Managing Your Child’s Seasonal Allergies

As the spring and summer seasons emerge, parents often find themselves helping their children combat allergy season. It’s important to take steps to help your child manage the symptoms of seasonal allergies so that they can be healthy and thrive.

Managing your child’s seasonal allergies

For many children, spring and summer bring not only sunshine and play but also an increase in pollen exposure, grass, and other allergens. An allergic reaction can manifest as coughing, sneezing, hives, rashes, itchy eyes, a runny nose, or a scratchy throat.¹ Managing allergies in children goes beyond easing their symptoms; it involves active measures to create a healthy and supportive environment, such as:

• Creating an allergy-friendly home. To reduce allergen exposure, keep windows closed during high pollen periods, invest in air purifiers, and regularly clean and vacuum your home. You should also consider using allergen-proof covers for pillows and mattresses to create a comfortable environment for your child.
• Monitoring outdoor play. Kids wait all winter long to bask and play in the warm spring weather, but you must be mindful of high pollen counts. Plan activities during times of lower pollen levels, such as early morning or late afternoon. Encourage your child to wash their face and hands after outdoor play to minimize allergen exposure.
• Watching and addressing symptoms. If your child shows signs like continuous sneezing, congestion, or itchy eyes, speak with their primary care provider. Addressing symptoms early can prevent discomfort and long-term issues.
• Scheduling well-child visits. The spring and summer months are a great time for well-child visits. These routine checkups ensure that your child is up to date on vaccines and play an important role in monitoring their growth, development, and overall health.

Managing allergies with well-child visits

Use well-child visits as an opportunity to discuss any allergy symptoms your child may be experiencing. The pediatrician can tell you whether their symptoms are seasonal, recommend allergy testing if necessary, and offer personalized strategies for allergy management.

Your child’s primary care provider can provide guidance on effective allergy management strategies tailored to your child’s age and health status. This may include the use of antihistamines, nasal sprays, or other allergy medications. Understanding these options help ensure you can handle allergy season with confidence. Embrace the warmth of spring and summer and help your kids fight allergy season.

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Best Me

Nurturing Mental Health in Low-Income Communities

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, highlighting an important aspect of our overall well-being that can sometimes be overlooked, especially in low-income communities. Factors such as lack of resources, economic stressors, and social disparities can have a significant impact on mental well-being.¹ 

Mental illness affects millions of people in the United States. One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.²

Understanding how to improve mental health in underserved, low-income communities begins with understanding the barriers that exist. Some key barriers include:

• Lack of insurance coverage. Many people in low-income communities do not have health insurance or have limited coverage. Having substantial insurance coverage can help lower the cost of mental health services.³
• Finances. Having limited financial resources can prevent individuals from getting the mental health care they need, such as therapy sessions, certain medications, and other costly mental health services.
• Geographic barriers. Rural low-income communities can sometimes have limited access to mental health services due to a lack of healthcare facilities nearby.
• Mistrust of the health care system. Historically, systemic biases within the health care system have led to mistrust of it by some individuals in low-income communities.⁴

If you and your family live in a low-income community, there are options available for you to access necessary mental health care. 

• Use local resources. Begin researching mental health resources available in your community. These resources can be community health centers, clinics, nonprofit organizations, and programs with mental health support. 
• Access telehealth services. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees who are age 21 or older can chat with a trained behavioral health coach through the Headspace Care (formerly Ginger) app found in the Google Play store or Apple App Store. Enrollees ages 13 through 20 can text 886-886 and use the referral code “AmeriHealth” during enrollment to start texting with a MindRight support coach. Enrollees can receive support for life challenges 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
• Talk to your primary care provider (PCP). If you have a PCP, they may be able to give you referrals to mental health professionals or services.

Improving mental health in low-income communities requires many different approaches including raising awareness, building support systems, and eliminating barriers to make these resources accessible. For additional advice on how to improve your mental health, read the AmeriHealth Caritas DC Mental Wellness Guide.

Sources

1. “Allergy Facts and Figures,” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America,
   https://aafa.org/allergies/allergy-facts/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20approximately%2081%20million,(14%20million)%20of%20children.&text=Seasonal%20allergic%20rhinitis%20is%20an,trees%2C%20grasses%2C%20and%20weeds. 
2. “What Are the Benefits of Sunlight,” Healthline.com, https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight#benefits

All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model