An allergic reaction involves different cells in your child’s body doing different things. That’s why there are different medications for kids’ eye allergies. Some have a minimum age but your doctor can tell you all about that.

In the meantime, a cold compress may ease the itching. Keep a set of clean damp cloths in sandwich bags in the fridge so you always have one ready.

The best allergy eye drops for your baby, toddler or older child might not be the first one they try. Your doctor needs to know what’s helpful and what isn’t. So keep a note for your next visit.

Drug-free: Saline artificial tears can help to wash allergens and the cells causing the allergic inflammation out of your child’s eyes. They can be soothing too, especially if you keep the bottle in the refrigerator. This is also true of medicated allergy eye drops.

Medicated eye drops: Combined antihistamine and mast cell stabilizers are generally considered most effective for kids’ eye allergies and least uncomfortable to use. (What could be more likely to put kids off than eye drops that sting?) Antihistamine drops work quickly but the effect wears off quickly too. The mast cell stabilizer can help to damp down allergic symptoms for longer.

2. Read the patient information leaflet, get the eye drops ready and put the bottle within reach. If it’s a single dose, twist the top off the dispenser.

3. It’s often easiest to sit toddlers and smaller children on your lap or lie them down. You could also ask another grown-up to hold them.

4. Get your little one to tilt their head back and look upwards.

5. Gently pinch their lower eyelid and squeeze a drop into the little pocket you’ve made.

6. Be careful not to touch their eye or lashes with the dropper.

6. Tell your child to blink, blink, blink to spread the allergy medicine around. They can also keep their eye closed for a bit if that feels better.

Sometimes kids won’t or can’t keep their eyes open. Don’t turn it into a battle. Try this instead:

1. Position your child as before but tell them they can keep their eyes shut.
2. Put the drop onto the corner of their closed eyes nearest their nose.
3. They might blink naturally without meaning to.
4. If not, keep them still – maybe distract them with a story. The eye drops will slowly seep under their lids.
5. You can even do this while they’re asleep.

Wait a minute or two between giving different types of eye drops or you may wash away the first one before it’s had time to work.

This works by persuading the immune system to stop being frightened of the allergy trigger by giving children regular tiny doses of it. It may only take a few months for them to tolerate their trigger better and need less short-term allergy eye relief. But it takes 3-5 years of treatment for the change to stick properly.

Allergy immunotherapy is available for certain triggers including dust mites, certain pollen and pet dander. Depending on your allergy, you may be able to have tablets or shots. Kids usually need to be at least 5 years old before they start, if it’s suitable for them.

Eye allergies are common in young children. The intense itching, redness and watering can happen alongside seasonal allergy symptoms. But indoor allergies, to dust mites or a pet for example, can cause it too. Eye drops are the common treatment, with a combination of an antihistamine and mast cell stabilizer often the most effective. Your doctor can tell you if allergy immunotherapy might be an option to give your child lasting relief.