Allergic rhinitis sufferers miss 4 million work and school days collectively each year, according to Dr. Mark Dykewicz, associate professor of internal medicine in the division of allergy and immunology, St. Louis University. People with seasonal allergies should just avoid pollen. Outdoor mold grows on soil, grass, fallen leaves and rotting logs. Although allergy sufferers can try to minimize their exposure to mold, dust mites and pet dander, removing the source is often unrealistic or excessive, according to Dykewicz. Children rarely suffer from seasonal allergies.
Allergies run in families.
They're more common in children born to parents who are allergic, particularly if the parents are allergic to more than one substance. If you didn't have seasonal allergies as a child, you won't get them in adulthood. No one knows what kicks up the immune system's sensitivity, but some theories include infections, vaccines, or increased exposure to indoor allergens, like dust and pets, or to pollution, says Dr. Alkis Togias, associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center. The afternoon is the best time for allergy sufferers to go outside. Later, the sun dries pollen and the wind disperses it.