Some

consider spring and summer to be the worst months for

allergies. The rebirth of flowers, grass and foliage

spread pollen thinly over everything, causing people with

allergies to suffer for weeks. It may come as a surprise,

however, that the biggest bully this fall will be grass

and ragweed.

These

culprits keep people sneezing, sniffling and coughing and

worst of all ragweeds and grass counts are most severe in

the beginning of the fall. Summer vacations have ended,

parents go back to work and children return to school.

The effects can be quite harsh on the children with

allergies.

In a new

survey of allergic children ages 6-13, children say their

allergies affect their studies. In fact, 29 percent of

allergic children said they have not done well on a test

due to the symptoms of fall allergies.

The survey

also found that 22 percent of allergic children report

that their allergies make them feel left out, causing

them to be jealous of their peers. One in five allergic

children said they had missed a school trip or had

problems completing their homework due to allergies.

Seventy percent of the allergic kids taking the survey

said they were restricted from participating in

recreational activities because of nasal allergies, and

nearly half said they had social problems such as the

inability to make friends.

The

symptoms plague the adults as well, but typically they

push through and blame the common cold. The effects can

often be similar to what the allergic children go through

at school. It can be harder to concentrate, work can be

missed, and the symptoms of allergies can exclude people

from activities.

Dr. Kevin

Schaffer, allergist from the Allergy and Asthma Clinical

Research Center, has found that there is a significant

increase in the symptoms beginning toward the end of

September. It is recommended that both parents and

children speak with their doctors about how to treat and

prevent ragweed allergies. Fall should be a season of

fun, not suffering.

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