• Stuffy nose. Your child might snore. Eating with their mouth closed could be a challenge if they can’t breathe through their nose.
• Runny nose. Children do get snotty noses but it may happen to your child more often and come on suddenly.
• Sneezing. Your baby’s first sneeze may seem cute; sneezing constantly is one of several hay fever symptoms in toddlers.
• Sore eyes. Your child’s eyes may be red, itchy, swollen or weepy.
• Tiredness. Hay fever may stop your child getting a good night’s sleep. They get overtired and this can lead to problems concentrating at school.

Itching could be a sign of hay fever rash in kids. They are more at risk of chronic urticaria (hives) if they react to pollen. Some plants’ pollen landing on skin can also cause a different kind of allergy called airborne contact dermatitis. Culprits behind this kind of rash include ragweed and mugwort.

Hay fever in children may look a lot like a common cold. And young kids can have a lot of respiratory infections a year. So it may be tricky to tell if they’re having allergic reactions to tree pollen, for instance. But some of the symptoms are quite distinctive.

So what are the differences between the common cold and allergies? Thick yellowy-green mucus and fever are more likely to be a cold. The virus often builds over a couple of days and lasts less than 2 weeks. Clear watery mucus and itchy nose or eyes are typical of allergy. Hay fever symptoms can start quite suddenly and go on for as long as your child is exposed to their trigger, because pollen season can last for many weeks.

Certain proteins in fruits and vegetables are similar in structure to proteins in some pollen. This confuses the immune system into reacting. Always speak with your doctor about your child’s symptoms. They could also be signs of food allergies.

It’s rare for hay fever to start before the age of two. Usually, the earliest a child can get symptoms is as a toddler. They need to have lived through at least two pollen seasons for their immune system to react to it.

Children are more likely to get hay fever if they have food allergy and eczema as babies. Kids with hay fever are then at higher risk of developing allergic asthma. This interconnection of symptoms is called the atopic or allergic march.

An early diagnosis is the first step in managing hay fever. So if you notice any seasonal allergy symptoms in toddlers or older kids, book an appointment with your doctor and ask for a referral to see an allergist.

Skin prick tests and allergy blood tests are common and show what children could be allergic to. They need expert interpretation, alongside symptoms and medical history, to make an allergy diagnosis.

It’s a good idea to track your child’s symptoms and the effect on their day-to-day activities in preparation for the clinic appointment. Your doctor will probably ask if you or other members of your family have hay fever too. Allergy can be hereditary.

Finding out that your child has hay fever opens a whole new range of questions. How can I help my child? What’s the right medicine? Your doctor will work with you to find the right treatment plan for your child. It’s likely to start with avoiding their trigger.

• Get your child to wear a hat and sunglasses. This helps shield their eyes from pollen.
• Keep windows and doors closed. If you need to open them, do it when the pollen count is low. Installing air conditioning at home or special air purifiers can help too.
• Wash your child’s hair. This gets rid of pollen so do it often, especially before bed.
• Keep bedrooms pollen-free. Get your child to take off the clothes they were wearing during the day outside their bedroom.
• Don’t dry laundry outside. Use a tumble dryer or hang your washing up indoors.
• Go on holiday! Head for the seaside during the worst periods if you can; pollen counts are usually lower there.

There are antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays that kids can use, depending on their age. These allergy medicines for children can often help to relieve symptoms and control nasal inflammation. You may be able to find the right one over the counter at the pharmacy. But always ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before giving your child any medication.

A child-friendly saline nasal spray can flush pollen out of your child’s nose and help clear away mucus. They seem to help regular allergy medications work better to. You could try saline eye drops, or artificial tears, if itchy eyes are bothering your child.

The treatment typically takes 3 to 5 years and is available for some pollen allergies as sublingual tablets (SLIT) that dissolve under the tongue or injections (SCIT) also called allergy shots. Children usually need to be 5 years old.

Hay fever affects millions of children around the world. It’s an allergic reaction to tree, grass or weed pollen causing symptoms such as a blocked nose, or one that’s runny for weeks, and itchy eyes. Hay fever is also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis as it’s bound to the pollen seasons. That is, mainly from spring through to summer and fall.

Children with food allergy and eczema are more at risk of developing hay fever. It doesn’t normally show itself before 2 years old. The symptoms can affect your child’s health now and in the longer-term, their education and happiness. Getting a diagnosis from your doctor is crucial so that your child can get the treatment they need.