Terrible hay fever in 9yo what on earth do I do

[pinkjeanbea]

Unfortunately moving is not an option but of course we live smack bang in the middle of the countryside with seemingly every type of pollen going

My poor 9yo is affected so badly, I hate the idea of constantly giving her antihistamines but so far it's all I feel I can do. Her eyes stream and go red, she sniffs all day and walks around with a packet of tissues constantly. I don't care having to pay or do anything to stop her suffering, halting the incessant sniffing would also be delightful!
I have no allergies so really not sure what I'm doing. Any ideas gratefully received!

To add to all the great advice above, make sure she's washing her hands frequently (including before food just in case), and use plain unscented wipes regularly to wipe around her nose and mouth - this helps my DBro a lot. The Vicks inhaler used alongside the Beconase spray can help keep her clear. See if you can get something prescribed (mometasone did wonders for me). I take an antihistamine daily including through the winter for pet allergies and it has made me much better. Make sure the tissues she uses don't have balm or anything on as it can irritate her eyes.

Antihistamines everyday are safe.
My child has awful hay fever but also allergies so has them all year round 🤷‍♀️.
Also Vaseline around the nostrils to catch the pollen and sunglasses

My DC (8 & 4) have hayfever & I give them both age appropriate antihistamines. I have it too, & have done since I was a teenager & take daily antihistamines. They're safe & life changing as hayfever is awful - when it's bad I want to scratch my eyes out.
I was on fexofenadine, eye drops & nasal spray but since having children (had no symptoms during pregnancy) it's treatable with otc antihistamines.
Give your dd daily antihistamines, try both types (loratidine & certrizine so?) & if they aren't working go to the gp.

Shower off any pollen before bed. Make sure the bedroom is as pollen free as possible (no open windows, bed linen dried indoors, air purifier running and PJ's that have been dried indoors. This should mean she gets some decent sleep at least. Don't underestimate how tiring it is sniffing all day and fighting pollen off.

Yes to a daily antihistamine and double yes to fexofenadine (OTC brand name is allevia) Game changer. Poor love, it's really terrible, but one of those things that people who don't have it don't understand.

I hope she gets some relief, and soon.

Yes, we did this same combination for my middle child, although the Montelukast was on an as-needed basis. A good air purifier in the bedroom is very helpful, and our allergist is very insistent on nasal rinsing as it actually removes the pollen from inside the nose.

Thank you all very much. I do shower her and wash her hair regularly to get the pollen off. I also use eye drops and other anti allergy items I've got from the pharmacy our doctors is an absolute nightmare to get an appointment so I tend to leave until absolute emergencies but will try to.

My next door neighbour makes honey I didn't know this helps! I will give antihistamines then currently only using piriton will look at the other brands
@Mummyford I've never heard of an allergist could one of these help me with the hay fever situation? I would happily take dd to see someone that can also help explain to her what is going on and what can help.

My sin is seven and has had hayfever since he was 5. He has a antihistamine every day when the pollen is high. They are perfectly safe. It's neglectful not to use safe tested medication on children imo.

Typo, my son! Obviously 🙄

I think an allergist could help, but probably isn't necessary. We went to one because my middle child has oral allergy syndrome, which is an allergy to raw fruit and vegetables and is related to severe pollen allergies/hay fever. They can test for specific pollen allergies and, in some cases, give immunotherapy. Mine did immunotherapy for grass and tree pollen, but I wouldn't recommend it unless absolutely necessary. It's a faff and fairly unpleasant, and I'm not sure of the odds of getting any of this through the NHS, so likely, a huge expense.

Honestly, in your place I would try the things mentioned on this thread first as they might very well clear it up. I agree also that you need to give her medication consistently and very much second the recommendation for Fexofenadine which had no side effects at all for us. If you're asking your GP for a prescription, it's called Telfast.

The sinus rinsing was surprisingly helpful, so well worth trying!

Please don’t withhold medication from her 😢

full shower with hair wash each night
sunglasses on during the day and close her bedroom window at night
vaseline as a barrier to her nose may help

kleenex and the likes do allergy wipes they can be good

I used to get terrible terrible hay fever as a child, now much improved but still bad.

Fexofenadine (I think usually has to be prescribed for children but not sure) is great unless cetirizine or loratadine works for her. Don't need the branded stuff, those are much more cheaply bought from online pharmacies.

Beconase nasal spray.

Sunglasses - really surprisingly important.

I'm also a big fan of covering ones hair (I put it up in a hat) if going to particularly pollen-y places.

Shower when you come inside during the height of pollen season.

Trip to the seaside if you're close enough can be a blessed relief if she's still suffering.

If you do nasal rinsing, make sure everything you use is scrupulously clean and has been washed in boiling water. It can introduce bacteria to the nasal cavity if you are slapdash and some people have become very ill as a result.

https://www.bsaci.org/patients/most-common-allergies/rhinitis/
Guidance here from British Society of Allergy. Regular antihistamines are very safe to use. No evidence that local honey helps at all but it certainly won't do any harm if you wanted to try it.

Just seen you are using piriton, that's not usually the favoured antihistamine over the age of 2 as it's sedating. Newer generation antihistamines such as cetirizine or fexofenadine are better.

Regular antihistamines work better than taken one every so often, my dd has fexofenadine night and morning from March to July to manage her hayfever as cetirizine doesn’t work well enough and loratisine is sedating.

Please don’t deny your dd relief from the utter misery of bad hayfever based on your own worries about taking pills. There’s plenty of evidence that antihistamines are safe for children.

My DC had to take one anti histamine a day from around late feb /March. We but the ones from Aldi. The D.C. would really suffer without them.
As PP have said , don't dry clothes or bed sheets outside. Keep their bedroom window closed. Sunglasses whilst out. Vaseline around inside the rim of the nostrils.
Wash their face /hands after being outside

Bear in mind that piriton syrup only works for a few hours per dose. She would probably be better trying a 24hr antihistamine like loratidine (clarityn) or cetirizine (piriteze). My ds has taken both these on the advice of paeds allergy consultant alternated every 12hrs since he was your dd's age as well as sinus rinse and combinations of other meds mentioned above.

Having hay fever or other allergies is exhausting! It would be good for your dd if you can investigate all treatments now to find a regime that helps before she is faced with summer exams when older.

I also had the Grazax therapy and it has been life-changing for me! I still get symptoms (as I have allergies to nettle, birch and another tree pollen) but so much more mildly, and they are actually controlled by antihistamines/eye drops/ nasal spray.

Not giving antihistamines is cruel.

Do you have pets? Make sure she washes her hands after petting as the pollen in their fur will aggravate hayfever too.

@SeaToSki

Yes, and I should have added, use either water that has been boiled for 5 minutes and cooled or distilled water. It's a bit of a fuss, but surprisingly effective.

I had a terrible time with hayfever last year as I was pregnant and couldn't take my usual tablets, I got this light thing and I really think it helped. I'll be using it this summer when mine starts to get bad, I'm May-August usually are my worst months www.amazon.co.uk/Lloydspharmacy-Lloyds-Pharmacy-Allergy-Reliever/dp/B07MH4N7X4

homeopathy, acupressure doesn't work.

give your child cetirizine or loratadine. eye drops to relieve itchy eyes.

keep dc bedroom clean and dust free. synthetic bedding, cotton covers that can be washed hot. minimal stuffed toys that can be washed.
consider an air purifier for the bedroom.
bath/shower before bed.
hairstyle that keeps hair out of face.
sunglasses outside.

don't allow pets in bedrooms.

if it doesn't get better of gets worse see the gp.

On the air purifier I would suggest trying one and seeing if it helps first then you could see if you want another.

Better to get a good one that removes pollen well than two cheaper ones. I think we used which? reviews to find a good one. We only bought the one as we move it between rooms (and it wasn’t cheap!)

The hay fever symptoms are caused by the body producing massive amounts of histamine as a result of the allergic reaction. Antihistamines are necessary to counteract the histamine. Please medicate your daughter to keep her comfortable.

Antihistamines every day and speak to your GP about nasal sprays, I think they have to be prescribed for children in the UK rather than OTC so ask what she can get. Both my children and myself suffer badly from hayfever these days, they both took antihistamines every single day last spring and summer and older DD used a nasal spray which was the most help.

Sorry to hijack, but can I ask- can hayfever cause skin rashes? My daughter is so itchy and uncomfortable with little bumps on her skin and gets quite blotchy. We’re on a very complicated journey to figuring out why her skin gets so uncomfortable and she does have oral allergy syndrome which is linked to hayfever.