That's Fit

A national survey revealed that allergies can affect kids in more ways that sneezing, runny noses, and itchy, watery eyes. The survey polled more than 1,000 families and found that kids who have allergies are more likely to be fatigued, irritable, and even "miserable." This bleeds into the children's activities including schoolwork and extracurricular activities.

If your child is one of the 40% of US kids who suffer from seasonal allergies, your first step is to see your doctor. Knowing what triggers your child's allergies is critical for helping them. But you can take some common measures that may minimize the effects. Wash your child's sheets and clothes frequently, keep your home well-vacuumed and as dust-free as possible, and purchase a HEPA air filter for your child's bedroom and for your living room.

Thanks to the onslaught of seasonal allergies, back-to-school colds, and the changing seasons, this is a very snotty time of year. Chances are at some point during September you'll be sniffling, so I thought it might be worth sharing a new twist on an old standby.

Introducing the NosePouch.

You probably haven't used a handkerchief...well...ever, and may have only seen one in action if your dad or grandpa happens to be old-fashioned. And for good reason -- they're gross. Especially when you have access to those convenient little tissue packets, why on Earth would you blow your nose into the same same piece of cloth over and over and over again?

But the NosePouch, as the name suggests, has added a little snot-catching fold, making this updated pocket cloth capable of holding significantly more refuse than the traditional version. So much so, that -- especially if you're the type to feel guilty about all those tissue packets you've been sending off to landfills -- it might be worth your while.

It's that time of year again -- where vibrantly green grass and leaves are replaces with yellow and brown ones, a sign of the impending winter season. And you know what winter means -- the season of colds. Of course, colds can happen year-round but I always find that during the changing of the seasons from summer to fall, I end up with a case of the sniffles. But I'm an allergy sufferer so I often wonder if it's my allergies acting up or if it's actually a cold. Do you have the same problem? If so, check out this handy questionnaire from AOL, which will help you determine what ails you.

Turns out my regular Autumn 'cold' might actually be a case of allergies acting up. What tends to separate cold from allergies is that colds are characterized by a sore throat, a low fever, swollen lymph nodes, yellowish nose discharge and an achy, weak, sick feeling -- if you don't have these symptoms, you might just have allergies. What about you? Cold or allergies?

Have you been suffering from a runny nose, an itchy throat, sinus pressure and a feeling of lethargy? If so, do you know if you actually have a cold (a viral infection) or are just suffering from an allergic reaction to something in the immediate environment?

It's sometimes hard to tell, as many of the symptoms between the two are very similar. But, if in doubt, you can take this small quiz over at iVillage and find out exactly what your malady is most likely to be.

One quick sign usually does it for me -- the running of a fever. If I'm having an allergic reaction to something, there is generally no fever -- but there sure is if I have a cold!