| Wednesday , September 29, 1999 |
Some consider spring and summer to be the worst months for allergies. The rebirth of flowers, grass and foliage spread pollen thinly over everything, causing people with allergies to suffer for weeks. It may come as a surprise, however, that the biggest bully this fall will be grass and ragweed. These culprits keep people sneezing, sniffling and coughing and worst of all ragweeds and grass counts are most severe in the beginning of the fall. Summer vacations have ended, parents go back to work and children return to school. The effects can be quite harsh on the children with allergies. In a new survey of allergic children ages 6-13, children say their allergies affect their studies. In fact, 29 percent of allergic children said they have not done well on a test due to the symptoms of fall allergies. The survey also found that 22 percent of allergic children report that their allergies make them feel left out, causing them to be jealous of their peers. One in five allergic children said they had missed a school trip or had problems completing their homework due to allergies. Seventy percent of the allergic kids taking the survey said they were restricted from participating in recreational activities because of nasal allergies, and nearly half said they had social problems such as the inability to make friends. The symptoms plague the adults as well, but typically they push through and blame the common cold. The effects can often be similar to what the allergic children go through at school. It can be harder to concentrate, work can be missed, and the symptoms of allergies can exclude people from activities. Dr. Kevin Schaffer, allergist from the Allergy and Asthma Clinical Research Center, has found that there is a significant increase in the symptoms beginning toward the end of September. It is recommended that both parents and children speak with their doctors about how to treat and prevent ragweed allergies. Fall should be a season of fun, not suffering.
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