Does anyone out there have a child who's been diagnosed with seasonal allergies? My husband, everyone in his family, my mom and my brother all suffer from seasonal allergies: sneezing, runny nose, red and itchy eyes, the works. I'm starting to wonder if my oldest daughter does too.
For a child who was breastfed for two years, she has always seemed to suffer from more colds than any of her peers. Now I'm wondering if it's allergies rather than one cold after another. I'm not excited about the prospect of medicating her on a regular basis, but also don't want her to become the kid with the perpetual booger nose. Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks for any insight or advice!
I have had allergies since I was five years old. They were so bad that I needed shots, one in each arm twice a week. I did this starting at five and up till I graduated high school. They gave me nasal inhalers and sprays. I hated them!! They only seemed to irritate my nose more. Since I have moved to Oregon, I have only used Allegra. It comes in a few different doses. There are other types as well. This one just works best for me. I DO NOT like to take medicine. I only take my Allegra when the season changes and then as soon as I feel better, I stop. You can also look into herbs that help with allergies. They might appeal to you more than medicine. I hope that your little girls nose gets some relief.
Posted by: Becky | 01 April 2007 at 09:18 PM
Renee, you and your daughter might want to visit a pediatric naturopath. Dr. Sarah Mcallister is wonderful and located really close (just off Corbett). Her # is (503) 224-2590. I have also heard that honey from local bees is helpful with allergy relief. It works like a vaccine, giving you tiny amounts of pollen that are bothersome so that your body can build an immunity. Stir one teaspoon into a cup of mint tea and your daughter could be feeling better and sip on something delicious. Good Luck!
Posted by: Erin | 02 April 2007 at 08:33 AM
That sounds a lot like my nephews. Their parents thought they had a lot of colds, but found out that they are allergic to many foods and the other has asthma as well. I have read the allergies run in families. It especially increases the likelihood your child will have allergies if both parents do. You might look into it just in case.
Posted by: Brooke | 02 April 2007 at 11:16 AM
My DD has had an allergy problem of some type since she was young too, and she was also a breast-fed kid.
I think she was about 4-ish when her pediatrician determined that she suffered some type of allergies, but he wasn't able to pinpoint what she was allergic to without having to subject her to those painful/irritating skin tests.
Since he felt her allergies were not severe, he gave us a choice of going down the path of getting her dosed with prescription allergy meds or letting her try to live with the condition as it was. We appreciated that the doctor let us decide. He sent us home with a prescription, but DH and I decided not to use it after all.
Over the years, we have had regular talks with our DD to try to get a sense of the level of discomfort she is feeling. She'll occasionally complain about sinus problems and not being able to breathe easily, and we'll hear her noisily sniffing, snuffling, and snorting a lot, but most of the times, she'll still insist that she doesn't want any meds.
Once in a blue moon, she'll ask for some benadryl, but she doesn't usually notice any significant improvement with it. We did recently get her some OTC Claritin, but she hasn't asked for any of it yet.
Posted by: betty | 02 April 2007 at 11:22 AM
Okay, I may sound like a fanatic here, but if your child has more than minor allergies you need to consult a doctor (as some of you have). Children with allergies are more at risk for a number of things--when all that mucous gets stirred up, it is fertile ground for infections and asthma, as we all know, can be life-threatening.
Giving a pill to a child who is suffering is not a bad thing. A child living with allergies will not know what "normal" is so it is hard to report if they feel well; well to them may be just getting by to you. Benadryl is fine, but if they try to go to school while using it, they will probably retain zero--that is if they can stay awake. Your pediatrician or an allergy specialist can be very helpful. If the allergies are really causing problems, your child may need "shots" to build immunity. They can change a child's life as can some of the new non-drowsy allergy treatments.
If your child is ever suffering from difficulty breathing, you may need to carry an inhaler for emergency use. If she were to encounter an allergen or combination thereof that set off a stronger than normal reaction, you may find your way rushing to the emergency room.
I know my parents did . . .
Posted by: lauralye | 03 April 2007 at 10:30 AM
I think you need to check with the specialist in that kind of field,so that you will find out if that is a allergy.
-Kaylee
Posted by: ear nose throat | 21 June 2009 at 11:13 PM