Playing in the great outdoors really is great. But when your kids scamper inside, make sure they wash their hands. Now that the winter viral season has receded, the big reason to wash hands is spring allergy season. The pollen they’ve collected on their hands will make its way to their face exacerbating already itchy noses and eyes.
The easiest way to tell if your young child is experiencing seasonal allergies is if your nose starts to twitch. If your child’s nose also starts to twitch, they probably also have allergies. Allergies have a strong inheritance pattern. If both parents have allergies, up to 50-80 percent of their kids may have allergies. Keep in mind, allergies never cause a fever and since children need to be exposed to an irritant before they can be allergic to it, children under two years of age are less likely to have seasonal allergies—not enough seasons have passed.
For other ways to keep spring allergies in check- read up on this post contributed by Dr. Lai in the CHOP Health TIp of the Week.
Another reason to wash hands after zipping indoors? Poison ivy…but that’s a story for another day.
Naline Lai, MD and Julie Kardos, MD
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