This is the time of year when hay fever is at its peak. Even during wet weather, pollen levels rise rapidly when we’re lucky enough to get even a short dry, sunny interlude. That’s enough to trigger the familiar symptoms of sneezing, itchy eyes and nose and sore throat for many of the millions of hay fever sufferers in the UK. It’s estimated that around one in three children suffer from hay fever. It’s especially common between the ages of 14-24. The incidence has increased threefold within the last generation, roughly in line with the increase in asthma. The reasons for this aren’t clear.

What is hay fever?

It’s a reaction to allergens in the air - mainly grass and pollen from trees and flowers. The allergen stimulates the body to release a chemical called histamine, which triggers the symptoms of an allergic reaction, and causes typical symptoms of recurrent sneezing and itchy nose, throat and eyes. It usually occurs during spring and summer. When each child is most badly affected depends on which types of pollen they are most allergic to. Usually, grass and flower pollen cause the most problems and they are at their peak between May and July. Some children are allergic to pollen from trees, which peaks between March and May. Hay fever in the autumn is caused by late flowering plants and mould spores, but this is quite rare.

The pollen count, in other words the amount of pollen in the air, isn’t only determined by the season. It also depends on the weather. If it’s sunny, flowers open and more pollen is released into the air. Wind circulates pollen in the air. Rain clears pollen from the air and causes levels to fall. Symptoms usually start when the pollen count reaches around 50. Check weather forecasts on TV, the radio, in newspapers or on news websites to find pollen count predictions.

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Children with asthma might find their asthma symptoms are exacerbated if they have hay fever as well.

Why are some children affected and others not?

Children are more susceptible to hay fever if there’s a family history of allergies, especially hay fever and asthma and also eczema.

Does my child need to see a doctor?

It’s a good idea to see your GP. Hay fever can be confirmed by skin tests or blood tests, but the diagnosis is usually obvious from your child’s history so tests aren’t normally necessary.

What’s the best treatment?

The first rule of allergy treatment is to try and avoid the allergen. But in the case of hay fever, this is virtually impossible especially during summer when children want to play outside. Medical treatment can take the form of eye drops if the eyes are affected, or antihistamine tablets or syrup if the nose and throat are also affected. Some antihistamines can be linked with drowsiness though. There are also new medications available, which your GP might recommend.

If your child continues to suffer from hay fever, it would be worth considering nasal steroids or a course of injections, offering desensitisation to grass seeds and pollen. This treatment is only carried out at specialist centres.

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