Fall Allergies in Tennessee: What Parents Should Know This Season
If your child has been sneezing more than usual, rubbing their eyes, or coming home from school with a runny nose that just will not quit, you are not alone. Fall allergy season in Tennessee is no joke, and for many kids it can feel just as miserable as spring. The good news is that there is a lot parents can do, and knowing what you are dealing with is the first step.
Why Tennessee Fall Allergies Hit Hard
Tennessee sits in a particularly tough spot when it comes to seasonal allergies. Our warm climate, humidity, and geography create a long and active allergy season that can stretch well into October and sometimes beyond. The biggest culprit in the fall is ragweed pollen, which peaks in Middle Tennessee typically from mid-August through October. One ragweed plant can release up to one billion pollen grains over the course of a season, and those grains travel easily on the wind, meaning your child does not have to be anywhere near a ragweed plant to feel the effects.
Beyond ragweed, mold spores are a significant trigger in the fall. As leaves fall and begin to decompose, mold levels in the air rise, particularly after rain. For children who are sensitive to mold, those beautiful piles of leaves in the backyard can be a source of real misery. Dust mites can also flare up as families close windows and turn on heating systems that have been sitting dormant all summer.
How to Tell If It Is Allergies or Something Else
This is one of the most common questions we hear from parents this time of year, and it is a fair one. Allergy symptoms and cold symptoms can look a lot alike, but there are some key differences to watch for.
Allergy symptoms tend to appear quickly after exposure, stick around as long as the trigger is present, and improve when your child is away from the allergen, such as inside with windows closed on high pollen days. Common signs include a clear runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and an itchy throat or ears. Fatigue and dark circles under the eyes, sometimes called allergic shiners, are also common.
A cold, on the other hand, usually comes with thicker, discolored mucus, a fever, body aches, and symptoms that tend to peak and then improve over the course of about ten days. If your child's symptoms are lingering well past two weeks without a fever, allergies are likely worth exploring.
What the American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends
The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes a stepwise approach to managing seasonal allergies in children, starting with the least invasive strategies and building from there based on how the child responds.
The first line of management is reducing exposure to known allergens. This means keeping windows closed on high pollen days, having children change clothes and wash their hands and face after outdoor play, using air purifiers with HEPA filters indoors, and checking daily pollen counts through resources like the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's tracking tools. The AAP also recommends nasal saline rinses as a safe, drug-free way to clear allergens from nasal passages and reduce congestion.
When symptoms need additional management, the AAP recommends second-generation antihistamines as the preferred over-the-counter option for children. Medications like loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), and fexofenadine (Allegra) are generally preferred over first-generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for daily allergy management because they cause less sedation and have a longer duration of action. Intranasal corticosteroids, such as fluticasone (Flonase) or triamcinolone (Nasacort), are also considered highly effective and are now available over the counter for children aged two and older, though the AAP recommends discussing use with your child's provider before starting.
It is worth noting that the AAP does not recommend decongestants for children under four years of age due to safety concerns, and advises caution in older children as well. Combination cold and allergy products that include decongestants should always be discussed with your provider before use.
For children with moderate to severe allergies that are not well controlled with over-the-counter options, referral to a pediatric allergist may be appropriate. Allergy testing can identify specific triggers, and allergen immunotherapy, commonly known as allergy shots or sublingual drops, can offer longer-term relief for children who are good candidates.
When to Call Us
Allergies that are not well managed can affect your child's sleep, their ability to focus at school, and their overall quality of life during the season. They can also increase the risk of sinus infections and ear infections, and can make asthma harder to control in children who have both conditions.
We encourage families to reach out if your child's symptoms are interfering with daily life, if over-the-counter medications are not providing enough relief, if you are seeing signs of a sinus infection such as pressure, facial pain, or thick discolored mucus lasting more than ten days, or if your child has asthma and their symptoms seem harder to manage as the season changes.
You do not have to just push through allergy season. There are real options, and we are here to help you find what works best for your child.
A Few Quick Wins for This Week
Check the local pollen count before your child heads outside. Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas tend to have reliable daily counts available through weather apps and the AAAAI tracker. Keep outdoor activity to later in the day when pollen counts are typically lower. Run a HEPA air purifier in your child's bedroom, especially while they sleep. And if your child has not been seen for their allergies before, a well visit or dedicated appointment is a great place to start the conversation.
Your child deserves to feel good, even in October. We are here to help make that happen.
Call our Smyrna office at 615-223-5565 or our Nolensville office at 615-776-8703, or visit nurturepediatrics.com to schedule an appointment.
