Allergic to Weather Change: How Parents & Kids Can Cope With It
Here’s how to deal with the stuffy noses and fatigue, or what we know as the allergy to weather change
So many Filipinos are familiar with this. One moment it’s rainy, then it’s sunny the next. While we’ve accepted it as a fact of living in the Philippines, it’s the stuffy noses and fatigue that come with it we hate. We’ve used up boxes of tissues and even stayed home because we’ve discovered our allergy to weather change. While these instances don’t last long, they do disrupt our daily functioning.
Sure, we cope by bringing a hanky or two. But it’s not always enough. Here are ways to deal with our allergy to weather change.
Change your body temperature slowly
If you’re coming from a cold room, then drink hot tea or do a small exercise to heat up the body. That way, when you move from a cold room to a hot one, the allergy won’t trigger. Your body will also develop resilience to the stress of temperature change.
Drink some Vitamin C
If the allergies are just that bad, then that means the immune system is messing up. An additional glass of orange or calamansi juice ought to do the trick. It has to be plain. Unfortunately, sparkling orange juice coffees do not count.
Try not to get wet from the rain
Especially if you live in Metro Manila, then you’re going to deal with acid rain—the kind of rain that gets you sick. As much as we spent our childhoods bathing in the rain, it’s not the same as years ago. Climate change has poisoned the water with greenhouse gases.
Keep a nasal spray
Salinase, Vicks inhaler, White Flower—there is a reason every millennial tita carries these.
Nobody likes a stuffy nose when they’re chasing a sale or searching for their hailed ride. Keep one in the bag to keep the nose clear. It also preserves your hankies.
Coping With The Allergy of Weather Change
While most bodies can handle the wear and tear of weather change, some develop an allergy because of how quickly it happens. It’s not always a bad thing, but it does become a nuisance—especially if you’re presenting and the like. Nobody likes presenting or doing something while sniffling or holding back a sneeze.
These allergies show up more now in kids who often have to change between air-conditioned classrooms to ones that aren’t. It’s also a lot harder on their little bodies if they have asthma.
With the holiday rush happening, the stress is subtle and whittles the immune system down. Always keep an eye out!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In a way, yes. It often presents itself as an allergy because of how it’s triggered.
Yes, they can. The more they get used to the weather change, the fewer attacks they’ll have. But that’s assuming they don’t have pre-existing breathing issues like asthma and the like.
Usually, it’s a temperature management issue. When cold, don’t dress too warmly so that your body can get used to it. If hot, drink some cold water to maintain your body temperature.
Some kids are just built differently in terms of their immune system. Those with asthma are especially susceptible to the allergy to weather change.
Yes and no. While an allergy to weather change can indicate a weaker immune system, it doesn’t always mean that there’s an underlying disease. Always check with the doctor.
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