Not so pleasant weather

THE weather has been unstable lately, being too hot some times and too cold at others. And all of us would want a break from the sneezing, runny or stuffy noses and itchy eyes. One in five Hong Kong kids is estimated to have hay fever. In addition to interrupting our daily lives, these symptoms might affect our sleep and leave us tired and sleepy during school or work.

Sometimes this is inherited from our parents, but our environment can also be to blame. Parents who have hay fever have a higher chance of having children with hay fever. According to pediatrician Chua Shui-ching (蔡瑞晶), hay fever can be year-round or seasonal. Year-round hay fever is usually because of allergens like dust, mould, pollen and fur. Seasonal ones are usually from weather changes, like temperature and humidity changes.

According to Chua, there are six easy ways to prevent hay fever:

1. Wash your bedding every week with water hotter than 60 degrees Celsius

2. Use a vacuum, mop or wet cloth to clean every day — do not use brooms and feather dusters

3. Keep the indoors well-aired and wear a mask in stuffy rooms

4. Avoid touching pets and furry,soft toys

5. Exercise more to strengthen your respiratory system

6.Clean your nose daily with saline solution