The School Year Is Starting. So Is Allergy Season.

For many families, the first few weeks of school bring more than new teachers, homework, and packed lunches.

They bring sneezing, stuffy noses, itchy eyes, and the annual question:

“Is it allergies…or is my child getting sick?”

As a pediatric allergist, this is one of the busiest times of my year.

Why Allergies Get Worse When School Starts

The timing isn’t a coincidence.

Late summer and early fall are prime time for ragweed pollen, one of the most common causes of seasonal allergies in North America. At the same time, mold spores often increase outdoors, kids spend more time playing sports and at recess, and they’re suddenly sharing classrooms with dozens of other children.

The result? Lots of runny noses and it isn’t always because of a virus.

Unlike a cold, allergies usually cause:

• Sneezing

• An itchy nose or eyes

• Clear, watery nasal drainage

• Symptoms that persist for weeks rather than days

Start Early

One of the biggest mistakes I see is waiting until symptoms become miserable before treating them.

For many people, allergy medications work best when they’re started before symptoms are at their worst. If you know your child struggles every August or September, it’s worth talking with your healthcare provider about having a plan in place before school begins.

Don’t Forget the Basics

Medication isn’t the only tool.

Simple measures like showering after spending time outdoors, changing clothes after sports practice, and using saline to rinse away pollen and other irritants can help reduce the amount of allergen sitting in the nose.

Over time, those little habits can make a meaningful difference for some people.

Why I Became Interested in Clair

One reason I became involved with Clair is because I’ve always believed allergy care shouldn’t focus only on medication.

About two years before it launched, I had the opportunity to follow its development and eventually became an advisor and shareholder because I thought it offered an easier way for people to incorporate saline nasal cleansing into their routine.

It’s not a replacement for allergy medications or immunotherapy, but for people who want a simple way to help remove pollen and other airborne particles from the front of the nasal passages, I think it’s an interesting addition to the toolbox.

As with anything I discuss publicly, I believe in being transparent: I am an advisor and shareholder in Clair.

If you’d like to learn more, you can find additional information here:

http://breatheclair.com/DRRUBIN

As we head into another school year, remember that managing allergies isn’t just about treating symptoms, it’s about having a plan before they start. Sometimes the simplest daily habits, combined with evidence-based treatments when needed, can help make allergy season a little more manageable.

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