Can Seasonal Allergies Harm Student Performance?
Allergies, especially those that flare up during pollen season, affect plenty of people, including children. While many of us are all-too-familiar with the sniffling, sneezing, miserable feelings that allergies produce, they can actually hinder students’ performance in school. If seasonal allergies aren’t managed properly, it can result in a long-term negative impact on children’s ability to learn and do well in school. There are several things parents and schools can do to help prevent allergy issues, including calling an HVAC company in Atlanta for cooling services.
How Allergies Affect School Performance
It’s hard for children to focus when they have a headache, runny nose, and bouts of sneezing. Every year, children miss time at school when they stay home with allergy symptoms. Some children go to school in spite of feeling unwell, but their concentration and performance will be affected. This results in poor test scores that aren’t a true reflection of the child’s abilities.
In addition to obvious symptoms, allergies can have a negative impact on sleep habits and behavior. If allergies are left untreated, children can also develop sinus and ear infections, causing them to miss more time at school.
Keep Seasonal Allergies at Bay
In addition to taking medication and avoiding allergy triggers, there are things schools and parents can do to help limit children’s allergy symptoms.
By closing the windows and running the air conditioning, you’ll minimize pollen levels while circulating new air into the room. At home, humidifiers and air purifiers also reduce allergen counts.
Keeping up with regular HVAC maintenance at school helps prevent allergy issues. When the units aren’t properly serviced or the filters aren’t changed regularly, dust, pollen, and other allergens pile up, making the air quality less than desirable.
Filters should be changed every two months at a minimum to reduce allergen exposure. If your child suffers from allergies at home, filters with a MERV rating of 5-13 work well at improving indoor air quality.
Be sure to keep registers and return vents clean. They’re responsible for circulating the air, so if they’re dirty, the air is, too.
Dust and debris around the indoor and outdoor units will also be circulated through the system. Check your units regularly to reduce the presence of unwanted allergens.
Call the HVAC Experts
Anytime HVAC provides the Atlanta area with heating and cooling services, working with both residential and commercial properties. Proper HVAC maintenance not only extends the life of your unit — it also creates a better, healthier indoor environment.
Don’t let seasonal allergies put a damper on students’ academic performance. When children can breathe easily, they learn better. Contact Anytime Heating, Cooling and Plumbing or give us a call at 770-504-5881 today to get your HVAC system scheduled for its annual maintenance.