Hay fever in children

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goodtoknow says: It's estimated that around one in three children suffer with hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. It's particularly common in children of 13 plus. Your child may suffer with the snuffles, sneezes and sore eyes caused by this allergy which experts fear may be have increased because of global warming and pollution. Hayfever is a reaction to pollen and fungal spores with most people being allergic to grass pollen. The 'hayfever season' starts as early as February going on until autumn. Anti-histamine tablets work well as do many natural remedies.

For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of hayfever from patient.co.uk, read on.

Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollen. Common symptoms are a runny nose, itchy nose, blocked nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Common treatments are an antihistamine nose spray or medicine and/or a steroid nose spray. Other treatments are sometimes used if these common treatments do not work so well.

What is hay fever?

Strictly speaking, hay fever (also called seasonal allergic rhinitis) is caused by an allergy to grass or hay pollens. Grass pollen is the most common cause (May to July). However, the term is sometimes used when allergies are caused by other pollens such as from tree pollens (March to May). Symptoms are due to the immune system reacting to the pollen. Cells on the lining of the nose and eyes release histamine and other chemicals when they come in contact with pollen. This causes inflammation in the nose (rhinitis) and eyes (conjunctivitis).