I love it when I step out of the house this time of year; instead of the rush to the car to get the air conditioner going lest I beak out in a sweat, I am compelled to linger just a little bit and enjoy the cool(er) fall air. And I know that I’m not alone: every day I notice a post or two on Facebook regarding the relief from the summer temps.
Fall also brings with it some deep-rooted traditions here in Texas: football and county fairs. Nachos at the games and corn-dogs at the fair. And there are even some new trends in pumpkin spice flavored foods, from the Pumpkin Spice Latte at McDonald’s (apologies to Starbucks, but you did say that you don’t want my money) to the Pumpkin Spice M&M’s.
Unfortunately, around this time of year we also see an increase in seasonal allergies. This impacts parents of children from hard places because behavioral meltdowns are more frequent in children who experience behavioral meltdowns. To make things worse, the meltdowns are exacerbated by the medications that we administer to our children to alleviate the symptoms of allergies:
- Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine
- Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine
- The cough suppressant dextromethorphan
- The expectorant guaifenesin
Be prepared to see some regression in your children this time of year, and be prepared for additional opportunities to connect to your children.
God bless you on the journey,
John