Three year old with hayfever?

[poppyloppy]

My three year old dd has some symptons of hayfever today. She woke up coughing and spluttering but doesnt seem like a cold, then her childminder said she had been coughing and snezing all day. I gave her some piriton tonight and will give some tomorrow morning, but had never really thought about litle ones having hayfever. Does anyone have experience, should i go to the doctor? Also, her eczema (which is very very mild), has suddenly got worse. Is it all connected, Any advice very welcomed.

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Poppyloppy, my 10 year old (ds) developed hayfever at 2 and my 2 year old (dd) is displaying the same symptoms as you describe. She has a contstantly streaming nose, gooey eyes sometimes and her (mild) excema is worsening. I put E45 in her bathwater (if I'm not washing her hair) and massage E45 cream in afterwards.

I find Piriton good for the 10 year old but it doesn't seem to be much use on dd.

Allergies and excema and asthma are common bedfellows but it may be worth having a word with your health visitor just in case.

Good luck!

My ds showed signs of having Hay Fever when he was 10 mths old. He also has excema, and may have asthma too, like me, he has atopic tendencies! The GP said he would wait until he was 12 mths to diagnose properly (he's now 21mths).
I give him Piriton if his symptoms are bad. I can usually tell the difference between a nose running with a cold and Hay Fever coz (here's the gross bit) if it's a cold the snot is a greeny colour. If it's Hay Fever his nose runs quite clear watery snot.

The over-the-counter remedies are basically the same as what you would be prescribed by the GP, but if it causes wheezing or asthma symptoms then she may need something a wee bit stronger. Also, if her eyes get itchy the eye drops are great..... if you can get them in her eyes!

sobernow, I heard that too. Poppyloppy, I normally get moderate hayfever but it has not kicked in yet this year. So it could be the very poor, dry air quality over SE England that has affected her rather than raised pollen counts yet. Piriton certainly wouldn't do anything to make her symptoms worse but you might want to contact the doctors for advice if she still seems to be suffering in a day or so. The very warm weather is due to end tomorrow...

There was something on the news yesterday about tree pollens affecting hayfever sufferers at the moment. Grass pollen will come later.

Might be worth looking at homeopathic remmedies. IIRC, even the ones in Boots ask when the symptoms are worse e.g. evening or morning and this can be an indication of which pollens are causing the problem.

DD is currently starting to show the symptoms of Hayfever. She also has a touch of excema. She's only 12 months though so there is nothing the chemists or HV would supply me. Felt a bit guilty taking my tablets each morning whilst she puts up with watery nose and eyes. My MIL suggested piriton but does it make them drowsy?

Piriton does make you drowsy, and there's a version for older children which doesn't (ask your pharmacist which it is). SueW's right - I think it's beech which is 'big' at the moment and there are specific seasons for different trees/grasses/funghi spores and if it's severe you should get tested for each so you can pinpoint your worst times of year. there's something called the Pollen Research Unit which writes notes to exam boards (like one from your mother! ) stating which particles were high in your area on a particular day!

Boots do a non-drowsy anti-histamine syrup for children but it is quite expensive for a small bottle. You would probably be better to get something on prescription from a doctor as over the counter remedies are not recommended for long term use without doctors' advice.

I think SueW's idea or using homeopathic remedies is good but then I would cos I'ma therpist. Biochemic tissue salts are good, or try euphrasis, nat mur or mixed pollen or Nelsons pollenna

My ds started with Hayfever and asthma last summer, he's 4 now. There was no doubt it was an allergy because of his eyes, very very puffy and red and itchy. Like others have said the snot tends to be clear and as he already had excema from being a baby i've noticed that this always worsens in the warm weather. it was around the end of May when it started which is because it was grass pollen that affected him. At the moment it is tree pollen time. We tried lots of different antihistamines and in the end we were referred to the hospital as the reaction to his eyes was severe if he went anywhere near grass. We were given Zirtec (think over the counter is only for 6+ tho). I would stick with the piriton for a few days and then stop and see if the symptoms come back.

having suffered with hayfever for 16 years my advice is to smear a small bit of vasaline over eyelashes and inside nose every morning and evening, also if symptoms persist try 'weleda nasal spray' to wash out pollen. If symptoms get really bad i resort to having a shower to wash pollen from hair and body and change clothes - (remember to use dryer instead of clothesline as the pollen sticks to clothes). There is a new chemical free cure called 'nasal air guard' (www.nasalairguard.com) which is a filter that fits in the nose, they do a childrens size, i tried this last year and it worked, though can be expensive and i had to wait about a month before they arrived. Good luck