Kids allergy question

[2bearsmom]

How old are your kids? I have allergies and 3wks ago I started taking 2tsp Bragg's apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp honey in 8oz warm water. I take it as soon as I wake up and then before I go to bed. Sometimes I take it once during the day too. I have yet to take another allergy pill. I don't see the point in pushing drugs on kids if there are alternative ways to aleviate symptoms. There are tons of side effects not to mention that it has to be processed by the liver to some degree. My dh and I don't like to take meds because of this and we certainly don't want to give them to our children if there is a way to avoid it. Also depending on their ages you can have them use a neti pot or something similar for younger kids.

I have a mold allergy and mold has been high daily here for like 8wks. I sometimes wake up with itchy throat/ears and and am stuffy in the middle of the night, prior to using my "tonic". You may find this website helpful, if you sign up with your email address they'll send you daily or every few days emails stating what tree/mold/pollen/weed/grass is high, moderate, low or absent http://www.aaaai.org/ click on patients/consumers at the top, then click on pollen levels, then you click view levels or sign up for email alerts.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I'm very frustrated...my DD & DS have both been waking up in the middle of the night (3-4AM) sneezing. They blow their noses on and off for about 15 minutes, then they fall back asleep. I haven't brought them to an allergist, but I know they have allergies. They get sniffly during allergy time outside, and I think dust affects them. I vacuum their room twice a week, keep their room dusted, put their stuffed animals in the dryer on air fluff a couple times a month, and wash their sheets and blankets in hot water with scent free detergent and softener. I could give them Benedryl before bed, but the strange thing is they don't go to bed sniffly. What could I be missing in their bedroom that could be triggering this? They swim in the public pool every day,and I suspect the chlorine might trigger some allergies also. But they take a shower every night before bed. This just started happening this summer.

I can't find where I said they were sniffly outside during the day...they aren't. That's what's so strange. We never open windows and they always take a bath before bed. No blackness under the eyes or puffiness,etc. We regularly change the furnace filter, in fact we have something special on our furnace for allergies, not sure what it is though. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

You said it in your original post.

 

[luvmy3]

You said it in your original post.

I don't want to speak for the OP but I took that to mean that during allergy season (Spring & Fall) they are sniffly outdoors but that they are not currently.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't want to speak for the OP but I took that to mean that during allergy season (Spring & Fall) they are sniffly outdoors but that they are not currently.

That would make more sense. We have year round allergies so the concept of seasonal doesn't even cross my mind.

OP if you kid's do not have the puffy eyes, blackness, etc...it could be chemical then.

First off vacuum the mattress every time you change the sheets, dust mites hang out there.

It could be the pool and/or chemicals they are coming into contact with.

I would also change detergents, make sure you do not have air freshners at all, DO NOT dust with Pledge or other chemicals, use a damp cloth, and any other chemical things you use try to notice if they are strong lingering when the kids are present.

It is probably just the pool, something simple.

 

[720L]

I don't want to speak for the OP but I took that to mean that during allergy season (Spring & Fall) they are sniffly outdoors but that they are not currently.

yes.

 

[720L]

That would make more sense. We have year round allergies so the concept of seasonal doesn't even cross my mind.

OP if you kid's do not have the puffy eyes, blackness, etc...it could be chemical then.

First off vacuum the mattress every time you change the sheets, dust mites hang out there.

It could be the pool and/or chemicals they are coming into contact with.

I would also change detergents, make sure you do not have air freshners at all, DO NOT dust with Pledge or other chemicals, use a damp cloth, and any other chemical things you use try to notice if they are strong lingering when the kids are present.

It is probably just the pool, something simple.

You know that's what my gut feeling is. I do all the dust mite allergy stuff (using a damp cloth etc). The pool is the new thing introduced that hasn't been in the picture. Since it's a city pool maybe they use a lot of chlorine or something. Thanks 2bearsmom I'll try that.

 

[MaumeeMom]

OP: Do you use ceiling fans or window fans at night? I can't sleep with our ceiling fan going because I get really stuffy.

Good luck, I hope you can figure something out so the little ones can get a good nights sleep.

PS: I would try everything I could before medicating the kids too. I hate taking meds and rarely give my kids anything.

 

[disfan07]

You can try anything and everything to try and eliminate it but most likely you won't know anything until you take them to an allergist. Until you do that, you're probably not going to make much progress, if any at all.

I have severe allergies, asthma and eczema. I take allergra, zyrtec and singulair in addition to my asthma medications.

I have wood floors, no carpet at all. Allergy covers on my pillow, mattress and box spring. I change my sheets 3 times a week and we wash them in seventh generation laundry detergant. We dust my room twice a week. Any longer than that and its too bad for me to dust. I'll start caughing and sneezing. Doing this stuff has only helped minimally. The meds help the most.

My advice, The only answer is to take them to the allergist and get tested. Its quick enoug hthat you should know before school starts and there you go, that should solve the problem of knowing whether or not they need meds.

Also, if it was a chlorine allergy, most likely it would be affecting their skin as well. Are they really itchy in addition to the stuffiness?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

So if it's in my house, why are there no symptoms during the winter, and during the day and even some nights no symptoms? If it's outside, why don't they have symptoms while playing outside all day? I've heard from lots of people doing an allergy test isn't 100 percent accurate. My pediatrician doesn't even recommend an allergist yet. When my DD was 5, a different ped. told me she had asthma and put her on nose spray and some kind of medicine. We tried it for a couple months and saw the same response as we do with what we are doing now. She had some good days and some bad days. AND I noticed a change in personality. That scares me. You hear too many things where the drug company says the drug is safe, then 2 years later "maybe it's not safe". Benedryl has been around for a long time, which is why I don't mind using that once in a while. And in the winter, we have no problems. And last summer, no problems.

Could be that they have newly developed an allergy or other issue.

One is not "born" with allergies necessarily. But they can develop over time.

Mine began in 5th grade for the very first time (allergies in the eye you will remember for LIFE. Boy did that hayfever BURNNNNN). That's roughly 10-11 years old.

Honestly--I would recommend just getting them a scratch test. They are easy peezy. Though if they do have an allergy and a bad one--it is about 10-20 minutes of discomfort. (my grass allergy inflamed my entire back and when I was finally permitted treatment it took a dose of meds and an ice pack b/c my back was on fire!).

My at the time 8yo had her scratch test done no problem. She has allergies of course--but none triggered as bad as my grass allergy (I'm so bad that for a couple of decades I have to hold my breath around fresh cut grass--it feels stifling like it will make me stop breathing.)

My sister just had her 3.5 year old scratch tested and it didn't seem to be an issue for her either.