Why do I have hay fever? I didn’t have it as a child

Published

Thursday, October 17, 2024 - 9:00 AM

Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) is a long-term inflammatory condition that’s incredibly common. It affects about one-quarter of Australians.

Symptoms vary but can include sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny or blocked nose. Hay fever can also contribute to sinus and ear infections, snoring, poor sleep and asthma, as well as lower performance at school or work.

But many people didn’t have hay fever as a child, and only develop symptoms as a teenager or adult.

National Allergy Centre of Excellence respiratory allergy experts, Professor Janet Davies and Associate Professor Joy Lee, write for The Conversation, about how a combination of genetics, hormones and the environment can lead to people developing hay fever later in life.