Tracking Allergy Season with Mobile Apps

Spring is in the air, literally. Flowers are blooming and seasonal allergens, such as pollen and ragweed, have started to circulate through the air, too.

It’s a time of year that Jessica Sanders knows well. She is a seasonal allergy sufferer and the mother of active twins who also have allergies. Sanders spends her weekends transporting kids to baseball practice and cheer competitions. Although springtime allergens are a nuisance, they don’t stop her or her family from enjoying the great outdoors. 

“Springtime in my household means a lot of outdoor activities,” Sanders said. “My kids are very active, and like me, they’re also very allergic to spring allergens. Runny noses and itchy eyes are something I’ve learned to conquer.”

As a busy mom on the go, Sanders turns to mobile technology to help her cope with spring allergies.

“I start every day by checking the Weather Bug app on my smartphone,” Sanders said. “This helpful app not only allows me to view the weather for the week, but it also shows me what allergens are in the air. If it’s a heavy pollen day, I know to stock up on allergy medicine.”

Like Sanders, many are turning to apps to help battle seasonal allergies. Pollen.com’s Allergy Alert for Android keeps the allergy-suffering public up to date with pollen and allergy forecasts for the U.S. and informs users about other environmental factors such as a local asthma index, ultraviolet levels, and cough and cold monitoring. WebMD Allergy for iOS provides access to physician-reviewed data regarding allergy forecasts and important treatment information for several allergy categories.

The sniffles and sneezes that go along with the season are inevitable, but a few handy apps on your smartphone or tablet can keep you connected to useful information to know which days are better spent inside or how to best prepare yourself for a day outdoors.