Hay fever
hay; fever; allergic; rhinitis; respiratory; allergy; nose; hayfever; itchy; runny; asthma; pollen; pollens;
Contents
Hay fever is caused by breathing in, through the nose, something that the person is allergic to. Hay fever often happens at times of the year when the triggering substance, such as pollen, is in the air. It is very common and it seems to be becoming more common in Australia.
Hay fever is actually not a very good name for it, as the allergic reaction may be triggered by many different things - not just hay. Another name for hay fever is seasonal allergic rhinitis.
What causes hay fever?
Different things can trigger hay fever in different people.
- Common things which trigger hay fever (allergens) include:
- weed, grass or tree pollen,
- cigarette smoke
- animal fur.
- House dust mite can also cause a runny nose (rhinitis) but this tends to be all the year round, not seasonal, so it is not 'hay fever'.
Hay fever tends to start in later childhood or early adulthood - about 10% of children and 20% of adolescents and young adults get hay fever.
- Around 60% of people who get hay fever have a family history of allergic diseases, such as hay fever, eczema or asthma.
- A check by a doctor is important to be sure that the problem is hay fever. Symptoms that seem like hay fever may be caused by other problems, such as sinusitis.
Effects of hay fever
- The effects of hay fever are:
- Blocked, itchy nose
- Runny nose (the fluid can be clear or cloudy)
- Sneezing
- Cough due to fluid running down the throat.
- Often the person will also have watery, itchy eyes, and darkened or puffy skin around the eyes.
- The everyday activities of children with hay fever are often affected because of tiredness (they don't sleep well), and difficulty concentrating.
- While children have hay fever they often miss out on things others are doing, because they cannot go outside.
- Children who have hay fever may also have an asthma attack triggered by the same things that triggered the hay fever.
What you can do
about hay fever
- If the hay fever is mild, usually antihistamines are used (taken by mouth or from nose sprays), or if the hay fever is interfering with daily activities, preventive medicines (usually nose sprays) can be used.
- If the hay fever is very bad and is stopping the child from doing many of the things that she likes to do, skin testing may be suggested, to find the specific allergy triggers. This testing is done by a specialist. It can be helpful, but it does not always find the triggers.
- If the trigger is known, keeping away from it if possible will be important, however many triggers cannot be avoided.
- Avoid other triggers such as tobacco smoke.
- It may be useful to try to reduce house dust mite, which could be one of the triggers of a runny, itchy nose- see the topic 'House dust mites'.
What to do about pets
- If your child has been shown to be sensitive to some animals, try to avoid him getting close to those animals as much as possible.
- Keep pets out of the house, or at least out of the child's bedroom.
- Make sure pets are outside if they are moulting, or being brushed.
- Wash your cat or dog weekly. If frequent washing causes dry skin, see your vet.
- Clean out the pet's litter box regularly.
- The best pets for an allergic child are ones that don't shed hair such as turtles, crabs, fish or reptiles (such as lizards).
- The Asthma Foundation of South Australia can provide more information about suitable pets.
What to do about pollens
- Keep windows and doors closed on windy high pollen count days (eg windy spring days).
- Keep children indoors on days with a high pollen count in the air or when the lawn is being mowed.
- Use preventive medicines on 'high risk' days.
Resources
Asthma Foundation of South Australia:
www.asthmasa.org.au
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.