Summer is here - Allergy is back
Summer is approaching and for hay fever sufferers that can spell misery as the pollen count rises. More people suffer from hay fever than ever before. Last year 36 per cent of young people aged 12 to 14 were said to be affected compared with 12 per cent in 1965.
Suggested reasons for this rise include air pollution and global warming. Hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis, is caused by breathing in pollen or getting it in the eyes.
It can kick in from early spring to late summer, depending on exactly which pollen the sufferer is allergic to. Perennial allergic rhinitis is similar but occurs all year round and is caused by dust mite droppings, pets' skin flakes or animal hair.
Some 3.4 million people in the UK have asthma and it is increasing among children.It often runs in families and triggers can include colds and flu, cigarette smoke, cold, dry air and pollution. Skin conditions can also be triggered around the home. An estimated one in 12 adults and one in eight children have eczema at some time in their lives.
Posted: 4th of May 2007