Plans to end garden sneezes
Five tips for comfortable gardening with allergic children
AS families are encouraged to get out into the garden and get their youngsters growing food and flowers instead of going to play in the park, some parents are worried that this could exacerbate any existing childhood allergies.
Now writer, designer and allergy expert Jackie Herald has come up with a series of measures to help reduce allergic reactions.
She said: “Many people who love gardening suffer from hay fever, but the good news is that gardens can be designed to reduce exposure to allergenic pollens and mould spores.
“The less children sneeze and wheeze, the more fun they’ll have, and while Coronavirus exists, avoiding itchy eyes is very important – to prevent the natural instinct of rubbing one’s face.”
Pollen highest in morning and evening
Jackie’s five-point plan, which she has devised for a Back to the Garden campaign launched by Sudocrem, includes minimising allergens, choosing the right time of year to garden, choosing bee-friendly plants that often produce less irritating pollen, handling compost with care and keeping grass short to reduce lawn pollen and skin rashes.
She said: “You can minimise allergens that affect you by keeping gardening clothes separate from other garments to avoid transferring pollen, and wearing a brimmed hat.
“Pollen counts are at their highest at the beginning and end of the day, so avoid garden playtime and energetic exercise at these times.”
She added that bee-friendly plants with tubular flowerheads usually have sticky, heavy pollen that’s hard to breathe in and less likely to cause a reaction, but that spores and moulds in leafmould and compost can trigger reactions. Either do the job when it’s raining, wear a facemask or ask someone without allergies to spread the compost,” said Jackie.
“For gardening with children, wherever possible use a low allergen mulch rather than organic compost and in autumn, avoid the temptation of kicking leaves! “The key is to have fun outdoors, though children suffering from eczema should avoid rolling in the grass, which may cause a rash.”