Tips for Reducing Allergy Symptoms in Kids

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Allergies can make children feel miserable.
Use these tips to help reduce symptoms.
Photo: David Castillo Dominici

Sneezing, wheezing, and itching? These could indicate symptoms of allergies. Allergy season has hit hard this spring due to an unseasonably warm winter. What can parents do to reduce their children’s allergy symptoms?

Allergist Andrew MacGinnitie, MD, PHD, has a few suggestions:

• Use an air purifier and humidifier in the home
• Shower and change clothes often after being outdoors to remove pollen and other irritants
• Vacuum and wash linens weekly
• Wash pets more often as they may carry allergens from outside on their bodies
• Clean any mold in the house with a diluted bleach solution

“I find that not leaving windows open all day helps to keep allergens out of the home,” recommends Teresa W., a mother of two in New York City.

Although keeping windows closed can help reduce irritants from blowing into the home, these tiny allergens still find ways to enter whether through an open door or drafts through cracks in window sills and door frames.

One way to reduce the presence of allergens is to use an air purifier like the Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover (the #1 allergist recommended brand). This air purifier does a great job of capturing 99.97% of microscopic airborne allergens as small as .3 microns (that’s smaller than the diameter of a single strain of hair) from the air that passes through its filters. It’s also ENERGY STAR^® rated so running it 24/7 doesn’t spike homeowners’ energy bills. 

Another way to reduce allergens is to use a humidifier (they’re not just for the dry winter months). A great option is the Honeywell Germ-Free Cool Mist Humidifier which can help reduce sneezing and itchy eyes this allergy season. The humidifier comes equipped with QuietCare technology, which delivers fresh, cool moisture up to 25% quieter than other evaporative humidifiers and offers consumers. It also features for the first time a break-proof tank. An added plus is that the humidifier is designed to kill up to 99.9% of bacteria, mold, fungus, and viruses that can exist in the tap water used to fill the unit. 

These tips should help reduce allergy symptoms for everyone in the family. If allergy symptoms persist, the child’s allergies may be severe and might require a visit to an allergist for testing and treatment.

Disclosure: Author did not receive compensation for this post. Author did receive a Honeywell humidifier to asses for this post. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.