OT - Help...DD1 is always sick...

[adventure_woman]

I have DDs 12 mth check-up next week. She has been sick all winter. 4 ear infections...and it seems like she never feels good. I would say at least since January she hasn't felt normal. Her cough/nose/sneezing goes on and off. I do have a humidifier in her room. She has 3 teeth so far (I can see at least 3 more cutting through). This last weekend I thought it might be allergies so the nurse told me I could give her benadryl and that seems to help a little bit. But it seems like she is always on Motrin or tylenol!

So, at her 12 mth, I am really going to push my dr (whom I love) by telling him we have to do something....what I don't know. Any ideas on what I should be asking him? She is too young for allergy testing isn't she? We do have 2 cats and I hope she isn't allergic to them...but how do you know w/o the testing? I just want my baby to feel good (w/o the use of Motrin!!)

 

[ancestry]

That age is a rough age for illnesses. I have four kids and I swear between the ages of 1 and 3 they were constantly sick or at least it seemed that way.

I wish you luck. She isn't too young for allergy testing. I had my son allergy tested (food allergies) when he was around 8 months old. They did skin tests where they scratch his back with possible irritants to see if there was a reaction.

 

[PeterPan&Wendy1970]

I'm sorry to hear about your DD. It actually does sound like she has allergies. Unfortunately I speak from a lot of experience. My two ds' have food and enviromental allergies. She definitely is not too young to test. Get a blood and scratch test done though. You can also see if she has "allergic shiners" which are dark shadows under her eyes. Frequent ear infections/runny nose,are classic allergy signs. One website that is great with allergy info. is http//www.kidswithfoodallergies.org
HTH
Jen dh ds 11 ds 9 dd 7

 

[Iggipolka]

Sorry that your DD is sick. A few thoughts on this as I have an almost 2 year old who is also frequently sick with a cold or sinus infection.

First, between the ages of 0 - 3, kids have (on average) 10 colds a year. That's nearly a cold a month! This is normal and part of their developing immunity to diseases. It sucks, but there's not much to do about it.

Second, when my daughter is getting a new tooth, she runs a low fever, is very congested and often has some minor GI upset from all of the drool she is swallowing. Also normal, irritating and sad to see, but normal.

Third, we did have allergy testing done on my daughter when she was around 1 year. She doesn't have any allergies, but we did find out that her immune system is not functioning as well as it could. This isn't bad long term, but just means that she'll tend to get more respiratory illnesses than other kids, especially sinus infections. The good news with this, is that our pediatrician is aware of this and doesn't fight us when we call her to report yet another sinus infection and we get started on antibiotics right away. I know a lot of people are against frequent antibiotic use, but it's the only thing that will cure a bacterial sinus infection.

So, my advice, know that your child is probably 100% normal and also follow through on your instincts to get further testing done. Good luck and I hope your kiddo is feeling better soon!

 

[DisneyDizzy]

My son (9 now!) had 9 ear infections and RSV twice before he was 10 months. He wasn't even in Daycare! We had tubes put in his ears at 1. It helped a LITTLE but as soon as they fell out, he started all over again, around 2 1/2. He was ALWAYS sick.

That said, when he was 3, they put tubes BACK in his ears and took out his adenoids. He hasn't been sick since. Seriously. I think he's had one cold in the last 7 years and that was this year. The doctors said sometimes taking out the adenoids helps. And it really did.

But those early years we just did the best we could to keep him healthy and feeling OK. He doesn't have allergies though I would have sworn he did that first few years.

 

[adventure_woman]

Thank you everyone for all your input. DD isn't in daycare either, which is what drives me crazy! I try my best to keep the house sanitary....we wash hands all the time (hence my cracked and bleeding hands!! ). At least I know she isn't the only one who seems so sickly!

 

[MSSANDRA]

I am sure it is nothing you are doing wrong, kids just can get sick and a few germs are really a good thing. It does sound like a lot of allergy stuff and allergy stuff can lead to other sinus and ear illnesses. I would start with allergy testing and go from there. Both my boys were tested before 2. DGS had allergy meds by 4 months! Good luck.Good news is if it's colds, that spring is here. If it allergy, bad news if spring is here.

 

[pinktinkmommy]

Awww, poor baby.

Another ditto to the skin testing. Please, please, please... don't do the blood testing. It's highly inaccurate. My poor DD ended up being off eggs, wheat, soy, nuts and... something else... for a couple of years and in the end, she was really only allergic to eggs. Another doc insisted on the blood testing for extensive food allergies and they came back with 38 out of 42 foods as positive. Almost everything she ate was on that list. Skin test? Two allergies, both minor and eliminating them solved our issues. The skin testing isn't fun, but it's much more accurate (though not 100%).

It does sound like allergies are a good possibility, though. I know how hard it is and wish you lots of luck and pixie dust. I hope she feels better soon!

 

[Owl's Friend]

Maybe ask to see an ENT (ears nose throat dr)? Maybe tubes will be needed. My kids have allergies. They have had blood testing and skin testing for it. In our case both types of testing were accurate.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We were told that the blood test is more sensitive than the skin test. It picked up allergies that DGS DID have that the skin test did not. Talk to your doctor. Some children do better with one than the other. For the skin test your child needs to be off anithistimines for three days which can be very tough on a allergy kid. DGS does much better with the blood test than he does with the back scratch test. We have done both and he reacts to pretty much everything both ways

 

[Tiger926]

Been through this with my baby boy: constant severe pneumonia, double ear infections every month, allergies, asthma, etc.

Within a few months, we were able to get an asthma diagnosis (as best as you could on a baby), ear tubes and adenoids out, and he has been so much better. He is now 3.5 yrs, and is much healthier.

He only needs his puffers a few times a year, as opposed to a few times a day, so big improvement, and his last ear infection was in Dec., and we caught it early (we have an ear scope), and he didn't even need meds! So, without his ear tubes, he did great!

Regarding allergies, I live in one of the allergy/asthma capitals of Canada, and so it's big around here. Amazing doctors, and none of them will do allergy testing on babies under 3, as they aren't accurate at all. Whether it's blood or skin, you don't get accurate readings. The anaphylactic babes aren't even tested, as they are just pulled off of whatever it is that gave them the reaction, and tested at a later date. You really can't test for allergies in babies with developing immune systems, and expect to get accurate results. We had to do elimination and tracking, which was difficult, and to this day, he still gets unexplained hives, but no respiratory issues when he does, so we are good. Haven't done the allergy tests, and at this point, don't need to, as his respiratory issues have majorly cleared up from his surgeries on ears and adenoids.

I would discourage the use of so many drugs as well - the drug list for my boy is unreal. But at this point, even though he fevers very high - 106.3 is the highest - we don't medicate, unless he starts to shiver. Tylenol and Motrin are not necessary all of the time, as fever is good for the body. New pediatric protocol in your country, has just come out regarding drugging up for fevers. My son has had small seizures, and we still don't drug him, as most of the time, his body can handle it without the meds. I would just caution those of you who are dosing up at the first sign of low grade fever, as this doesn't help the problem. Since we stopped doing this, and in combination with his surgeries, his immune system is so much stronger!

Lastly, watch for triggers. We don't have pets, no chemicals, smoke, etc., as I have chemical allergies, plus, we have an HVAC system and electronic air cleaner on furnace, and they help immensely. Keep those lungs clear!

Best of health to OP's child and others, Tiger

 

[mjkacmom]

She is your second child - totally normal. My oldest never got sick, but #2 was sick October through May, and it just got worse with each new baby. There is an upside - once they get to school, they've pretty much had all of the standards (fifths, coxsackie, rotavirus, roseala, plus plenty of colds, and other random virus's). Sure, we still get the occassional stomach bug, ear infection, cold, or strep, but nothing like when they were babies, toddlers, and preschoolers!

 

[SaraJayne]

Does anyone smoke in your home?

 

[adventure_woman]

Does anyone smoke in your home?

No - and noone in our extended family that she spends a lot of time with smokes either.

 

[SaraJayne]

No - and noone in our extended family that she spends a lot of time with smokes either.

That's good. Being exposed to second hand smoke is a huge risk factor in how often children are sick.

 

[Sugar Jones]

My oldest was my sickly baby. He had 18 ear infections from 6 months old until he was 2.5 yrs old when they finally put tubes in his ears. Every cold & sniffle would turn into an ear infection. We treated some with antibiotics and we waited some out. My Dr. kept saying, wait until he is 2, they will stop @@ Finally after getting tubes he never had another one until his tubes fell out.


Questioning about tubes may be a good idea. Also vitamin D is a good immune systme builder. We have all been on drops for over a year and "KNOCK ON WOOD" this is the healthiest winter we have had!!

 

[PEANUT1]

poor baby It is terrible when they are sick. Just be prepared that she may be allergic to the cats...and if she is, please take her needs first. I have friends who have kids with horrible asthma and allergies to dogs but they refuse to get rid of their pets Good luck to you.

 

[nchulka]

Thank you everyone for all your input. DD isn't in daycare either, which is what drives me crazy! I try my best to keep the house sanitary....we wash hands all the time (hence my cracked and bleeding hands!! ). At least I know she isn't the only one who seems so sickly!

Keeping everything so clean COULD be part of your problem. Germs are good for our immune system. Being kept in super clean environments with limited exposure to germs actually increases illness. I do not use hand sanitizer and will not let my children use it. We wash with soap and water before meals but thats about it. We do not use anti-bacterial hand soap. When my kids were little they were always chewing on the handle of the cart at the store, DD sucked her thumb constantly, and DS would put his binky right back in after it hit the floor. They are now 9 & 7 and neither has ever had an ear infection, strep throat, the flu, etc. They get the run of the mill cold every once in a while and I let it run it's course, we don't do meds. unless we absolutely have to. I do keep a very orderly, clean house, but NOT a sanitized one.

Another thing is sleep habits and food habits. Does you baby sleep and eat very healthy? Children that are still waking up during the night are typically going to get sick more often because a good nights sleep does a world of good in keeping sickness away. Same with eating lots of fruits and veggies and staying away from junk food.

Also some children just are more prone to getting sick. Some kids just seem to pick up everything that comes by