Hayfever

[LemonFritz]

My DS, age 6, has awful hayfever (grass pollen). His eyes are worst affected followed by nose. We have tried piriton, loratidine and cetirizine.

We started antihistamines in March. Currently he takes 10ml cetirizine per day and additional top up doses of piriton (overdose, but by GP advice). He is tortured into eye drops, once per day if we are lucky. He wears sunglasses outside, washes his face when he comes indoors and all laundry is dried inside. He stays inside at playtimes on bad days.

He is not sleeping, utterly miserable, irritable and hates all interventions. We are going to try Vaseline around eyes and nose tomorrow, hopefully he will accept it.

Any advice or ideas, please? He tolerates oral medication but is highly resistant to any other treatments.

My child has awful hayfever and using a nasal spray helps a lot (beconase). Also a prescribed medication, fexofenadine. Has 30mg twice a day, not sure what age this is from - she is 10 but it has made a huge difference to her. Definitely worth asking about

My husband gets bad hay-fever and he puts vaseline on his nostrils and under eyes before he mows the garden and says it really helps to prevent severe symptoms.

Could he put his eye drops in himself? My DD gets bad hayfever and very itchy eyes, her DGF (an optician) taught her to put her eye drops in by herself when is was about 4. It put her back in control and stopped the panicking.

I inhale Oleas oil drops on tissue on a regular basis when my nose blocks through allergies. I also turn to a range of essential oil to massage around my face and neck to help with breathing. Washing eyes out with eye washes for the itchiness. Children are more sensitive to oils though so proceed with caution if you decide to try this.

I feel your pain.

Unfortunately, the only thing that has worked for us which we got the first time this summer (DD is 9) is fexofenadine on prescription which works a treat but I'm not sure it's suitable for a 6 year old - ask your GP. It's been a wonder drug for DD.

Thanks all. He got prescribed fexofenadine this morning. Just need to work out how to get him to take tablets! Now he’s 6 he can have it. Hoping it works!

I was surprised at how easily DD took to them, given that they're pretty big tablets. But the difference has been astonishing! She does have odd moments of sneezing but eyes seem fine and she doesn't get bunged up at night. Fingers crossed it goes well for your DS.

I personally find that a cortisone nasal spray works well (in addition to antihistamines of course). It seems to help symptoms generally - not just the runny nose but also eyes.

I'm glad you get the fexafenadine, it's helped me and DD immensely. Hope it has a similar effect for your son!

Be careful with nasal sprays - they can cause problems with prolonged use.

(Copied and pasted from the other thread I have in primary education - I was desperate for advice the other day)

Thanks all! Sadly things have continued to deteriorate. He is now on fexofenadine (since Friday) and has been amazing at taking them with yoghurt.

He has sodium cromocligate eye drops and non-medicated eye mist. He is now taking these regularly when bribed with toffee.

Last night his eyes were so bad (after going outside for PE) - the whites of his eyes became swollen. This morning he’s been put on corticosteroid nasal spray as well.

He is behaviour is awful. Roll on September 🙏

His behaviour*

If he’s not washing his hair before he goes to bed that means pollen on his pillow case, which he’ll be breathing in all night.
My son suffers too and as soon as he comes in, he washes his hands and face, and before he goes to bed he has a shower and washes his hair. If i lie down for a cuddle with him I try to hover! I stay well away from his pillow, in any case.

Thank you. I will ensure I do that. Maybe I’ll get him a very short haircut, too. Less hair, less pollen?

I’ve just bought an air purifier for his room and proper wraparound sunglasses, hopefully he can start going outside for playtimes soon.

Mine has a great mop of curly hair but short might be easier! We have a Dyson fan/for the bedroom too, and it does help.
When he washes his face - or showers - make sure his eyebrows and lashes get properly soaked and rinsed as they catch lots of pollen too.
Good luck, I know how miserable it is for them.

Are you keeping an eye on the pollen calendar? Hopefully you won’t have to wait till September until he feels better. Poor thing.