tree pollen, grass or weeds — as a threat. This unwanted reaction is actually your body’s defense mechanism.

Seasonal allergy symptoms can include:

• Congestion
• Coughing
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Scratchy throat
• Sneezing

“Your child’s level of allergen exposure can directly impact the symptoms they experience and the severity,” shares Dr. Taveras-Delgado.

Since children are generally more likely to get sick, it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether or not their symptoms are allergy-related. “If you’re unsure whether your child’s symptoms are caused by seasonal allergies, a cold or something more serious, as pediatricians, we can work with you to find answers,” says Dr. Taveras-Delgado.

Common Seasonal Allergy Triggers

It’s often thought that seasonal allergies are primarily an issue during the spring when everything is newly blooming. While spring allergies — also known as hay fever — are common, seasonal allergies can affect children and adults year-round. This is known as perennial allergies. It’s important to identify what triggers your child’s allergies to help you be prepared when allergy season rolls around.

Spring

Pollination is at its peak in the northern hemisphere during the spring when the air is damp, the flowers are blooming and the grass begins to grow once again. Common spring allergens include:

• Grass: Grass pollen is one of the most common allergens in the late spring.
• Mold: Spring is a heavy rain season in many parts of the country. The damp environment can lead to mold growth outdoors and in your home.
• Tree and flower pollen: Birch, cedar, cottonwood, maple, oat and walnut trees are just a few common spring pollen culprits that tend to trigger allergies. Find out what trees and flowers are native to your area, and then work with your doctor to determine specific potential allergens.

Summer

Seasonal allergies can continue throughout the summer, as many of the same triggers remain. Summer allergies can include:

• Dust mites: People with an allergy to dust mites may experience symptoms year-round. However, the summer and early fall months (when humidity is high) are the peak dust mite season.
• Fruits and vegetables: The abundance of fresh summer produce is well-welcomed each year, but if your child is allergic to certain pollens, they may also experience an itchy mouth or throat when eating produce from the same pollen family.
• Flowers, grass and weeds: Allergic reactions to grass and other greenery can continue throughout summer and into fall.
• Smog: Summer air pollution may worsen seasonal allergy symptoms.

Fall

Ragweed is the biggest allergen concern during the fall months. Even if it doesn’t grow in your area of the country, you may still find your child experiencing symptoms from ragweed exposure, as ragweed pollen can travel for hundreds of miles via the wind. “Interestingly, people with a ragweed allergy may also experience symptoms when eating certain fruits and vegetables, including bananas, melons and zucchini,” explains Dr. Taveras-Delgado.

In addition to ragweed, dust mites and mold reactions continue into the fall months.

Winter

While less common, it’s possible to still have allergies in the winter months. Indoor allergens, like dust mites, mold and pet dander, are the most common winter allergen culprits. “Some people also react to pine trees and wreaths, which is especially important to remember during the Christmas season, when many people bring evergreen wreaths and trees indoors,” explains Dr. Taveras-Delgado.

Seasonal Allergy Treatment Options

To get to the root cause of your child’s allergens, their pediatrician may recommend skin tests and blood tests to find definitive answers.

Once you know the cause behind your child’s allergens, here are some steps you can take to minimize your child’s exposure to seasonal allergens:

• Avoid driving with the car windows down.
• Check weather reports online or use a weather app on your phone to monitor up-to-date and accurate mold and pollen counts in your area.
• Have your child shower, wash their hair and change their clothes right after prolonged periods outdoors.
• Keep indoor air dry by using a dehumidifier.
• Keep the doors and windows of your home shut during allergy season.
• Stay indoors when symptoms are at their worst.

Avoiding allergens is important, but understandably, it can be tough to avoid an allergen like pollen or grass entirely. Thankfully, additional treatment options are available to help relieve your child’s allergy-related sniffles.

“If your child is dealing with persistent seasonal allergies, their pediatrician may suggest over-the-counter or prescription medications and treatments to help manage their symptoms,” says Dr. Taveras-Delgado.

Seasonal allergy treatments may include:

• Corticosteroid nasal sprays
• Oral antihistamines
• Nasal irrigation

“If over-the-counter and prescription options don’t provide your child with symptom relief, their pediatrician may recommend allergen immunotherapy, which is done at an allergist’s office,” says Dr. Taveras-Delgado. “This treatment works by exposing your child to very small amounts of their allergen with the goal of desensitizing your child’s immune system to this specific allergen, reducing the reaction that causes symptoms.”

The Whole-Person Care Your Child Deserves

Finding relief from seasonal allergies can be a long-term endeavor. If you’re looking for guidance on your child’s seasonal allergies, Dr. Taveras-Delgado can help. Together, we’ll help your child feel like their best self, no matter the season.