By Joey Mills- author of the HayMax ‘Nasal Bloggage’ series!

It’s coming to that wonderful time of year. Your little treasures will soon be unpeeling themselves from the sofa, unsticking their sugary fingers from their iPads and scuttling back to school leaving a trail of half-eaten food and pre-teen angst in their wake. Hurrah! Finally your house can go back to normal rather than looking like an unused set from the Young Ones!

However we all know you love them really, despite the fact your TV has been set to Tracey Beaker for six weeks. They might be mercifully out of sight upon their return to education but they’ll never be out of mind. Especially if your children suffer from allergies. HayMax have got some top tips for managing your child’s allergies now you can’t be with them 24/7.

Talk To Their Teachers

Now I know what you are thinking. You didn’t even like doing this when you were at school. You’re having visions of sitting down in one of all those all-in-one desk/chair hybrids and being told that “the bell is a signal for me and not you” It may shock you to find out that through adult eyes teachers are just people like you and me. Sitting down with your child’s tutor and informing them of your child’s needs will give you a greater piece of mind when your little ones are on school grounds. Just make sure you aren’t chewing or you might be sent to the head teacher.

Make Sure Your Child Gets Rest

Sleep is vital for all of us, especially a child. But getting a good night’s rest is not easy when allergens attack. To keep your children vibrant and alert for their studies, make sure to create a dust-free environment particularly in their bedroom. We all had our treasured soft toy as a child (some of us still do. What? It’s completely normal!), and it can be hard to ever part your child from their fluffy companion. However cuddly toys can be a magnet for dust so while your kids are at school it makes sense to wash them a few times a week. Curtains, tables, bedsheets and furniture are also all possible dust sites so their room will needs a proper going over often.

Check The Pollen Count

It is crucial to know what you’ll be up against when gauging how severe your child’s allergies can affect them on any given day. The pollen count is available daily during the weather forecast or, if your child won’t tear themselves away from Dora The Explorer (kids still watch that right?) long enough you can find them online or in the newspaper. For when the pollen count is high try some HayMax to put your mind at ease. (Some sufferers are allergic to the nettle, dock and other weed pollen varieties which are prevalent in the autumn months).

Get Into A Routine

Not always easy with all the variables life can throw at you. But try and come up with a routine for those days when Amelia doesn’t want to go to school in her Elsa outfit and Harrison hasn’t superglued himself to the kitchen table. Always make sure to have the right medication in the house, and ensure it is non-drowsy because children don’t need any more provocation to fall asleep during lessons. Try and help your children to consider their allergies part of normal daily life, and not something that becomes a drag.

Communication

Childhood is a confusing enough time, with little boys wondering when their trial for Manchester United is going to be and little girls wondering why Justin Bieber hasn’t proposed yet. Don’t let allergies add to an emotionally charged time. Explain the steps you are taking to help them to your child and involve them in the process. The joy of children is they can turn almost anything into a fun creative game so let them be as involved in the fight against allergens as possible. You might just surprise yourself and end up having a little fun yourself. Isn’t that what parenthood is all about?