Season to sneeze

Sneeze, wheeze, cough. This is the month for all this. While May to August is when the outdoor allergen count peaks, October onwards is when you have to dust your home and keep it mite-free.
The season for indoor allergies has begun and will now end only early next year. The prevention is better than cure theory works for allergies as well, says Dr Nagendra Prasad, Bangalore Allergy Centre.
He says that the months of October and November show a different pattern, for it''s then that humidity crosses 55 per cent, causing dust mites to propagate faster than usual. "This is also when you see paediatricians getting busier than usual, with children coming to them with problems. Because of humidity, indoor allergies increase and the sensitivity to house dust increases," says Dr Prasad.
He says that now, however, is when outdoor allergies decrease as the allergen load is less. To prevent indoor allergies, people should vacuum carpets and upholstery, keep mattresses and bed covers out to sun. "Children between two and three years are also indoors all the time, so the carpets near which they crawl should be kept dust-free." And articles in the living room should be reduced.
Dr BC Rao, on the other hand, believes that all months are bad when it comes to indoor allergies. "While May to August is the big peak for outdoor allergies, October to January is a smaller peak. People come with nasal irritation, wheezing, coughs," he explains. Dr Rao adds that people with nasal allergies can manage with local applications and antihistamines while those with severe wheezing should be given small doses of inhaled steroids through the year and bigger doses during the peak season.