When the weather turns warmer and the sun makes a guest appearance, hay fever springs up on us pretty much immediately and doesn't particularly leave us with a “spring” in our step. With 15-20% of kids suffering from hay fever, the condition has tripled in children in the last few decades. Little ones start rubbing their red eyes and sneezing away like no one's business. But there are a few tips you can follow to handle hay fever in kids. Scratch Sleeves gives you the facts, symptoms, preventions and cures for the dreaded hay fever epidemic.
Hay Fever Facts
- Hay fever is rare in children under 2 years old. It usually appears in children at around age 7.
- Older children and teenagers are the most susceptible to hay fever.
- Sometimes hay fever is mistaken for a dust mite or pet fur allergy as the symptoms are very similar
- Hay fever is an allergy to grass pollen, but it's also possible to be allergic to tree pollen from birch, hazel or elder trees. Tree pollen allergies are triggered towards the end of Spring.
- Hay fever usually occurs any time between March and October
Hay Fever Symptoms
Hay fever symptoms range from very mild to severe, depending on the extent of your child's allergy. It's important not to confuse hay fever with a virus or cold. The difference is that hay fever is continuous, whereas a virus or cold will last for a few days to a week. Hay fever symptoms include:
Mild hay fever symptoms
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Itchy nose and throat
- Blocked or runny nose
Moderate hay fever symptoms
- Sweating
- Headaches
- Loss of smell/taste
Severe hay fever symptoms
- Fatigue
- Facial pain due to blocked sinuses
- Mild insomnia
- Asthma attacks
Hay Fever Preventions
Thankfully, there are a variety of ways to prevent hay fever and pollen allergies. You can reduce your child's exposure to pollen and lower the risk of the dreaded hay fever. Just follow these simple steps:
Keep windows closed at night to prevent pollen entering the room
Get your child to wear wraparound sunglasses so pollen avoids their eyes during the day.
Layer a small amount of petroleum jelly on the inside of your child's nose to stop pollen entering the nostrils.
Keep car windows shut when driving
When your child comes in from outside, wash their hair and clothes to get rid of any excess pollen
Use air filters to eradicate pollen in the house
As long as you keep an eye on your child when you are out and about, then you can follow these easy steps. If you suspect your child has hay fever then take them to the GP straight away and they can prescribe your child some anti histamines.
This post was sponsored by Scratch Sleeves - http://www.scratchsleeves.co.uk/
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