Three year old - suspect hayfever. Any advice?

[Bluebutterfly]

dh has it really badly so when ds' cold failed to get better and he started to complain that his eyes sting (and are a bit red and swollen, and with a constantly streaming nose) I wondered if he could have hayfever? Does anyone elses lo have hayfever and how early on did you see symptoms? He has a doctors appt for Monday, but I am interested in finding out if anyone has experience of dealing with hayfever in small children and if there are any alternative remedies that people feel help?

I think that sounds a bit young to be getting hayfever as me and my siblings were around 7 when it became noticable, but I could be wrong!

Thanks KM - I just checked out your thread - the swollen eyes sounds like what ds has and it has only started in the last two weeks or so - since the trees have started to bud and spring flowers are coming out. At first I thought he had an eye infection, but they are not producing puss - are just a bit weepy - and they get better and worse at different points throughout the day. I am hoping the gp will be able to help out but unfortunately he can't see ds until Monday. If ds'eyes look worse I may need to get an emergency appt to rule out infection, but given that his nose has been running constantly for the last two weeks and he keeps sneezing I think that hayfever is quite likely. DH has had terrible hayfever, and is allergic to heaps of things too, since he was young and still suffers terribly every spring and autumn. I had hoped my year of bfing would minimise ds' chances of getting hayfever and allergies, but who knows maybe they would be worse than this if he had not been bfed. At least he does not appear to be allergic to animals and foods like dh. Touch wood.

Your poor lo's KM! It is frustrating because they are so uncomfortable, but there is not much that can be done!

I may run out to the chemist and get some children's antihistine though - if it relieves the symptoms then I guess hayfever is a good bet.

Thanks!

It's a good idea to do the things to keep pollen away as well. It's a bit harder with a 3 year old, but changing clothes and washing hair if you've been out somewhere where there is a lot of pollen really helps. It's also really good to keep the bedroom an allergen-free zone. This basically means keeping the windows and shut at all times, and using an air purifier.

Thanks MrsTM - I will move dh's air purifier into ds's bedroom. And keep his windows shut. May need to revert to daily baths this spring too (I have been bathing him every 2 days for the last year).

Uggghhhh. He had no signs of this at all last spring. I really thought he was going to be fine!