Mary Lou Calvo has been getting a lot of phone calls lately about runny noses - really runny noses.
Worried parents are calling Calvo, a respiratory therapist and asthma educator at Southern Maine Medical Center, to get advice on how to handle their kids' spring allergies.
Allergy season is packing its annual punch in southern Maine. Although local doctors say it's no worse than other years, the sneezes, wheezes, red noses and itchy eyes started a little earlier this spring, probably as a result of the mild winter.
"It's been difficult for patients, I would say, since the beginning of May when things really started to bloom," Calvo said. "For kids who are really allergic to trees and grass pollens, this is a tough season for them."
The pollen count Thursday was 136, and the pollen allergy index was moderate, according to the medical center's daily pollen-count program. The index takes into account not only the amount of pollen, but also the weather and how many patients are showing up in doctors' offices.
Nearly 36 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. At this time of year, millions of microscopic pollen grains are being blown about by the wind. When they are inhaled, they trigger an immune reaction that causes classic allergy symptoms.
Some plants are worse than others at provoking allergic reactions. Plants that have bright, showy flowers or sweet scents, such as azaleas or iris, are pollinated by insects and don't cause allergy problems. But maple, oak, birch and other wind-pollinated trees, shrubs and flowers can send people scrambling for their tissues.
Yellow pine pollen is a common sight in southern Maine from mid- to late June, covering everything in sight. But even though it's carried by the wind, it's not a big allergen.
"Most people think that it's the pine pollen that they're allergic to because they see it on their cars," said Dr. Johnathan Musmand, a Portland allergist. "But the fact that they see it tells you that it's too heavy and it falls to the ground. It's just a marker for other tree pollens."
Musmand said a lot of people get used to dealing with allergies, but it's not something they should have to live with if the symptoms start interfering with their lives.
"If you're taking over-the-counter medicine more than a couple of times a week, you should speak to your doctor," he said.
Physicians have plenty of good medicines to recommend that will provide relief, from prescription antihistamines to nasal steroids, which are the most effective in controlling symptoms.
For people who don't like taking medications every day, or if drugs don't appear to be working, there's always the option of allergy shots.
For children with asthma, this can be a particularly difficult time of year because allergies can trigger asthma attacks.
Monica Redman, 10, of Saco has asthma and "is allergic to just about everything," says her stepmother, Dawn Redman.
"She's allergic to all the grasses, all the trees," she said. "She just gets really sniffy. Her nose runs, her eyes water. And when she gets her allergies, it escalates her asthma. She coughs a lot."
Redman can tell when it's a bad pollen day, especially if they are riding in the family's truck, which has no air conditioning.
"I have to leave the windows open, and she sneezes the whole way," Redman said.
In addition to taking her medication faithfully, Monica has had to make a lot of changes in her life to control her allergies so they don't trigger an asthma attack. She keeps her bedroom windows closed and has an air filter. Her laundry is put in the dryer instead of being hung outside.
Her parents are trying to encourage her to shower at night, to wash off the day's pollen, and they'll be getting her an air conditioner for her room this summer.
"I think the biggest thing is getting her to an allergist," Redman said. "A lot of parents think 'Oh she has a cold,' or 'They can't have allergies that bad.' That's what we thought for years."
Calvo says that kids with asthma should see their doctor if they're having more sinus problems than usual, or if that's a new symptom for them. They also should schedule a doctor's appointment if they're having to use their "rescue" medicine more than twice a week.
"The medicines are so good right now that a lot of things can be treated easily and make their life much easier," she said, "and it will make (summer) a time where they can enjoy the weather instead of having it be a traumatic event."
Staff Writer Meredith Goad can be contacted at 791-6332 or at: mgoad@pressherald.com Here are some tips for dealing with seasonal allergies:
Check the pollen count before going outside. You can hear the count at Southern Maine Medical Center by calling 283-7960, or check the hospital's Web site at http://www.smmc.org
Close your windows to prevent pollen from drifting into your home. If it's too hot, invest in an air conditioner, which can filter out large amounts of pollen.
Don't drive around in the car with the windows open.
Don't hang sheets or clothing outside to dry because they can collect pollen.
Schedule your gardening or other outdoor activities after a rain shower or at other times when there's less pollen in the air. If you can't avoid being outside during periods of high pollen, wear a mask.
After coming indoors for the evening, take a shower to wash the pollen out of your hair. Don't sleep in the same T-shirt you've been wearing outside all day.
Don't drive if you're taking Benadryl, the number one over-the-counter antihistamine. A recent study showed that people who drove after taking Benadryl were even more impaired than someone with a blood-alcohol level of .10, or someone using prescription antihistamines.
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Kennebec Journal, go to http://www.mainetoday.com.
