Ah, spring is in the air! And here in Beijing, you can literally see it flying around again. Last spring Beijing was just in the beginning stages of a Covid lockdown and I was in the first trimester of my pregnancy, so I stayed indoors. When I did go outside, I was covered in protective gear from head to toe. We’re talking hats, goggles, multiple layers of masks, and rubber gloves. And when last April came around, I started researching allergy medication that’s safe for the baby. But, to my surprise, I never needed it.
In previous years, every spring was met with intense hay fever: itchy red eyes, sinus congestions, scratchy throat, runny nose, and sneezing – the whole shebang. But last year’s lack of symptoms gave me a glimpse of hope for spring. Perhaps with the right preventative measures, hay fever can be prevented?
This year’s pollen season brings about new questions, especially for new parents. If I have severe pollen allergies, will that be passed on to my baby? We spoke with Dr. Joy Oreto, a pediatrician at Oasis International Hospital for some insights.
According to Dr. Oreto, allergies have a genetic predisposition. If one or both parents have a pollen allergy, it is possible that their baby has a reaction to a different allergen. During Beijing’s dreaded catkins season, sometimes the child will have sneezing, a clear runny nose, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes. If allergies become severe it’s best to consult your pediatrician.
So how many parents protect themselves and their children from Beijing’s inevitable catkins season? Dr. Oreto recommends staying indoors when the pollen count is high and keeping all your windows closed.
There’s a WeChat mini program called 花粉监测预报 (huāfěn jiāncè yùbào) that’s easy to use and will tell you if the pollen count is high. Most of us are not as familiar with pollen count as we are with reading AQI, but this mini-program makes it easy by giving the count next to an emoji. Smily face means low pollen count. Sad face means you should probably reconsider dining out on the terrace.
To add the 花粉监测预报 WeChat mini program follow the steps below:
1. Open your Discover page and click on Mini Programs
2. Put in 花粉监测预报 in the search bar at the top.
3. Select the 花粉监测预报 mini program.
4. Click the green buttons to give the mini-program permission to be installed on your WeChat.
When you absolutely do need to go outside during pollen season, be sure you have adequate preventative measures in place.
- Wear a mask
- Close the doors and windows
- Blast your air filters on high
- Change your clothes as soon as you get home. Our outdoor clothes can carry pollen from outside and if you have severe allergies, you don’t want that getting transferred to your furniture and clothes at home.
They say that the two things that are certain in life are death and taxes. Well, if you live in Beijing, there’s also the annual catkins invasion. Stay safe, my friends!
KEEP READING: Aaachoo! Understanding Childhood Allergies in China
Images: Pexels, CGTN
