Have children shower after outdoor play during pollen season

What to Do

Have children shower and change clothes after recess, outdoor sports, or play during allergy season. At minimum, wash hands and face and change shirts when coming indoors.

Why It Works

Children are outdoors more than adults (recess, sports, play) and are harder to protect from pollen. Pollen accumulates in their hair and on clothing throughout the day. Bathing before bed prevents transferring a day's worth of pollen to the pillow for 10-12 hours of overnight exposure.

Tips

• Wash hair before bed — this is the most important single step
• Schedule outdoor play for afternoon/evening when pollen counts are lower (vs. early morning peak)
• For young children, make the post-outdoor cleanup a fun, consistent routine
• Wash sports uniforms after each outdoor practice, not just after games