Many children suffer from hayfever and it can be particularly troublesome during the summer months. But why does it occur and what treatments are available?

Hayfever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis as it's also known, is a type of allergic reaction that occurs as a result of contact with pollen or spores. It causes a range of symptoms, such as sneezing, a blocked and running nose, streaming and sore eyes, itching, a sore and dry throat, wheezing and sometimes even headaches and tiredness. Some people only experience mild symptoms, but for others they can be severe, last longer and totally interfere with normal day-to-day life. For children, it can be particularly miserable.

Although hayfever is typically associated with the summer months, it actually exists all year around and can strike at any time. The reason for this lies in the different types of pollens, which peak at various points in the year. During the summer, from mid April to August, the grass and oilseed rape pollens are responsible for most hayfever symptoms, with about 95 per cent of hayfever sufferers being allergic to grass pollen. Tree pollen affects about one in four people.

Spores from moulds and fungi can also cause seasonal hayfever, but it's less common than the effects of pollen. If you're unfortunate enough to be allergic to these, the peak times for the worst culprits are during the late summer and autumn.

If your child is suffering from hayfever, then see a doctor first, rather than trying to self-prescribe treatments, especially as a doctor can help rule out other potential conditions. Depending on the exact symptoms involved, there are various treatment options available:

Nasal sprays and drops help reduce the nasal problems, such as runny or bunged up noses and sneezing. There are different types of sprays available, including antihistamine sprays and decongestants.

Eye drops are useful if itchy or very watery eyes are a big hayfever symptom.

Tablets or liquid medicines are sometimes prescribed, either to be taken at the onset of hayfever, or to ward it off. Sometimes these can contain antihistamines. 

Bear in mind that some antihistamine based products may cause drowsiness, so if you’re worried about this, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice on non-drowsy products.

Practical Ways of Reducing Symptoms

As well as prescribed or over-the-counter medications, there are also a number of practical steps you can take as a parent to reduce the hayfever symptoms your child may experience. For example:

• When the pollen count is likely to be high, keep the windows and doors closed and dissuade your child from playing outside.
• The pollen count tends to be at its highest first thing in the morning, in the late afternoon and in the evening, so stay away from grassy or tree-ridden areas during these times.
• Pollen can get onto the fibres of clothing, especially if washing is out on the line when the pollen count is high. So avoid putting washing outside during this time.
• If your child does need to be outside, then invest in some wraparound sunglasses, as this will help reduce the risk of pollen getting in the eyes.

Which Pollen Affects Your Child?

If your child suffers very badly, working out which pollen is the culprit, then avoiding it where possible (or chopping down the tree, if it grows in your garden!), can help. Some of the main types of pollen are listed below, along with details of when they’re particularly prevalent, although the pollen season does vary slightly depending on where you live in the UK – it tends to start earlier in the south and last later in the year in the north.

Coping with hayfever can be tough for children. However, by learning when symptoms are likely to strike, starting treatment as soon as possible and, where viable, identifying and avoiding the key culprits, hayfever can become manageable and the summer months needn’t be filled completely with sniffing, sneezing and watery eyes.  

By Rachel Newcombe