Hay fever advice | NHS

What is hay fever?

Hay fever is when you sneeze a lot, have a runny nose, or itchy eyes. It happens because your body does not like things like pollen from plants. It often happens in spring or summer when flowers bloom.

To feel better, you can:

• Stay indoors when pollen is high.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Use tissues to wipe your nose.
• Ask a grown-up about special medicine.

What are the signs of hay fever?

Hay fever can make you feel unwell. Here are some signs to look for:

• You sneeze a lot.
• Your nose is runny or blocked.
• Your eyes feel itchy or watery.
• Your throat feels scratchy.

If you have these signs, you can try:

• Telling a grown-up so they can help.
• Using tissues to wipe your nose and eyes.
• Staying inside when there's a lot of pollen outside.
• Asking a doctor or pharmacist about medicine to feel better.

When do people have hay fever in the UK?

Hay fever usually happens in the spring and summer. This is because plants and flowers make pollen during these times. Pollen can make people sneeze or have itchy eyes. In the UK, hay fever can start as early as March and go on until September.

If you get hay fever, you can:

• Keep windows closed to stop pollen coming inside.
• Wear sunglasses outside to protect your eyes.
• Wash your face and hands after being outside.

These tips can help you feel better if you have hay fever.

How can I make my hay fever better?

Can I take medicine for hay fever?

Can nature help with hay fever?

Hay fever makes you sneeze and feel itchy. Here are some simple ideas from nature that might help:

• Eat Honey: Try eating local honey. Some people say it helps with sneezes.
• Use Herbs: Herbs like nettle or ginger tea might help you feel better.
• Wash Up: Wash your face and hands after being outside. It helps remove pollen.
• Stay Indoors: Stay inside when there is lots of pollen outside, like on windy days.

To learn more, you can ask a grown-up or talk to a doctor.

How can I tell if I have hay fever or a cold?

It can be tricky to know if you have hay fever or a cold. Here are some simple tips to help you figure it out:

• Time of year: Hay fever happens more in the spring and summer. Colds can happen any time.
• How long it lasts: A cold usually lasts a week or two. Hay fever can last longer.
• Common signs: Both can make you sneeze and have a runny nose. But with hay fever, your eyes might be itchy and watery, too.

If you are not sure, you can:

• Ask a doctor.
• Try taking allergy medicine. If it helps, you might have hay fever.

Remember, it is okay to ask for help if you need it. It is always good to talk to someone, like a doctor, if you are not sure.

Can kids have hay fever?

Yes, kids can get hay fever. Hay fever is when you sneeze and have an itchy nose because of pollen from flowers and trees.

Here are some ways to help:

• Use tissues to blow your nose.
• Stay indoors on windy days.
• Ask a grown-up to close windows to keep pollen out.
• Wash your face and hands after playing outside.

Can you get hay fever when you are older?

Yes, you can start having hay fever when you are older. Hay fever is when things like pollen make you sneeze or feel itchy. It does not only start when you are a child. It can start when you are an adult too.

If you think you have hay fever, you can:

• Talk to a nurse or a doctor.
• Use tissues to cover your nose when you sneeze.
• Stay indoors on days when there is a lot of pollen.

These ideas can help you feel better if you have hay fever.

How can I stop getting hay fever?

Here are some ways to help avoid hay fever:

• Stay inside when there is a lot of pollen outside.
• Keep windows and doors closed to stop pollen coming in.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from pollen.
• Wash your hands and face after being outside.
• Use tissues to catch sneezes and throw them away.

These tips can help make you feel better if you have hay fever.

What foods should I not eat if I have hay fever?

If you have hay fever, there are some foods you might want to avoid. Some foods can make hay fever worse. Here are some tips to help you:

• Try not to eat fruits like apples and peaches if they make you sneeze or itch.
• Avoid eating nuts if they make your mouth feel funny.
• If dairy makes your nose run, try less milk and cheese.

When trying new foods, notice if they make your hay fever worse. Talk to someone, like a doctor, if you need help figuring out which foods to avoid.

Using a calendar can help you track how different foods make you feel. This can make it easier to remember what to eat or what not to eat.

Do hay fever and asthma have a connection?

What is the pollen count and how can I check it?

Pollen is a powder from plants. It can make some people sneeze or feel unwell.

The pollen count tells us how much pollen is in the air.

You can find out the pollen count by checking the weather on TV, the radio, or the internet.

Ask a grown-up for help if you need it.

You can also use a phone app to check the pollen count. Ask someone to help you set it up.

Can wearing a face mask help with hay fever?

Hay fever makes you sneeze and gives you itchy eyes.

Wearing a face mask can help! It stops pollen from getting into your nose and mouth.

Try using a mask when you go outside. It might make you feel better.

You can ask a friend or family to help you put on the mask if needed.

When should I see a doctor for hay fever?

Hay fever is when your body reacts to pollen with a runny nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes. Here is when you should see a doctor:

• If your symptoms are very bad and won't go away.
• If you take allergy medicine, but it doesn't help.
• If you have trouble breathing.

To feel better, you can:

• Stay indoors when there is a lot of pollen outside.
• Wear sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes.
• Wash your face and hands to remove pollen.

If you need help, ask a grown-up to go with you to see the doctor.

What is hay fever?

Hay fever is when you sneeze a lot, have a runny nose, or itchy eyes. It happens because your body does not like things like pollen from plants. It often happens in spring or summer when flowers bloom.

To feel better, you can:

• Stay indoors when pollen is high.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Use tissues to wipe your nose.
• Ask a grown-up about special medicine.

What are the signs of hay fever?

Hay fever can make you feel unwell. Here are some signs to look for:

• You sneeze a lot.
• Your nose is runny or blocked.
• Your eyes feel itchy or watery.
• Your throat feels scratchy.

If you have these signs, you can try:

• Telling a grown-up so they can help.
• Using tissues to wipe your nose and eyes.
• Staying inside when there's a lot of pollen outside.
• Asking a doctor or pharmacist about medicine to feel better.

When do people have hay fever in the UK?

Hay fever usually happens in the spring and summer. This is because plants and flowers make pollen during these times. Pollen can make people sneeze or have itchy eyes. In the UK, hay fever can start as early as March and go on until September.

If you get hay fever, you can:

• Keep windows closed to stop pollen coming inside.
• Wear sunglasses outside to protect your eyes.
• Wash your face and hands after being outside.

These tips can help you feel better if you have hay fever.

How can I make my hay fever better?

Can I take medicine for hay fever?

Can nature help with hay fever?

Hay fever makes you sneeze and feel itchy. Here are some simple ideas from nature that might help:

• Eat Honey: Try eating local honey. Some people say it helps with sneezes.
• Use Herbs: Herbs like nettle or ginger tea might help you feel better.
• Wash Up: Wash your face and hands after being outside. It helps remove pollen.
• Stay Indoors: Stay inside when there is lots of pollen outside, like on windy days.

To learn more, you can ask a grown-up or talk to a doctor.

How can I tell if I have hay fever or a cold?

It can be tricky to know if you have hay fever or a cold. Here are some simple tips to help you figure it out:

• Time of year: Hay fever happens more in the spring and summer. Colds can happen any time.
• How long it lasts: A cold usually lasts a week or two. Hay fever can last longer.
• Common signs: Both can make you sneeze and have a runny nose. But with hay fever, your eyes might be itchy and watery, too.

If you are not sure, you can:

• Ask a doctor.
• Try taking allergy medicine. If it helps, you might have hay fever.

Remember, it is okay to ask for help if you need it. It is always good to talk to someone, like a doctor, if you are not sure.

Can kids have hay fever?

Yes, kids can get hay fever. Hay fever is when you sneeze and have an itchy nose because of pollen from flowers and trees.

Here are some ways to help:

• Use tissues to blow your nose.
• Stay indoors on windy days.
• Ask a grown-up to close windows to keep pollen out.
• Wash your face and hands after playing outside.

Can you get hay fever when you are older?

Yes, you can start having hay fever when you are older. Hay fever is when things like pollen make you sneeze or feel itchy. It does not only start when you are a child. It can start when you are an adult too.

If you think you have hay fever, you can:

• Talk to a nurse or a doctor.
• Use tissues to cover your nose when you sneeze.
• Stay indoors on days when there is a lot of pollen.

These ideas can help you feel better if you have hay fever.

How can I stop getting hay fever?

Here are some ways to help avoid hay fever:

• Stay inside when there is a lot of pollen outside.
• Keep windows and doors closed to stop pollen coming in.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from pollen.
• Wash your hands and face after being outside.
• Use tissues to catch sneezes and throw them away.

These tips can help make you feel better if you have hay fever.

What foods should I not eat if I have hay fever?

If you have hay fever, there are some foods you might want to avoid. Some foods can make hay fever worse. Here are some tips to help you:

• Try not to eat fruits like apples and peaches if they make you sneeze or itch.
• Avoid eating nuts if they make your mouth feel funny.
• If dairy makes your nose run, try less milk and cheese.

When trying new foods, notice if they make your hay fever worse. Talk to someone, like a doctor, if you need help figuring out which foods to avoid.

Using a calendar can help you track how different foods make you feel. This can make it easier to remember what to eat or what not to eat.

Do hay fever and asthma have a connection?

What is the pollen count and how can I check it?

Pollen is a powder from plants. It can make some people sneeze or feel unwell.

The pollen count tells us how much pollen is in the air.

You can find out the pollen count by checking the weather on TV, the radio, or the internet.

Ask a grown-up for help if you need it.

You can also use a phone app to check the pollen count. Ask someone to help you set it up.

Can wearing a face mask help with hay fever?

Hay fever makes you sneeze and gives you itchy eyes.

Wearing a face mask can help! It stops pollen from getting into your nose and mouth.

Try using a mask when you go outside. It might make you feel better.

You can ask a friend or family to help you put on the mask if needed.

When should I see a doctor for hay fever?

Hay fever is when your body reacts to pollen with a runny nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes. Here is when you should see a doctor:

• If your symptoms are very bad and won't go away.
• If you take allergy medicine, but it doesn't help.
• If you have trouble breathing.

To feel better, you can:

• Stay indoors when there is a lot of pollen outside.
• Wear sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes.
• Wash your face and hands to remove pollen.

If you need help, ask a grown-up to go with you to see the doctor.