It’s the Weather’s Fault!
Parents often mention the weather as one of the reasons for their child’s health issues. Sometimes we hear that they only have allergy or asthma symptoms “when the weather changes.” Other times people feel they did something wrong by not “protecting” their child from the weather, and that was the reason they came down with a flu or cold. But is it really the weather?
For asthma and allergies, it turns out weather can have an effect. Some people have their asthma triggered by cold air in the winter. One tip I give patients with this problem is to wear a fabric face mask or scarf during outdoor time in the winter so that the air they are breathing is warm. This helps a lot for winter exercise in asthmatics. Other people’s asthma are triggered by high humidity or rapid temperature changes, so on very humid, hot days staying indoors with air conditioning can be helpful. Often what people really mean when they say “weather changes” is spring and fall. Those seasons both have pollen that some people are allergic to, for spring it is usually trees and for fall it is weeds. The season’s weather is not the problem, but the allergies associated with that season definitely can be. So, if you feel like you are having problems during those times, be suspicious of allergies and talk to your doctor for some helpful advice!
What about infections? In general, the weather does not cause you to become infected with a virus or bacteria. In fact, being outdoors decreases your chance of becoming ill! We learned with covid that ventilation and being outdoors massively decreased your chances of catching the virus, even in large crowds like concerts and football games. The same sun that causes us to make Vit D and wrinkles, also kills covid and other viruses within 10 minutes through ultraviolet radiation. Winter doesn’t cause illness, it pushes people indoors more where viruses spread easier, causing winter to be our “sick season”.
So, what is the punchline? If you have problems every spring or fall, you might have allergies and you should let your doctor know. If you have a cough and congestion, you are probably sick with an infection, so don’t assume it is just “the weather” or your allergies and make sure you protect others by staying home or wearing a mask. And lastly, this winter try to make sure you get outside daily, with the right clothes on, winter doesn’t have to force us indoors - getting outside will help keep you healthy and improve your mood and fitness!
The next article is about cold medications, definitely don’t miss it - it will likely save you money!
Until next time, good luck parenting,
Dr. William Fisher, MD
Fisher Pediatrics
Comments