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You're likely to get hay fever if:

• Someone else in your family has an allergy. For example, if your mother or father has an allergy, then you're more likely to get hay fever than someone whose parents don't have allergies
• You have any other allergies, such as an allergy to dust mites
• You're a teenager or young adult. Hay fever often starts in people at this age.¹ Most people with hay fever get their first symptoms before they're 20 years old. And about two-thirds of adults who have hay fever are younger than 30²
• You're the oldest child in your family
• You come from a small family
• You come from a family that has a high income.

Researchers think that people who have these last three risk factors don't get many infections when they're children. If you don't get many infections as a child, it may affect your immune system so that you are more at risk of getting allergies like hay fever.^{3 4}

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.