Hay Fever affects up to 25 percent of people and is caused by an allergic reaction when pollen comes into contact with the nose, eyes or throat.
Is your child constantly rubbing their eyes? Sneezing, especially when outside? Is their nose runny or blocked? And have you noticed if any of these seem to be worse on sunny days? Then it could be hayfever!
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Hay fever affects up to 25 percent of people and is caused by an allergic reaction when pollen comes into contact with the nose, eyes or throat. Pollen itself is actually harmless, but it’s the reaction the body has to it which causes the problem!
When your child comes into contact with pollen an allergic reaction is triggered. Their immune system over-reacts to this ‘harmless’ substance, attacking it as if it were a virus rather than recognising that it is safe. Large amounts of the chemical histamine are released, and it is this which causes your child to develop symptoms including itching, inflammation and irritation.
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Hay fever affects up to 25 percent of people and is caused by an allergic reaction when pollen comes into contact with the nose, eyes or throat. Pollen itself is actually harmless, but it’s the reaction the body has to it which causes the problem!
When your child comes into contact with pollen an allergic reaction is triggered. Their immune system over-reacts to this ‘harmless’ substance, attacking it as if it were a virus rather than recognising that it is safe. Large amounts of the chemical histamine are released, and it is this which causes your child to develop symptoms including itching, inflammation and irritation.
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Hay fever affects up to 25 percent of people and is caused by an allergic reaction when pollen comes into contact with the nose, eyes or throat. Pollen itself is actually harmless, but it’s the reaction the body has to it which causes the problem!
When your child comes into contact with pollen an allergic reaction is triggered. Their immune system over-reacts to this ‘harmless’ substance, attacking it as if it were a virus rather than recognising that it is safe. Large amounts of the chemical histamine are released, and it is this which causes your child to develop symptoms including itching, inflammation and irritation.
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Hay fever affects up to 25 percent of people and is caused by an allergic reaction when pollen comes into contact with the nose, eyes or throat. Pollen itself is actually harmless, but it’s the reaction the body has to it which causes the problem!
When your child comes into contact with pollen an allergic reaction is triggered. Their immune system over-reacts to this ‘harmless’ substance, attacking it as if it were a virus rather than recognising that it is safe. Large amounts of the chemical histamine are released, and it is this which causes your child to develop symptoms including itching, inflammation and irritation.
Tips to help reduce your child’s hayfever symptoms
Although it is impossible to entirely avoid pollen, there are some preventative measures which you can take to help reduce your child’s exposure to pollen:
How to reduce hay fever symptoms
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Knowing the pollen count for your area
Pollen counts are great for measuring the amount of pollen in the air, which will allow you to determine how bad your child’s symptoms might be on any given day. This can help you plan your child’s day better by avoiding pollen hotspots.
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Washing pollen away
If your child has been playing outdoors, it is important to wash their face, hands and hair when they come inside. Pollen is sticky stuff, so wash it away as much as possible.
Washing bed linen and changing their clothes regularly will also help reduce exposure to pollen, but be sure to dry your washing inside on high pollen days, as pollen can stick on wet laundry when outside. -
Closing the windows
Keep the windows in your house closed on high pollen days and, if possible, use air conditioning in your car when travelling, rather than opening windows.
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Spreading a little barrier balm around the edge of your child’s nostrils
A barrier balm such as coconut oil can help to trap or block pollen before it is inhaled. Make sure you re-apply it each time your child blows their nose.
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Vitamin C
This is a natural antihistamine without the unpleasant effects of some conventional antihistamine medication.
Good food sources of vitamin C include blackcurrants, red peppers, kale, broccoli, mango, cauliflower, strawberries, spinach, citrus fruits, peaches, raspberries, sweet potatoes and bananas. If your child struggles to eat their fruit and veg, try adding them to smoothies. -
Reduce dairy
Limit the amount of dairy products in your child’s diet during the hayfever season to help reduce inflammation in the nasal passages, as they can contribute to congestion.
