The arrival of spring is always welcome — the arrival of spring allergies, not so much. When it comes to your children, experts say there are some important strategies that can make a big difference. First: learn how to distinguish allergy symptoms from the common cold. Second: know what triggers those symptoms in your kids — and how to avoid them, and finally determine the best way to treat symptoms when they develop. Massachusetts General Hospital pediatrician Dr. Scott Hadland said he knows the first one can be hard — especially with COVID-19.”I think it can be really tough for a lot of parents to differentiate allergies from say the common cold,” he said. “Allergies tend to have a lot of sneezing, itchy nose, itchy eyes, lots of copious runny nose. Whereas the common cold and other viral illnesses tend to have fever, achiness, more cough.”When it comes to learning about your child’s allergy triggers, Hadland suggests keeping a diary of symptoms. He said meeting with an allergist can help and timing is key. “Now is about the right time to start making sure that your child is taking their medication because a lot of the pollens that are triggers are going to be hitting us really soon, and some of these medications take a little bit of time to act,” Hadland said.One final warning: parents should be on the lookout for any respiratory symptoms that could indicate asthma – such as wheezing or shortness of breath. That’s when you need to seek medical attention.