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The good news about hay fever is that it may get milder as you get older. Sometimes it goes away completely.¹

Studies of children with hay fever show that up to 1 in 5 children outgrow it within 10 years of first getting symptoms.²

Most people who get hay fever find it a nuisance. But for some people, hay fever can make it hard to live a normal life.^{3 4} It may stop them sleeping normally and affect their work, school or leisure activities.⁵

If your hay fever is severe, you may feel like:^{6 7}

• You can't concentrate
• You can't remember things as well as you usually do
• You can't make decisions as quickly as usual
• You're tired and depressed
• You can't sleep well
• You can't work as well as usual.

Hay fever can be especially difficult for children.⁶

Children who have hay fever may:

• Find it hard to concentrate at school
• Lose sleep
• Be distracted, tired and cranky
• Feel left out if they can't play outside in the summer
• Find that their symptoms set them apart from their friends.

Altogether, children who have symptoms of hay fever miss about 2 million school days a year.⁶

Sometimes hay fever can be linked to more serious problems. We've listed the most common ones below. You'll need to see a doctor if any of these happen to you. Click on the links to find out more.

• Asthma
• Sinusitis
• Ear infections

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.