Wth experts predicting an early-starting, longer-lasting allergy season, here are some tips for helping your kids – and you – cut down on the discomfort:
- Keep windows closed to keep pollen outside.
- Make sure your child washes every night so he doesn’t sleep in the pollen on his hair and skin.
- Keep pets out of sleeping areas
- Reduce the amount of carpeting in the house.
- Encase pillows and mattresses in dustproof covers
- Declutter – limit knick-knacks, keep stuffed animals out of the bedroom
- Reduce moisture to reduce mold; keep humidity under 50 percent
- Don’t hang laundry to dry outside
- Wash hats and jackets more frequently during allergy season
- Limit outside playtime to early morning, late afternoon and evenings during allergy season when pollen counts are lower
- Wash blankets, sheets and pillowcases in hot water (at least 130 degrees) once a week to kill dust mites. Use synthetic pillows, wash them monthly and replace yearly.
Sources: Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America; Dr. Robert Zuckerman; Dr. Jody Fausnight, Penn State Hershey's Division of Allergy and Immunology; www.askdrsears.com
WRITTEN BY YVONNE FEELEY, For PennLive.com