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Hay fever tips to ease symptoms in children & adults

The hay fever season is well and truly upon us – daily misery for adult sufferers and not easy for parents/carers of children who also suffer from it. Coping with the many symptoms of hay fever especially at school, during exams and at work can be pretty challenging and the need to find relief is important.

Here are some good practical ideas to reduce exposure to pollen, which you may not already be aware of and are simple enough to put into action right away. Avoidance obviously isn’t always possible, but there are strategies that can reduce exposure to your triggers and help you minimise your allergy discomforts.

But first. Do you know what type of hay fever you are dealing with?

This is important, in order to decide when to start getting ready for the hay fever onslaught – preparation is key!

The three main pollen times in the UK are the following:

  1. Tree pollen – late March to mid-May
  2. Grass pollen – mid-May to July
  3. Weed pollen – end of June to September

So, what can you do?

Check the pollen forecast  – get into the habit of doing this on daily basis and it may help your planning for the day ahead. When the pollen count is very high, you should stay inside as much as possible and for a child at school, enlist the schools help to find an effective alternative to playing outside.

Keep doors and windows shut – be aware that pollen levels are at their highest in the early morning and early evening, so keep windows and doors shut. This is particularly important in the car, so put the air-conditioning on instead. 

Put a little Vaseline  –  (or something similar) under the nose and just inside each nostril. This will act as an effective barrier that catches pollen before it disappears up the nose. 

Shield the eyes – sunglasses are essential to stop pollen getting into the eyes. (Wraparound sunglasses are best). If pollen does make the eyes sore and itchy, try NOT to rub them! (easier said than done!). Try instead to either apply eye drops or washing the face regularly also helps. 

Wash it off – pollen sticks to hair (keep long hair tie up) and skin, so if you have been outside make sure you wash the face and hands once you are back inside. Washing your hair everyday will also help or at least give it a good brush before bedtime.

Change clothes after being outside – pollen that has stuck to clothes will continue to irritate once inside. 

Dry laundry inside –  pollen will stick to the laundry and then be carried inside, so this is a very good tip for keeping it out of the house as much as possible. Particularly important is bedding and regular changing of pillow cases is a good idea too. 

Locally made honey – some say that by eating a locally made honey on a daily basis, your body will become less sensitive to that particular type of pollen over time.

Take a Trip to the seaside – a holiday or day-trip to the seaside is said to relieve symptoms because the pollen counts is lower there and it’s a perfect excuse to have some fun!

June 17, 2019

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