CHILD’S HEALTH: HAY FEVER (ALLERGIC RHINITIS)
In Australia at least 15% of the general population suffers from hay fever, and amongst children, adolescents are the most frequent victims.
Hay fever can have effects that range from mild to quite disabling and can burden a child’s daily life, particularly becoming a problem for teenagers around exam time.
Cause
Children who get hay fever suffer most during the season when the pollen count in the air reaches its peak just before summer. Rye grass pollen in particular seems to be the worst offender. These pollens are tiny particles which are breathed in and cause irritation or the delicate lining of the eyes, sinuses and nasal passages. Children of parents who suffer from allergy have a greater chance of developing hay fever themselves.
Sniffling, runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes, nose, roof of the mouth and back of the throat are the commonest complaints of hay fever sufferers. Eyes may also water profusely and become red and sore.
While hay fever is usually considered a minor complaint, those children with it are highly sensitive to pollens and can develop other allergic conditions, such as hives, rashes and asthma.
Investigations
Sometimes specific allergy testing may be useful to identify the substances which are causing the hay fever and which need to be avoided. These tests are performed by an allergist. However, they are often of limited usefulness because the results rarely influence the treatment that is given.
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