Early spring brings a seesaw of weather. There are days that are gray, wet, and cool. And then there are days where the sunshine warms your cheeks pink and you’re digging out the short sleeves and shorts. Sometimes one of those extremes is sandwiched between two of the others.
As the sun sets later and later with each passing day, the way we pass our non-school and work hours shifts to more outdoor-related activity. With the change in the way we spend our time, of course, comes a shift in some of the things we need to keep an eye out for as an allergy parent.
Seasonal Allergies
If environmental allergies are on your family’s list, now is a good time to review your seasonal allergy management plans with your board-certified allergist. Pollen counts are rising. Mold and mildew are peaking as the snow and ice melt away and create more damp spaces for peak allergen counts. Grass is starting to grow again – which means that grass is being cut again. If any of these things cause allergic responses for you or your family, work with your doctor to develop a plan that helps mitigate the impact of symptoms.
If you’ve got an air purifier in the house (and if not, ask your doctor if it’s worth considering), now is the time to make sure the filters are clean and the device is in use. It may be tempting to open up the windows and let the warm spring breeze gently waft in, but you may want to skip that spring tradition if the pollen that will waft in is going to cause your eyes to water and itch and your nose to run. Consider showering before bed, changing your sheets more frequently, and getting a hand keeping up with dusting to keep your seasonal environmental allergies in check.
Hidden Food Allergens
Food allergies can be tricky for a lot of reasons. One of those is that food allergens can be part of non-food items unexpectedly. For example, that mulch about to go down in your flower beds? Sure, it can help lower the soil temperature, retain moisture longer, and keep weeds at bay. It may also, however, contain peanut hulls or tree nut shells. You may need to do a little extra work to find a mix that will be safe for the nut/peanut allergic folk that will be digging in or playing around your mulched garden spaces. Chalking up the sidewalk? Double check the label before you start. Some dustless chalks can contain casein and may not be suitable for milk-allergic individuals.
Read Before You Apply
Applying sunscreen? Read the labels carefully before you do. Some brands include nut oils and soy in their formulas. Topical application of your allergens can trigger a skin response – and if you were to get any in your mouth, nose, or eyes, it could lead to a more serious reaction.
Remember, the FDA labeling laws only apply to pre-packed foods. Your allergens don’t have to be clearly called out on products like this. Take the time to familiarize yourself with some of the potential terms you’ll want to avoid and scan the ingredient list carefully. This chart from FARE can be helpful: Tips For Avoiding Your Allergen.
Watch Your Epinephrine
First, it bears repeating, if your allergist has prescribed epinephrine for emergency use, it should be with you at all times. If you’re heading out to walk the dog or ride your bike or chase the kids around the park, your autoinjector or nasal spray of epinephrine should be with you. Always. It also bears repeating, however, that epinephrine is sensitive to extreme temperatures.
The newer devices like the Neffy nasal spray are more heat-stable than traditional autoinjectors like EpiPen and AuviQ. However, it should still be protected from extreme heat. In other words, don’t ever leave it in a car. Not only does that make it hard to access when you need it in an emergency, it also creates the risk of extreme temperature exposure for a heat-sensitive drug.
Keep your epinephrine out of direct sunlight and consider using the same sort of temperature moderating packs used by those who carry insulin to help keep your device at a moderate temperature when you’ll be outdoors in heat for a prolonged period of time.
