Oct. 19--Boston Bundy won't lament the arrival of the first frost.
The 4-year-old's severe seasonal allergies often cut short his outdoor playtime in high-pollen-count days. Once the temperatures start to cool off, however, the ragweed pollen that aggravates his congestion and itchy eyes drops off.
He and his 12-year-old brother, Lance, who also has pollen allergies, will both breathe a little easier outside of climate-control, air conditioned settings. They'll also sleep better at night, noted their mother Kendra, who said her youngest's symptoms in particular grow worse after dusk.
Ragweed, fall's most common allergen, pollinates between mid-August and early October.
Already the pollen that caused a lot of trouble with hay fever in September has declined, said Dr. Jay Portnoy, chief of allergy, asthma and immunology at Children's Mercy in Kansas City.
A month ago, Pollen.com registered the pollen count in St. Joseph at 7.3, or a high moderate level. October's levels measure around the 3 level, and the website forecasts it to drop to less than a level 2 by the end of the week.
"Ragweed counts were sky high this fall," Dr. Portnoy said. "Every year it's a little bit higher. It's slowly increasing over time."
Climate change and the increase of carbon dioxide in the air means ragweed is producing more pollen now than in years past, he said.
Dr. Helen Nguyen, an allergist in St. Joseph, said her office does not keep track of how many patients came in last year, compared to this year.
"We have had a lot of patients complain," she added.
The office also gets busier during the fall and during changes of season, a trend Rex Robinson, a pharmacist at Rogers Pharmacy, has noticed, too. The run on antihistamines, he said, usually dies down after the first freeze.
Though pollen calms down, fall weather still provides plenty of allergens. Damp and decaying leaves and vegetation signal the rise of more mold spores. When coupled with the start of flu and cold season, people with asthma will note an increase in symptoms.
As people close windows and spend more time indoors, dust mites and pet dander will become more concentrated. Dr. Portnoy recommends people check their furnace and air filters to cut down on dust and other irritants that have accumulated in the furnace's off season.
Other indoor allergens can be limited through regular vacuuming, proper humidity control and limiting pet dander in bedrooms.
Jennifer Gordon can be reached at jennifer.gordon@newspressnow.com.
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