Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health flu-related visitor restrictions have been lifted. However, because babies, especially those who are ill or premature, are at higher risk of serious complications if they get the flu, visitation restrictions are still in place for all Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) until further notice.
The best way to manage your child’s allergy symptoms is to avoid the specific substances (called allergens) that cause your child’s symptoms. The best way to avoid allergens is through environmental control. Environmental control means taking action to eliminate the allergens or placing barriers between the source of the allergen and your child. These need to be done at the home and, if possible, in your child’s school. This will help to control your child's allergy symptoms.
Unfortunately, it is very hard for children with allergies to avoid pollens completely. Pollens come from trees, grass and weeds. In Indiana, the outdoor allergy season begins in early March and ends after two killing frosts in the late fall. If your child is allergic to pollen, there are allergy treatments that can help.
Outdoor mold spores are just as difficult to avoid. They tend to be more common in August and are gone after two killing frosts.
Other environmental allergens are easier to control because they are present year-round and are usually in the home. These allergens are called perennial allergens. Perennial (indoor) allergens include:
The level of environmental control needed to relieve your child’s symptoms will depend on his or her specific allergies. Children with pollen allergies need other approaches to treatment because pollen is almost impossible to avoid unless your child does not go outside. Talk to your child’s doctor about these other options.
Environmental control involves reducing, removing or establishing barriers against allergens. Below is how you can control allergens like house dust mites, cockroaches, mold and animal dander:
Environmental control can lead to making home repairs and improvements, such as getting rid of carpets or wallpaper. The changes needed to control environmental allergens will be based on your child’s specific reactivity as determined by allergy testing. In some cases, only minor changes may be needed.
In addition to our primary hospital location at the Academic Health Center in Indianapolis, IN, we have convenient locations to better serve our communities throughout the state.
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