Achoo!

As spring goes into full swing, many students begin to experience seasonal allergies, commonly known as hay fever.

by Maya Kumar and Nisha Shankar

March 20 marked the first day of spring, a season filled with blooming flowers, comfortable temperatures, and lush green grass. But for many, this seemingly pleasant time of year is overshadowed by the onset of sniffling, sneezing and itchy eyes.

Most commonly referred to as hay fever, seasonal allergic reactions are induced by increased pollen count in the air, which causes the immune system to react negatively.

For students suffering from allergies, upper school nurse Claire Elchert keeps a high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter in her office.

“With the weather pattern and with the springtime, this week in particular, everybody’s allergies have kicked up, students and adults alike,” she said. “[The HEPA filter] is a machine that takes particulate out of the air, so I keep that running Monday through Friday just to keep the allergens in the air in the room down, and it really is helpful sometimes for a student to just kind of rest here for a while.”

Many students, such as Andy Koonmen (10), are heavily affected by seasonal allergies during spring. Andy mainly experiences a runny nose.

“I think Harker does a very good job with it because they have a good maintenance staff that make sure that everything is clean in the classrooms, which helps a lot,” he said. “I have not had many as bad allergies as at my old school than Harker.”

Over the counter medicines such as Claritin, Zyrtec and Allegra, known as oral antihistamines, can alleviate symptoms such as sneezing and itching, while other medicines reduce nasal congestion.

“[These medicines] all have their place in treating allergies, and sometimes you have to use multiple medications to control your symptoms,” fellow of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology Dr. Jennifer Namazy said.

Dr. Namazy also recommends that seasonal allergy sufferers keep track of pollen counts.

“There’s not so much you can do to avoid pollen,” she said. “Try to avoid spending a lot of time outdoors on those high pollen count days. Maybe not go hiking or running outside, rather go running inside.”

This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on March 28, 2017.