Hayfever help

[chocomoccalocca]

I have a 6 year old who suffers with hayfever. Over the counter medicines have always been enough but this year his eyes are so itchy. I will speak to the GP but has anyone got any suggestions of things that might help?

The hayfever eye drops are good. My pharmacist recommended them for my Dd. She finds it easier to turn her head on the side while lying down and having the drops put on the bridge of her nose. Then she turns her head so the drips go in more gently than the usual splat!

Basic hygiene suggestions; when they come in from playing outside, change clothes and wash hair often. Wash hands and face when they come inside each time. Never get into bed with outdoor clothes. Keep windows closed when pollen is high. It’s all about limiting pollen inside the house.

Make sure you dry his clothes in the house rather than on the line. Also sounds daft but always worked for me... when eyes are bad get a tea bag, slightly damp it in cold water and put on eyes. Don't know how it works but it helps with the pain, irritation. Does he have eye drops? I know with a 6 year old it will probably be a nightmare to try and put in but they do help, keep them in the fridge as well. Hayfever is a nightmare but hopefully he will grow out of it, I was terrible in my teens but now only really suffer if the pollen count is high and even then it's nothing like it use to be xx

I have found Nuage hayfever relief wipes absolutely amazing and a life saver cos once you itch you've had it. They are reasonably priced and available in a lot of places. Suitable for kids too.

Local honey is supposed to help (think similar to homeopathy, small amounts of exposure), if you can get hold of any.
little bit of Vaseline inside the nostrils is supposed to help trap the pollen from getting up the nose.
DS uses handkerchiefs, so I never dry them on the line in the summer, always indoors. Same with pillow cases or towels for the face. Never sure if it helps, but i like to think it’s limiting exposure somewhat.
sunglasses when outside if possible.
Follow the weather for the pollen count and stay indoors / window shut if possible on high count days (not necessarily just the hot days either, I can get it much worse on a rainy day!?!) so maybe monitor weather and her symptoms and see when it’s worse to identify her high trigger days.
I've suffered with hay fever since I was 9 and all 3 dcs now get it dreadfully too, so I feel her pain.

Yep, all of this.

I wash my face and moisturise when I come in. Helps with the eye watering and itchiness a lot. Wear indoor clothes.

Also there tends to be 3 seasons for hayfever, tree pollen is first in spring, the grass pollen the worst for most people, during summer, then weeds late summer into September. If she’s lucky she won’t have all 3. 🤞🏻

I agree about it being worse when it rains it makes my head want to explode.
And all the no mow may has made grass pollen bombs.

Thank you everyone some really useful info here. I will look at eye drops. Hadn't thought about clothes being dried outside making a difference will make sure I dry them inside in future. Biggest issue for us is he loves being outside and is his happy place so trying to stop him being outside is going to be a challenge.

Ours had to take fexofenadine, Benadryl spray (I think it was called) and montelukast to fully get on top of it.

Have you tried the hayfever wipes? Can get them from b&m and also think aldi have them in at min. They seem to help as well and may be good for him to use before going outside just wipe on his hands/neck and face. Its such a nightmare when they like being out, my DD's only 2 but I'm sure she's starting with it and she'd happily live outside if she could! X

Opticrom eye drops were always the only ones that worked for me and seems theyre suitable from age 6 on, providing DC will tolerate them!

I think we have had the wipes before so will get them again had forgotten that before someone mentioned it. I will also make sure he showers and washed his hair before bed so I know he's going to bed without anything irritating him.

Yes Aldi ones are good. My 21mo has it awful but loves being outside and definitely never line dry his clothes

Understanding Allergy by Dr Sophie Faroque who is a consultant in Allergy in one of the London Hospitals totally changed my life. My hay fever was so bad that I basically had to write off a month every summer, her approach has been brilliant and it's not even revolutionary. It might not sort him out for this summer entirely but definitely worth using saline and steroid nasal spray ahead of the season starting next year and there are good points about managing the inflammatory response when it starts.

I really like the eye sprays that you spray onto closed lids instead of drops, and they are often easier on children, pricey but worth it. Boots Allergy Eye Mist or Optrex Allergy Eye Mist have worked well for me

@Betteroutdoors ooo handy to know the mists work for hayfever as if I do get it bad I can't use most eye drops as I wear contacts x

Not going on for the sake of it but because when you suffer you know how awful it is for others. I've had it 30 years this year that's so many summers ruined and time off work etc.
I have found the wipes revolutionary. Before them I used to have little bags with damp cotton wool and slices of cucumber and tea bags to pop on when out and about. It just takes over your life.
And ruins this time of year

@chocomoccalocca oops sorry I thought you’d said dd!

Me too...thats how I discovered it, contacts are a nightmare with drops :)