Hayfever Management Services in London
Allergic rhinitis is also referred to as hay fever, nasal allergy or pollinosis. Allergic rhinitis can be severely debilitating, whether it be seasonal with classic hay fever, or persistent, from animal danders or house dust mite. Children with grass pollen related hay-fever have been shown to drop a grade from their mock GCSE exams in the winter to their summer GCSE exams due to the impact of their allergy on sleep and concentration at school, thus this can have far-reaching implications for the child’s future.
Thankfully, symptoms of an itchy, blocked, runny nose and sneezing as well as itchy eyes can often be treated effectively with safe medication together with identification and avoidance of the causative allergen. We can help by diagnosing which allergen is the cause of the symptoms, offering advice on avoidance and treatment, as well as the most appropriate medication and show you and your child how to use it.
Children’s Hay-Fever Testing
If you suspect your child has a potential hay-fever allergy, you should seek medical assistance. They will likely arrange some allergy tests to help them make a confident diagnosis.
The most common test used is a skin prick test or specific IgE blood test. The skin prick test involves putting a small amount of the allergen on your child’s skin to see if this leads to a tiny wheal. If a blood sample is taken, usually from the inside of your child’s elbow. The sample is then checked for allergens that may be causing the reaction. Both tests can identify which types of pollen your child is sensitive to. Medical professionals can then work to treat it.
Children’s Hay-Fever Treatment
Although there is no cure for hay-fever, various treatments can help your child manage their symptoms to give them some relief. If you can identify the type of pollen your child is allergic to, you should actively help them avoid contact with it. Your doctor may also prescribe your child medication to help relieve symptoms, such as saline and steroid nose sprays. These are effective at treating symptoms such as a runny, blocked nose. Non-drowsy antihistamines can also help with itchy eyes and nose. Anti-allergy eye drops are also useful for itchy/sore eyes.
Immunotherapy is available for those who suffer badly from hay-fever, to the point where it makes daily life challenging. This long-term treatment exposes your child to small amounts of allergen through the mouth. This helps them gradually build up a tolerance to it.
Managing Your Child’s Hay-Fever
We take hay-fever management seriously here at Children’s Allergy Doctors. Our support team is on hand to offer parents guidance on ways they can manage their child’s hay-fever symptoms. To manage your child’s hay-fever effectively, we recommend:
- Brushing off your children’s clothes or encouraging them to get changed and have a shower when they get home if they have been playing outside.
- Dressing your child in pollen-protective accessories such as wraparound sunglasses. This will prevent pollen from getting into their eyes.
- Rubbing Vaseline around your child’s nostrils to trap pollen and prevent it going inside the nose.
- Keeping the windows closed as much as possible during the spring and summer seasons, when the pollen count is highest.
Parents can seek comfort in knowing that hay-fever is not generally classed as a dangerous condition. Most children suffering from hay-fever will find that the condition improves over time. We offer a wide range of services here at Children’s Allergy Doctors to help them better manage their condition. If you would like to know more about the services we provide, such as hay-fever management, don’t hesitate to book an appointment today via our website.
What parents say:
“Dr Helen was very thorough and looked through numerous lenses to assess my daughter. She spent the time to explain the plan and went out of her way on recommendations.”