Best antihistamine for a child for Hayfever?

[Tranquilitybaby]

My son, 9 has had terrible Hayfever since he was 2.5 and has taken piraton from April to September every year since.

We started him on homeopathic remedy this year which helped until three weeks ago when the Hayfever came back with avengance. He's so distressed, his eyes keep swelling up and he can't stop sneezing, I've sent him off to school today in tears, I feel so awful for him.

He wants to be able to take a once a day tablet now instead of constant medicine, any recommendations please? I was thinking maybe Clarityn

Thanks

DS1 uses the cheap Citirizine you get in Boots - red and white box. It's the same as the more expensive ones. However, it does not necessarily last all day (none of the ones we've tried do) especially if the pollen count is high and he's outdoors in the evening.

You might want to take him to the GP to see if eye drops and/or nasal sprays would help.

piriteze once a day says in the box that you can take them from age 6, although at age 6 till possibly 12 (I forget what it says exactly about age! ) they take half a tablet twice a day, rather than a full one once. I tried getting my 6 year old to swallow half a tiny tablet yesterday because I thought it would last for the school day rather than wearing of like piriton syrup does, but he couldn't swallow it!

piriteze once a day says in the box that you can take them from age 6, although at age 6 till possibly 12 (I forget what it says exactly about age! ) they take half a tablet twice a day, rather than a full one once. I tried getting my 6 year old to swallow half a tiny tablet yesterday because I thought it would last for the school day rather than wearing of like piriton syrup does, but he couldn't swallow it!

The "Value Health" ones we use also say 1/2 a tablet twice a day for ages 6-12.

Looking on Boots.com, there is no difference between the expensive brands of Cetirizine and the Value Health ones (or Galpharm which is the cheap brand on the website).

Some do not say 6-12 need half a tablet twice a day which is interesting.

fexofenadine am and pm, steroid nasal spray, and piriton when needed.

ceterizine is fine and should not make him tired. sideffects are minimal, tablets are vey small and easy to swallow on a spoon of yoghurt.
own brand is fine, boots often have 241 deals.
unlike homeopathetic sugar it actually works.

There are 2 main types of anti-histamine. Cetrizine hydrochloride and Loratadine.

Cetrizine - 1/2 tab twice a day age 6 - 12, and Loratadine - 1 tab a day for children (technically over 2, but unlikely, given the weight restriction) as long as they weigh at least 30kg.

My DS was diagnosed with hay fever at two and is now 11 so we are veterans!

My experience is that all antihistamines work, though Piriton does not seem to last as long as the others. Definitely buy generics as they are exactly the same but cheaper. Just tell the pharmacist that is what you want.

I use liquid rather than tablets. All antihistamines are available as liquids. If your child gets drowsy on antihistamines give the dose last thing at night so it peaks whilst they are asleep.

Also, antihistamines are one of those things which work best if used continuously, We dose from early June to end of July and that seems to cover whatever triggers mu DS allergies, but it works much better if I do it every day.

PS antihistamines also seem to help his eczema slightly.

Sorry for jumping on thread but have 7 year old with terrible hay fever for first time (had very mild previously). In those 7 years I have never managed to get any medicine in him unless I've hidden it in food or drink (luckily he's generally a well child). (He has major anxiety issues and not taking medicine is one of the minor related issues.)

Just wondered if anyone has come across any hay fever remedy that either comes as pleasant chewable type or a liquid tasteless enough to hide in a drink or yoghurt? They all seem to be either strong supposedly neutral flavour (eg piriton for babies) or banana flavoured (everything else I've found). Can hide in coke but really don't want to give him coke every day so he is currently just suffering.

Clarytin (Loratadine) is less sedating than cetirizine. Try one, then the other, see which works the best. You'll be in this for the long haul, though.

And get generics, if you can, rather than supermarket or branded ones. IIRC, the dose for loratadine is the full 10mg for someone over 30kg, so your 9yo may be able to take the adult pills, which ate £1 for 30.

mousmous cetirizine is sedating for some people. It makes DS1 incredibly crabby and it completely knocks me out. I remember taking a tablet one summer evening for urticaria and hayfever and finally waking up about 2pm the next day, much to the (understandable) annoyance of work.

that true ourvye but for most they are fine and denititly worth a try.

comes down to what works best for each individual, we have fexofenadine (only comes in tablet form) am and pm, and own brand liquid chlorphenamine (alleriefe or almus) doesn't have as strong a flavor as piriton brand which has a distinctive flavour. though there is a supply issue with chlorphenamine liquid at the moment.

three weeks ago the grass pollen came out with a vengeance which is probably why he didn't have symptoms until then - before that point it was tree pollen so he is likely to be less sensitive to that

this last weekend was very bad - I take citirizine daily from march-october with beconase nasal spray during the grass season (when i am worst) and i hadn't had symptoms for years. but last weekend the pollen count managed to penetrate even those defences

Thanks everyone. The homeopathic remedy was definitely working, he's been awful since he was 2.5 years ok and this was his best year yet.

He's had cetirizine for the last two days and it seems to have helped thankfully. Xx

Beconase nasal spray is the best thing ever,I have really bad hay fever and this is the first year I've not suffered. Ds uses it too he's 13. Gp needs to prescribe it for under 18's.