Back to School Allergy Tips for Moms

Post brought to you by Children's Claritin.  Photo by sxc.hu/Avolore 

Summer has gone; the kids are back to school and, if your family is like mine, fall allergies are rearing their ugly heads.  As a mom with two seasonal allergy sufferers, we battle stuffy noses, coughs, asthma, itchy watery eyes, and headaches from October through June.  As a member of the Claritin Mom Crew, I received some great Back to School Allergy tips from Children's Claritin that were just too valuable not to share!   

Keep your child’s immune system strong.  Multi-vitamins are building blocks to having a strong immune system. Make taking a multi-vitamin part of your child’s daily routine.  My daughters prefer sour gummy vitamins--and take these as part of their morning chore chart list!

Keep allergy medications on hand.  Be sure to have Children’s Claritin, the #1 pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy allergy brand, on hand.  If your child’s seasonal allergies are being treated by a pediatrician, discuss the use of Children’s Claritin to supplement other medications in the treatment plan. 

Let the sunlight in.  Mold doesn't like sunlight, so try to keep your curtains open during the day. While this is easy during the summer months--sometimes we try to block out the outdoor blahs with dark rooms.  Try to keep at least a little natural light flowing in during winter!

Watch out for those pillows--and stuffed animals. Did you know that most pillows trap allergens, dust mites, and bacteria? Monitor the cleanliness of the pillow your child with allergies sleeps on and replace if necessary.  Also avoid stuffed animals, especially in beds, as they are dust magnets too.  

Battle laundry room mold.  Back to school season means lots of laundry for many moms. Be sure to remove laundry from the washing machine promptly. Allowing wet clothes to sit in the washer means mold can quickly grow there.  

Consider outdoor allergens when planning extracurricular activities.  Monitor pollen counts and adjust outdoor before and after school activities accordingly. Dry, windy days can be particularly high in pollen.  We typically allowed our oldest to play outdoor sports in the spring--and our youngest to play in the fall since their seasonal allergens were worse at different times of the year.  Family outings, especially in the spring, are adjusted as needed depending on the pollen counts--we take shorter outings or avoid areas loaded with certain plants or trees to ease our youngest daughter’s breathing.

Practice strategic showering.  Showering or bathing at the end of the day as opposed to the morning can be helpful in removing allergens from body surfaces and hair.  We have even been known to add an extra shower after outdoor activities during high allergen times.

Stay hydrated! Always send your child to school with a bottle of water. Drinking lots of clear fluids through the day can help get rid of toxins and flush out the body.  Some teachers prefer that children bring individual water bottles rather than permit trips to the water fountain.

Limit early morning activities during allergy seasons.  Peak pollen production typically occurs in early morning, so try to plan outside activities at other times of the day.  My daughter’s school schedules weekly, afternoon nature walks--and they seem to work so much better for her during her peak allergy times.

Talk to your child’s teacher.  This is one of my personal, must-do-every-year tips for parents of seasonal allergen sufferers.   My youngest daughter has mild fall and severe spring seasonal allergy flare-ups--complete with red, itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, and an asthmatic cough.  She also has frequent migraines which are often scent (like air fresheners or cleaning supplies) or allergen caused.  At the beginning of every school year, we discuss her personal allergy concerns--and our teachers are always willing to swap out heavy, floral air fresheners for neutral deodorizers or allow her table to use unscented wipes for clean-up.  We also make sure to give her teachers a “heads up” if we are expecting itchy, pink eyes or asthmatic coughs and we make sure that up to date medications are on hand in the school clinic!

My husband and I are allergy free--so learning to deal with two allergy-stricken kiddos took some trial and error!  These tips have worked for our family--and hopefully, they can make your allergy season a little more bearable!

Note:  As a member of the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.

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