Helping Your Child with Their Hay Fever at Outdoor Birthday Parties by Max Wiseberg

When lockdown finishes, many families will be planning outdoor birthday parties as soon as the rules allow and although this will usually be a fun occasion for your child, it could turn out to be miserable if they’re unlucky enough to suffer with hay fever.

I was a sufferer myself as a child, so know only too well just how serious hay fever can be. Here are provides my top tips for parents to help their child forget their hay fever and start enjoying their party.

It’s estimated that around a third of children in the UK are affected by hay fever – resulting in itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and general exhaustion. And if they’re attending an outdoor party that can make things even worse as their exposure to pollen will inevitably be much higher.

Much has changed since I was a child with hay fever. Some of it, including the range and effectiveness of treatments available, for the better. But not all: both the proportion of those suffering from allergies, and the proportion of sufferers who are children, have increased. Of course, one thing hasn’t changed: the misery it brings – for the child who suffers, and the parent who suffers with the child.

So what can parents do to help their child manage their hay fever symptoms? Quite a lot, fortunately. Here are some practical ideas to help.

As with many other things, prevention is better than cure:

• Make HayMax Kids part of their daytime and bedtime routine. Apply this organic drug-free allergen barrier balm immediately after washing first thing in the morning on the day of the party and before going to bed the night before. Pop a pot in their pocket to use at the party and leave a pot by their bed to re-apply as needed. In independent studies HayMax has been shown to trap over a third of the pollen before it gets into the body: less pollen, less reaction. And as it’s drug-free, it’s also suitable for pregnant and breast-feeding women.
• Encourage your child to wear wraparound sunglasses on the day. This creates a protective layer between their eyes and the pollen-laden atmosphere. It also relaxes their eyes, which in turn relaxes them. And it’s cool!
• Change their bedding just before the day of the party. Pollen sticks to bedding, so frequent washing, covering the bed with a sheet which is carefully folded and stored away from the bed during the night, before they get into bed, and turning pillows just before they get in, can all help.
• Pollen sticks to clothing, skin and hair so symptoms can continue after the party even when indoors. Washing or showering will remove any pollen remaining on the skin and hair.
• Take your child to the GP, to get a proper diagnosis. If symptoms occur only in high summer on hot, sunny days, it’s almost certainly hay fever. But it could be any of a number of other allergies and treatment might differ in each case. 

Max Wiseberg is a lifelong hay fever sufferer and renowned airborne allergens expert (including hay fever, dust, pet, mould allergies and air pollution) with extensive knowledge on both conventional and complementary forms of treatment, practical lifestyle advice, as well as information and facts surrounding airborne allergens.