It’s common for children with food allergies – and their parents – to also have seasonal allergies. This means you not only have to avoid food allergy reactions, but you have to manage their pollen allergies too.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2020 Allergy Capitals™ report. It ranks the top 100 most challenging cities in the U.S. for seasonal allergies. Kids With Food Allergies (KFA) is a division of AAFA.

AAFA ranked the cities based on three factors:

• Spring and fall pollen counts
• Use of allergy medicines
• Availability of board-certified allergists

Richmond, Virginia, topped our 2020 list for the most challenging city for allergies overall in the U.S. The full report of the top 100 areas also includes separate rankings for spring and fall allergies.

“For more than 50 years, the prevalence of allergic diseases has risen and it’s no coincidence that during the same time, pollen seasons have become stronger and longer due to warmer temperatures,” says Kenneth Mendez, AAFA CEO and president. “The Allergy Capitals report helps raise awareness about the impact of seasonal allergies, how people can prepare and start proper treatment. Local communities can also use the report as a tool to identify how to better meet the needs of their residents living with allergies and allergic asthma.”

If you think your child has a seasonal pollen allergy, talk to your allergist to make sure they are on a treatment plan. Treating seasonal allergies can help improve your child's quality of life.

Visit allergycapitals.com to see where your city ranks and for ways to manage spring and fall pollen allergies.