7 Natural SolutionsFor Seasonal Allergies

I couldn't wait for it to be here: Spring! Warmer weather, flowers blooming, trees blooming.... and New Jersey hit with what they're calling a Pollen Tsunami. For the last three weeks, at least one of my kids has been sneezing; their eyes water and get itchy. They are cranky and miserable. 

They're pretty, but their pollen causes suffering!

So, outside of giving them over-the-counter medications (which I'm not opposed to, but I don't want to reach for first), how can I help them?

1. Saline Solution – I buy a basic, generic saline solution for the nose and encourage them to use it. Irrigating the nose with salt water (JUST salt water – no decongestant) may help soothe upper respiratory allergies by removing irritants that become lodged in the nose and cause inflammation. Saline solutions can even wash away some of the inflammatory cells themselves. Tip: if you have multiple kids using multiple bottles of this stuff, label them. You don't want kids sharing this (ewwwww!).
   
   
   
   
2. Nightly Washing – Every night we wash our faces, but what about the pollen that collects in our hair and is deposited on our pillows? My kids take a baby wipe on nights they don't shower before bed and wipe down their hair.  And even I do this so I don't transfer pollen to my daughter's pillow when we cuddle. 
   
   
   
   
3. Close The Windows – Sure, it's lovely outside, but breezes carry pollen. We've turned on the
   air conditioner early in both the house and car.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Drink Lots Of Water – Keeping everything hydrated washes away irritants and helps our mucus membranes get rid of pollutants. 
   
   
   
   
5. Wash Your Pet – We have an indoor cat, so this isn't a problem for us, but friends who have dogs are giving their pooches nightly washes with water on a washcloth to remove pollen from their fur.
   
   
   
   
6. Mint Tea – The kids are drinking decaf (OMG, yes, DECAF) mint tea with breakfast to open up the airwaves.
   
   
   
   
7. Cold Tea Bags – Since we do drink a fair amount of tea, I keep a few used teabags in the fridge to sooth puffy eyes at night. The coldness feels really good on inflamed eyes. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

If the kids do need medication, the first thing I try is Hyland's 4 Kids Complete Allergy. This stuff is all-natural (or supposed to be) and doesn't make them sleepy. My daughter was on this for months last year and it was great. I like the fact that it doesn't last 24 hours because, honestly, her allergy symptoms only presented in the morning.  To learn more about Hyland's, click here.

 

Now, please note: I am not a doctor. I am a mom. These are remedies that work for me and my family. Please consult a doctor if you have any questions or if your child has severe allergies.

How do you cope during allergy season?