Hay fever in children

It is spring and you might have noticed that your child suddenly has a runny nose, slightly puffy eyes, and constantly sneezes. With the change of season, they might be experiencing hay fever.  While hayfever may not be common in children under five years old, they can still get it.

What is hay fever

Since it’s hardly ever caused by hay and doesn’t involve fever, hay fever is actually a misnomer. The proper medical term is allergic rhinitis. It occurs when the body’s immune system mistakes a harmless substance, called an allergen, as a health threat. In response, the body produces lots of antibodies to neutralise the invader. During the war against the allergen, a group of unrelated cells, called mast cells, are often accidentally injured, and they release a chemical known as histamine. It’s the histamine which causes the symptoms of hay fever.

What triggers it

In principle, any substance can trigger such an allergic reaction, but most children are allergic to various plant materials, especially pollen – the tiny, dry male sex cells of flowering plants that are easily carried by the wind and inhaled. Other common allergens include the spores of fungi and moulds, dust, and animal dander, which consists of minute skin flakes shed by animals such as cats, dogs, and birds. The time of year during which you get hay fever depends on which substances you’re allergic to, for example, tree pollen in spring, grass pollen in late spring and summer, and weed pollen in autumn.

Symptoms

Your child might have hay fever if they complain about these symptoms:

• Puffy, itchy, red and watery eyes
• Sneezing
• A blocked or runny nose
• headaches and sweats
• A loss of taste and smell
• Facial pain and itchiness from the throat to the nose and ears
• Fatigue, irritability and insomnia

Prevention

While there is very little you can do to stop your child from becoming allergic to certain substances, you can try your best to avoid or minimise situations in which they are exposed to them. Try these tips:

• Be aware of pollen counts (they’re announced in weather reports and newspapers) and keep windows and doors shut when they’re high so that your child is not exposed
• Make sure your child steers clear of grassy areas
• Encourage your child to splash their eyes with cool water regularly and protect them with wrap-around glasses
• Don’t keep flowers in your home;
• Do a thorough spring clean, keep surfaces, floors, and carpets as dust-free as possible
• Wash bed sheets weekly using hot water
• Stop smoking near your child
• Check bathrooms and other damp areas for mildew and mould
• Keep your pets off furniture and out of your child’s bedroom

Treatment

Sometimes hay fever may be unbearable and your child might need to see a doctor. The doctor may recommend a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications for treating the symptoms of hay fever in your child, including:

• Antihistamine sprays
• Eye drops
• Corticosteroid sprays
• You shouldn’t use decongestant nasal sprays for more than five days in a row without advice from your doctor