children with Hayfever

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is anyone elses child suffering badly with hayfever at the moment? My ds2 (5) is feeling really rough with it and i feel sorry for him that he is being kept inside at school playtimes when all his friends are out He is such a boisterous little lad as well so it really goes against the grain with him!

Yes, my DD is just 2 and she suffers with hayfever. She did a little last year too, but this year it is a lot more noticable.

Have you tried anything for it?

Boots do a syrup medicine, once a day, for children. DD had it but won't take it - tastes a bit vile .

So we are now using Piriton syrup - every 4 to 6 hours. It seems to be working okay, and she is a lo better having had some.

I would love to sort out something more natural though as I really don't like giving her mediine all day every day so I think I need to visit a herbal remedy shop too.

We have found that various anti-histamines are more or less effective for DS. Benedryl doesn't seem to work, piriton and phenargen do. I prefer the multiple dose versions, as a top-up before bed seems to stop him suffering during the night.
Vaseline spread just around the nostrils and a tiny bit inside can help, as can wearing sunglasses and keeping them indoors with windows shut after teatime/6 o'clockish when the air starts to cool and all the pollen in it sinks to ground level.

Itr's miserable, isn't it?

when they are a bit older you could try nasalairguard which i use. also use one of those big garden spray bottles filled with water and use on a very fine spray creates a mini rain shower and washes all the pollen away (spray hair,clothes,rooms,bed,dog and up nose)when i'm out i use a travel spray - i think boots/superdrug do them or empty out an old container.
hayfever is such a debilatating illness, i hope one day there will be a cure!

just remembered another thing that may help: coat under and over eyelashes with vasaline as well as up nose

both my dd and my dh are suffering from hayfever. feel so sorry for them as their eyes are itchy and their noses and running. poor dd1 sounds like she has a cold starting as her nose is running. dd1 has loratrdine from allergy clinic, dd2 is on piriton and dh is on something perscribed by the gp as it has to be ok with his others meds. i dont suffer from it myself at this time of year, i have a slight dose in the spring but am fine in the summer.

Has anyone tried the idea of having some locally produced honey every day as a remedy? I read this somewhere but don't know how successful it would be.

have tried it but didn't work. i don't think i took it early enough - you are suppose to start at the beginning of the year to build up immunity.
some people swear that cutting out dairy has cured them though i would find this very hard.. read in the sunday telegraph that someone was cured by immersing themselves in hay pollen/dust - had a bad sneezing fit, went to bed then the next day nothing - do it yourself desensitisation!
there's also suppose to be a vaccination coming out soon.

Oh yeah, thanks for reminder about honey. Someone in my road sells it, so that's pretty local. Will put it in her night time milk and start using it myself as well.

There's a homeopathic/biochemic remedy for hayfever for adults and children. It's for hayfever and allergic rhinitis and it's made by 'New Era'. You can get it at health shops or 'Boots'. I have friends who've had great success with it, and DH is now giving it a go .
HTH

Do you guys use the non-drowsy versions of the antihistamines? I've tried Zyrtec for my youngest, but it's having no effect whatsoever. His poor little eyes were nearly swollen shut after playing out in the nature preserve yesterday and when he sleeps, he wakes up with them glued together (blergh).

Will try the rest of the tips also -- Blu, do you put the Vaseline on top of sunblock? It's super sunny here.

Also, how long does it last? He's had it for a couple of weeks now and it's getting worse. Will it be like this all summer?

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for those of you who mentioned trying something safer Bioforce Luffa if fantastic. About 8 out ot 10 of my customers who use it say it works. You add a few drops (2drops for a 2yr old; 3 drops for a 3yr old etc) to water/juice/squash and take it 3 times a day. it is fairly tasteless and works within about 15mins of taking it. it tackles just about every hayfever/rhinitis symptom you could think of.

H for Hayfever as mentioned by Levanna is quite good. about half people find it fantastic and other half find it does nothing. they are tiny little tablets. i think children take 1 tablet 4 times a day. if they cant take tablet whole, it can be crushed.

if you can remember at about Christmas next year, take Echinacea...it will boost immune system and make you less suseptible to hayfever or rhinitis.

all available from health shops and some chemists.

i meant to say "something alternative/natural" not "something safer"...i didnt mean to imply the mainstream ones were not safe!

Gloworm, may I pick your brains?! I strongly considered urging DH to take Echinacea. But, was wondering if as echinacea boosts the immune system would it worsen the problem? I had understood hayfever to be a problem caused by an already over enthusiastic immune system? I'm really genuinely interested, as you've probably guessed I'm forging my way into all things non-allopathic with great interest!

...sorry, forgot to add re. 'new era', I think it's not suitable for anyone with a lactose allergy, but the 'tablets' do dissolve in a split second, so shouldn't be a problem for children .

echinacea wil help balance the immune syatem (not just boost it)

doea this mean dh has hayfever too?
dh could try devils claw from xmas onwards...its even better for auto-immune disorders(where immune system is attacking body), by hayfever season the immune system should be much better and able to cope. (this advise is for next year really)

in the mean time ask him to give echinacea a go(he can take it all year) and try the Luffa!!

ask in your health shop for Bioforce leaflet called "stop sneezing" (not sure if that the right name but they'll know the one). it explains all this in more detail.

here's a lonk to that leaflet (suitable for kids and adults in case i didnt mention)

this

and if that didnt work...copy and paste:
www.healthywaymagazine.com/issue15/04_allergies.html

link not lonk

what about babies? ds is 9months & seems to suffer. Eyes are very red & swollen & has some chest issues as well.

what can be recommended that's not too medical

capie, strictly speaking we are not really supposed to recommend anything for under 2yrs...you are suppossed to take them to GP (IMO this is just companies covering themselves against people suing etc). off-the-record there are lots of good remedies that are fine for babies (many of which we use on our own 2 children )

baby can have Bioforce Echineacea (1 drop, 3 times a day) to boost immune system.
I would also feel fine about giving Bioforce Luffa to a baby (same dose).
Friendly bacteria are another great remedy (amongst other things, it boosts immune system). babies and children have different bacteria in their tummies than adults, so you need to get a child-friendly one. we use Solgar ABCdophilus, is a bit expensive but 1 bottle wil last for months.
SolgarABCdophilus

all available in good health shop (holland and barret do not stock Solgar). if you need help fing a stockist close to you, or want to buy it online, let me know.

also, what are the chest issues?

GLOWORM - a massive thank you about the luffa complex. i had bought some last year but wasn't sure if i could take them while pregnant/bf so they stayed unopened in the cupboard - then your post reminded me. horrendous sneezing over the past week - my nasalairguard kept flying out and there is only so much water you can spray! i have taken the luffa tinture 3 times today and it has stopped the sneezing and itchy eyes .it can't be true? this could be the one.....too early to say but fingers crossed

shrub, glad it worked for you...it soes work pretty quick!!