Hay fever & environmental allergies in children
The blocked nose that never clears. The itchy eyes every spring. The child who snores, sleeps badly and wakes tired. Allergic rhinitis — hay fever — is one of the most under-treated conditions of childhood, and it quietly affects sleep, concentration and school.
Environmental allergies to dust mites, pollens, moulds and pets are usually behind it. Identifying the actual trigger changes everything, because treatment can then be specific instead of guesswork.
Why Dr O’Reilly
Specialist care, not a fifteen-minute appointment
Dr Elize O’Reilly (BMedSci, MBBS(Hons), MHL, FRACP) is a paediatric immunologist and allergist and a general paediatrician — the specialist in the room at every appointment. Care at Little Reactions is unhurried, evidence-based and explained in plain language, and your GP stays in the loop with letters you can both read.
- FRACP specialist
- Paediatric-only practice
- Same-day test results
How we diagnose it
Treatment works when it targets the right trigger:
- A symptom history mapped against seasons, rooms and exposures
- Skin-prick testing for dust mite, pollens, moulds and animal dander with same-day results
- An honest read on what’s allergy and what isn’t — not every blocked nose is allergic
How we treat it
Most children improve dramatically with the right combination of:
- Trigger-reduction strategies that are actually practical for real households
- Properly used intranasal sprays and antihistamines — technique matters more than most families are told
- Treatment of the whole airway where asthma coexists
- Consideration of immunotherapy (desensitisation) for suitable older children with stubborn symptoms
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