Asthma is a problem that is not always associated with summer and hot weather, but the bushfires that we inevitably suffer from each summer will often contaminate our air with smoke and debris from both bushfires and backburning operations.

Spring delights are here; sunshine, flowers and longer, warmer days. Unfortunately this wonderful time of year is shadowed by those nasty hay fever symptoms; itchy, watery and puffy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and feeling miserable.

Identifying hay fever symptoms in children may be tricky, particularly if they have not experienced them before.

In technical terms, Hayfever (Allergic Rhinitis) is an allergic response to pollen that affects the mucosal membranes of the nose, eyes and air passages.

If you have a child with asthma, or even a curious child with a friend or classmate with asthma, you might want to check out asthmakids.com.au – it’s a website that speaks to kids about asthma, without all the heavier grown up or medical jargon.

If you’re confused about the difference between allergies and asthma, you’re not alone. The two are often related, have similar symptoms and can be triggered by the same things.   So how do you know whether you have allergies, asthma, or both? Well, first and foremost, see your doctor.

Hay fever is the common name for allergic rhinitis. It is an allergic reaction in the nose, throat and eyes. Most people associate hay fever with spring, when airborne pollens from grasses are highest.

Make sure your day-to-day management of asthma is under control before you travel.