AHN’s Pediatric Institute Provides Guidance for Families as Spring Allergy Season Approaches

Allergy symptoms can impact quality of life, student grades for school-age kids

PITTSBURGH - "Ahhh-choo!" It's something you start to hear more this time of year. The season of sneezing, itchy watery eyes and scratchy throats is upon us.

And for many families across the region, kids are often hit the hardest by spring allergy season - in more ways than one. A new clinical study just published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health linked exposure to high pollen levels to poorer performance on major end-of-year exams.

In the study, researchers analyzed test scores of more than 90,000 high school students between 2006 and 2020 and compared results with daily tree pollen counts. They found that even with modest pollen increases, measurable drops in standardized test scores were observed.

"When children suffer from severe allergies, or have seasonal allergies combined with asthmatic episodes, it can certainly impact their overall quality of life," said Russell Traister, MD, pediatric allergist and immunologist. "There are measures that families can incorporate into their daily routines, but it's also important to see a specialist if problems persist, or if a child has unique health challenges exacerbated by changes in the season."

Asthma impacts more than 6 million children across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes, making it harder for children to breathe, especially if they are triggered by environmental factors or overexert themselves.

Allergic asthma - inflammation of the airways caused by factors like tree pollen, ragweed or dust mites - is the most common type of asthma in pediatric populations.

Allergy season continues to worsen year over year, according to a recent report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Pollen seasons now start 20 days earlier and last 10 days longer, compared to 30 years ago, and the amount of pollen released by trees appears to be higher with a stronger potency year over year.

If parents are concerned about asthmatic episodes this allergy season, Dr. Traister recommends speaking with their established pediatric care team to help ensure they have the proper relief and preventive medication on hand, especially as activities begin to transition outdoors.

In addition, Dr. Traister provides the following tips:

• Minimize kids' exposure: For seasonal allergies in severe cases, sometimes the best course of action is to stay indoors and minimize exposure to outdoor allergens; simple things like keeping windows closed at home or in the car can make a noticeable difference.
  
• Wipe off before coming back indoors: After children are finished playing outdoors, have them change their clothes and wipe their faces, hands and legs to minimize outdoor pollen making its way inside the home. This also goes for pets that track in pollen and mold spores.
  
• Over-the-counter medications: The first line of allergy management is over-the-counter antihistamines, which can be taken once daily for moderate symptoms and twice daily for more severe symptoms in consultation with your pediatrician. Non-drowsy antihistamines like Claritin or Zyrtec can be recommended safely for children, in addition to a nasal spray like Flonase.
  
• Specialist visit: If it's unclear whether a child truly has allergies, or if the child's symptoms persist despite medication, a visit to a pediatric allergist may be warranted. The allergist may consider immunotherapy - allergy shots - to reduce symptoms and decrease the need for daily medication.

Dr. Traister is one of the only pediatric allergists in western Pennsylvania who utilizes "rush" immunotherapy regimen, which allows qualifying children to reach their maintenance dose of immunotherapy in as little as 2.5 months, as opposed to a normal span of 6 months, making it easier and more convenient for the entire family.

"It's been a harsh winter, so we expect children will be eager to spend more time outdoors, which is fantastic," said Dr. Traister. "What's important is that we as parents and clinicians do our best to help them enjoy the warmer weather and not let bothersome allergies hinder their plans."

Dr. Traister sees both adults and pediatric patients for seasonal allergies; to make an appointment with Dr. Traister or another AHN allergist, call 412-DOCTORS.

To learn more about AHN allergy and immunology services, visit www.ahn.org/allergy-immunology.