Sleeping when the weather turns hot is difficult enough, but if your child has hay fever as well, it can make things even worse and leave them feeling tired and exhausted. However there are things you can do to help – airborne allergens expert Max Wiseberg gives his top tips…

“Common hay fever symptoms, such as sneezing, a runny nose, a stuffed up nose, itchy and watery or streaming eyes, nasal congestion and a general stuffed up feeling in the nose and throat, can lead to tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion” says Max. “Hay fever can also affect how we sleep and cause sleep disturbance and difficulty getting to sleep. And the high temperatures just make it worse.”

“However, a nightly routine for your child before they retire to bed and keeping their bedroom as free as possible from pollen can help.”

Suggestions for helping kids who suffer from hay fever sleep

Max suggests:

• Ensuring your child takes a shower or bath before sleeping to remove pollen particles from their hair and body. This will also make them feel more relaxed, which will help them to sleep.
• Avoiding mucus-producing dairy drinks. Give them water instead as they will already create enough mucus from their illness.
• As pollen grains can come indoors and stick to bedding, frequent washing and turning pillows just before they get in can help. As can covering your child’s bed with a sheet which is carefully folded and stored away from the bed during the night.
• Dry their bedding and bed clothes indoors rather than on a clothes line to prevent pollen particles being blown onto the clothes by the outside wind.
• Keep the bedroom windows and door closed to prevent pollen blowing into the room. If this makes the room too hot, consider using an air filter/purifier with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filter to capture the pollen and dust particles, and cool and circulate the air.
• Apply a small amount of organic drug-free allergen barrier balm around their nostrils and bones of the eyes. Max has developed his own brand of balm, Hay Max.
• Vacuum the bedroom regularly, including the bed, curtains and other fabrics to remove pollen particles.
• Damp dust surfaces; damp dusting removes pollen particles without dispersing them into the air where they can be breathed in.
• Keep blankets and cuddly toys in a cupboard to prevent the build-up of allergens on them.
• If you own a pet, keep it out of the room your child sleeps in. Pollen gets trapped in animals’ fur and will be brought indoors. Keep your cat or dog well groomed and washed regularly to remove trapped pollen from their coats.

Do you have any tips for helping children sleep when they have hay fever? Lave them in the Comments below