My child has hay fever, what can I do to help?

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant

What is hay fever?

Hay fever is a reaction to pollen which happens when pollen comes into contact with the mouth, nose, eyes or throat.  Pollen from trees, grass and flowers can cause irritation, and in some cases make your little one feel quite poorly. Hay fever typically affects individuals between March and September and this can be when the pollen count is at its highest. 

Often this is: 

• Tree pollen which is released during spring.

• Grass pollen which is released at the end of spring and beginning of the summer.

• Weed pollen which is released in the autumn. 

 Symptoms of hay fever

 Symptoms can vary for children but some of the typical ones are:

• Sneezing

• Running or blocked nose

• Coughing

• Itchy, watery or red eyes

• Headache – typically across the forehead or temples

• Earache

• Tiredness

• Itchy throat, mouth, nose or ears – children may say that they have a sore throat as they are unable to articulate that it feels itchy.

Symptoms can often be worse first thing in the morning or early evening, particularly on days when it is warm and sunny. 

What can you do to help?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for hay fever and you are not able to prevent it.  However, there are things that you can do to help ease the symptoms:

•  Putting Vaseline (or barrier balm linked below) around the nose helps to trap the pollen and prevent it from getting into the nasal passages and causing irritation.

• Wearing wraparound sunglasses can help to stop pollen getting into the eyes (an example of these is in the link below).

• When your little one comes inside after being outside, change their clothes and get them into the shower or bath to wash off any of the pollen that might be on their skin.

• Keep windows and doors shut so that the house is as pollen free as possible.

• Vacuuming and damp dusting can help with reducing the pollen which might be coming into the house.  There are also pollen filters you can buy which can be added to vacuums and cars.

• Avoid drying your child’s clothes outside as this can mean that they are catching the pollen and causing your little one’s symptoms to be worse.

• Try using hay fever wipes (linked below) 

• Using nasal sprays twice a day (always follow instructions in relation to age etc) can be helpful, but can be uncomfortable for some children so might not be something that they are able to tolerate.

• If you have pets, brush them or use a damp towel to wipe them before they come into the house from outside to remove any pollen which might be on them. 

• Avoid going to high pollen areas such as woods or grasslands, particularly at times of high pollen. 

• Check the pollen counts in your area, there are lots of websites which allow you to put in your postcode and give you a indication of levels related to grass, tree and weed pollen that day. 

Speak to a pharmacist or GP if your child has severe symptoms to see what they are able to offer in relation to medication which might be right for your child. 

Some products that we would recommend for hay fever are linked here

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