Allergy season is in full bloom in North Texas. If you recently moved to the Lone Star State, allergists say it may take two to five growing seasons for allergies to take affect on your body.
"It takes a little bit of time for your body to be exposed to the pollens and what we call antigens," said Dr. Ashleigh Halderman, an allergist at Parkland Hospital. "Typically, we see about two growing seasons, but it can be anywhere between two to five, so that's why people have a delayed development when it comes to allergies, especially if they've lived in a really different climate."
According to recent data from the Texas Comptroller, in 2017, 146,000 people moved to North Texas. A large percentage of those transplants were from the West Coast.
In Texas, grass is the big problem during these summer months. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America scores Dallas-Fort Worth as being extremely high for pollen count.
Doctors say the best line of defense is to know what to expect each day you head outside. Before you leave the house, check out the "allergy forecast." You can download several apps such as the Allergycast app.
