I am now officially the mom of an allergy kid

[Nakia]

I took Emma to the allergist today, and she tested positive for allergies to cats, dogs, dust mites, grass, and ragweed. The poor thing has been suffering off and on for a while now, and we've tried every over-the-counter med there is, to no avail. Well, actually we hadn't tried Allegra, but we started it tonight. She is also on Flonase daily (can increase to twice a day if needed) and Patanase as needed. The pediatrician prescribed Padaday eye drops, but Emma won't let me put them in. Any hints for that?? She needs them, but she is scared to death of them. Anyway, she is going to start allergy shots in a week or two.

 

I was pretty worried when she tested allergic to cats and dogs because we have several of each. But the allergist assured me that there was no need to get rid of the animals. Whew! We got a pillow cover and mattress cover. We have pulled up all the carpet in the house except in our room, and it's coming up in the next month. I am not planning to put her in a bubble, but I do want to do some simple things to lessen her symptoms.

 

I would love to hear any hints, advice, etc about the eye drops, allergy shots, and raising an "allergic" kiddo. TIA!

[Rose in BC]

That's us. Removing the carpet made a tremendous improvement but my poor daughter's allergies/asthma is an on going battle. Now she has eczema too (on her face which is a nightmare for a teen girl).

 

Interestingly our dr. told us to ditch our dogs. We considered it but the kids were so distraught we made the other changes . . . including air filters. Years later, the dr. told us that doing everything right might still not eliminate the problem and, living in the climate we do, damp, she'll always suffer from allergies.

 

Having said that we're having some success with flonaise, allergy pill and singular as a booster.

 

Welcome to the allergy world :).

[ChristusG]

I'm curious why the doctor said you didn't need to get rid of the cats and dogs? I tested positive for a cat allergy and we got rid of our cats....it took a few months for the dander to get out of our house, but I felt SO much better after they were gone.

 

I'm allergic to everything your DD is, except for dogs. Some months of the year are definitely more difficult than others. I don't take any meds though.

[Starr]

Can you pull down the lower lid and put the drops in while her eye is closed? The only other thing that I found helping eyes is washing them with saline eye wash. She'd love that. :( My kids are pretty good if they keep their eyes shut. My eyes do not bother me if I take a good old antihistamine at bedtime, chloratrimaton or benadryl. And you probably already tell her that rubbing her eyes will make it worse. I hope she feels better soon!

[Sugarfoot]

So sorry to hear this...I saw your list and thought, "Wow..."

 

My kids just keep their eyes shut and we put drops in the corner. As soon as they open their eyes, it runs in. They have to keep their head back, of course, and I'm sure it's not as effective as just doing it with open eyes, but it's better than nothing.:glare:

 

I hope she feels better soon!

[Nakia]

I'm curious why the doctor said you didn't need to get rid of the cats and dogs? I tested positive for a cat allergy and we got rid of our cats....it took a few months for the dander to get out of our house, but I felt SO much better after they were gone.

 

I'm allergic to everything your DD is, except for dogs. Some months of the year are definitely more difficult than others. I don't take any meds though.

 

 

One reason is that the doctor really understands how important our animals are to us. There are lots of things we can do to reduce exposure without getting rid of the animals. We are going to put HEPA filters in our central heat/air unit. We are not going to allow her to sleep with her cat anymore. Her room is going to be off limits to the cats. Pulling up the rest of the carpet will also help. And the fact that she is going to start allergy shots will hopefully make a HUGE difference.

 

If there were absolutely nothing else we could do or the above measures don't work, we will probably have to consider finding new homes for the animals. I pray it won't come to that. Emma has her very own kitty that she adores.

 

Also, she is more allergic to dust mites and the seasonal stuff. Those are her biggest problems.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Nakia

[Nakia]

That's us. Removing the carpet made a tremendous improvement but my poor daughter's allergies/asthma is an on going battle. Now she has eczema too (on her face which is a nightmare for a teen girl).

 

Interestingly our dr. told us to ditch our dogs. We considered it but the kids were so distraught we made the other changes . . . including air filters. Years later, the dr. told us that doing everything right might still not eliminate the problem and, living in the climate we do, damp, she'll always suffer from allergies.

 

Having said that we're having some success with flonaise, allergy pill and singular as a booster.

 

Welcome to the allergy world :).

 

We are praying the shots will prevent asthma. Has your dd had shots?

 

Can you pull down the lower lid and put the drops in while her eye is closed? The only other thing that I found helping eyes is washing them with saline eye wash. She'd love that. :( My kids are pretty good if they keep their eyes shut. My eyes do not bother me if I take a good old antihistamine at bedtime, chloratrimaton or benadryl. And you probably already tell her that rubbing her eyes will make it worse. I hope she feels better soon!

 

So sorry to hear this...I saw your list and thought, "Wow..."

 

My kids just keep their eyes shut and we put drops in the corner. As soon as they open their eyes, it runs in. They have to keep their head back, of course, and I'm sure it's not as effective as just doing it with open eyes, but it's better than nothing.:glare:

 

I hope she feels better soon!

 

 

I will try those suggestions. I might have to resort to bribery, lol. Thanks!

[abacus2]

I also am surprised at the keep the pets instructions. DH is allergic to cats and while symptoms can be managed with medication, being completely away from cats is much, much better.

[Ester Maria]

Eye drops are a pain... When I had to give those to my kid, I had her head in my lap, she felt the most secure that way. The secret was in allowing her the feeling of control by explaining to her how to pull her eyelids and then just squeezing the drop onto the lower eyelid, which then made her blink a little, but was fine. The same thing for the other eye. Basically what helped to her was that she was in my lap + the feeling of control, she hated if I was managing her eyelids, letting her do it herself helped.

[itsheresomewhere]

Put the eye drops in the corner and let her blink them in. That is what DS's and my eye doctor recommends for kids. Only they are totally ok with the drops, then let them try normally.

 

Also, wipe down the cats with green tea. It cuts down on the dander and works. The kids used to have a cat and that is what was recommended by a doctor to me ( I am allergic to cats). You can buy the premade green tea clothes at petsmart or get really good whole leaf green tea and make them yourself.

Edited July 28, 2011 by itsheresomewhere

[Sandra in FL]

We are praying the shots will prevent asthma. Has your dd had shots?

 

 

Forgive me for sounding harsh, but (as a mom of an asthmatic kid) why would you take a chance on her developing asthma? IMO, no pet is worth the risk. Believe me, there's not much worse than watching one's kid struggle to breathe. It's got to be one of the most helpless feelings in the world.

[sbgrace]

:grouphug:

 

The carpet removal will certainly help as well keeping the cat out of her room. Remember that she takes whatever is on her to bed though. If at all possible she should shower right before bed and change into fresh/clean/in her room only type sleeping clothes. The main idea is you want your sleeping space as allergy free as possible.

 

My son has a HEPA unit in his room. We have one in the main play room too. It's made a huge difference in his allergies. We have always had HEPA units on our air conditioning/heating unit but that clearly didn't do what we needed. Particularly because of the animals I'd strongly consider at least a HEPA in her bedroom. I found some reasonably priced units. My son takes all the other allergy meds but also Singulair. It makes a real difference for him. We did get rehome our cats but it took a while for me to realize we really needed to and my son was very upset about it. After they were gone (and tons and tons of cleaning) he noticed a difference. That said, cat and dog dander remain in homes for decades after the animal leaves. Even if you clean you won't get rid of it all. Different allergists have different thoughts about pets probably for that reason. One told us to keep them but keep them out of his room, shower before bed, etc. The other said get rid of them if we can.

Edited July 28, 2011 by sbgrace

[Pink Fairy]

Forgive me for sounding harsh, but (as a mom of an asthmatic kid) why would you take a chance on her developing asthma? IMO, no pet is worth the risk. Believe me, there's not much worse than watching one's kid struggle to breathe. It's got to be one of the most helpless feelings in the world.

 

Because her doctor said it wasn't necessary. She said if it becomes necessary they will, but why not follow the doctor's advice first and see if that works before taking more drastic measures? Makes more sense to me to do it that way.

[abacus2]

:grouphug:

 

The carpet removal will certainly help as well keeping the cat out of her room. Remember that she takes whatever is on her to bed though. If at all possible she should shower right before bed and change into fresh/clean/in her room only type sleeping clothes. The main idea is you want your sleeping space as allergy free as possible.

 

My son has a HEPA unit in his room. We have one in the main play room too. It's made a huge difference in his allergies. We have always had HEPA units on our air conditioning/heating unit but that clearly didn't do what we needed. Particularly because of the animals I'd strongly consider at least a HEPA in her bedroom. I found some reasonably priced units. My son takes all the other allergy meds but also Singulair. It makes a real difference for him. We did get rehome our cats but it took a while for me to realize we really needed to and my son was very upset about it. After they were gone (and tons and tons of cleaning) he noticed a difference. That said, cat and dog dander remain in homes for decades after the animal leaves. Even if you clean you won't get rid of it all. Different allergists have different thoughts about pets probably for that reason. One told us to keep them but keep them out of his room, shower before bed, etc. The other said get rid of them if we can.

 

Excellent suggestions. :iagree:

[MelanieM]

Because her doctor said it wasn't necessary. She said if it becomes necessary they will, but why not follow the doctor's advice first and see if that works before taking more drastic measures? Makes more sense to me to do it that way.

 

I guess it depends on what you consider drastic. Some people may feel it is more drastic/potentially harmful to medicate regularly than it is to remove pets from the home, and would choose that as a first course of action.

 

Nakia, best of luck to you and your daughter as you navigate through this. :grouphug:

[JudyJudyJudy]

Both my son and I have multiple food and environmental allergies. In fact, I tested positive for every single allergy for which I was tested. The one thing that has helped me the most is to consume local raw honey. It's not an overnight cure, but over the years it has helped me tremendously. People who knew me before I started consuming this can't believe the difference.

[Jennifer3141]

Nakia, I have several cats and an allergy kid and DH. CATS!

 

But DH loves cats so years and years ago, I did some research on raw diets for cats (and then dogs for us). We have no allergy problems from the animals. DH has problems seasonally. I can have friends post here who are cat allergic who have no problems in my home. I just helped a mom of an allergic, asthmatic little boy switch her cat over to raw.

 

We also do bathe all the animals every couple of weeks.

 

So don't give up if the first easier, more mainstream suggestions don't help enough. Look around. I think someone else recommended raw honey and I know a couple of people swear by that too.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Jennifer3141

[Sophia]

My 6 y.o. started shots three months ago.

He is allergic to dust, tree and grass pollen (and we live in Georgia where there is an abundance of all three, all the time.)

 

His allergies get really bad in the fall and really, really bad in the spring.

His allergist warned it could be a year before we see results, but I'm praying we'll see positive results this fall anyway.

 

As far as eyedrops~Eli gets so miserable that he will do anything we tell him will help him feel better.

He doesn't like the eyedrops, or the nasal spray, or taking pills twice a day, or getting shots twice a week, or inhaling that nasty advair...but all of that is necessary for him to feel better and he knows that.

 

It was heartbreaking for me at first to see him so resigned, but as all of this helps keep the allergies under control, we have moved from resigned to grateful.

[Nakia]

Eye drops are a pain... When I had to give those to my kid, I had her head in my lap, she felt the most secure that way. The secret was in allowing her the feeling of control by explaining to her how to pull her eyelids and then just squeezing the drop onto the lower eyelid, which then made her blink a little, but was fine. The same thing for the other eye. Basically what helped to her was that she was in my lap + the feeling of control, she hated if I was managing her eyelids, letting her do it herself helped.

 

We tried that and it didn't work, but we will try it again. Thank you.

 

Put the eye drops in the corner and let her blink them in. That is what DS's and my eye doctor recommends for kids. Only they are totally ok with the drops, then let them try normally.

 

Also, wipe down the cats with green tea. It cuts down on the dander and works. The kids used to have a cat and that is what was recommended by a doctor to me ( I am allergic to cats). You can buy the premade green tea clothes at petsmart or get really good whole leaf green tea and make them yourself.

 

Thank you for the suggestions about the drops and the green tea. I will definitely try both.

 

:grouphug:

 

The carpet removal will certainly help as well keeping the cat out of her room. Remember that she takes whatever is on her to bed though. If at all possible she should shower right before bed and change into fresh/clean/in her room only type sleeping clothes. The main idea is you want your sleeping space as allergy free as possible.

 

My son has a HEPA unit in his room. We have one in the main play room too. It's made a huge difference in his allergies. We have always had HEPA units on our air conditioning/heating unit but that clearly didn't do what we needed. Particularly because of the animals I'd strongly consider at least a HEPA in her bedroom. I found some reasonably priced units. My son takes all the other allergy meds but also Singulair. It makes a real difference for him. We did get rehome our cats but it took a while for me to realize we really needed to and my son was very upset about it. After they were gone (and tons and tons of cleaning) he noticed a difference. That said, cat and dog dander remain in homes for decades after the animal leaves. Even if you clean you won't get rid of it all. Different allergists have different thoughts about pets probably for that reason. One told us to keep them but keep them out of his room, shower before bed, etc. The other said get rid of them if we can.

 

Thank you! I will look into one of those HEPA units in her room. Do you have suggestions about where to buy them? Again, we will rehome the cats if it becomes necessary. For now, I am trusting the doctor and keeping the cats. There is so much research on both sides, of course.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Nakia

[Nakia]

Forgive me for sounding harsh, but (as a mom of an asthmatic kid) why would you take a chance on her developing asthma? IMO, no pet is worth the risk. Believe me, there's not much worse than watching one's kid struggle to breathe. It's got to be one of the most helpless feelings in the world.

 

You're right, that was kinda harsh. I would NEVER put my child at risk unnecessarily, especially when there are other things we can try first. That is why I took her to be tested, we are starting the shots, and making environmental changes. I would never choose an animal over my child, and I certainly don't consider this doing so. I can't imagine what it's like to have an asthmatic kid. I am a nurse and have seen really sick kids, but it's not the same as it being your own, I know.

 

Because her doctor said it wasn't necessary. She said if it becomes necessary they will, but why not follow the doctor's advice first and see if that works before taking more drastic measures? Makes more sense to me to do it that way.

 

Thank you.

 

I guess it depends on what you consider drastic. Some people may feel it is more drastic/potentially harmful to medicate regularly than it is to remove pets from the home, and would choose that as a first course of action.

 

Nakia, best of luck to you and your daughter as you navigate through this. :grouphug:

 

I am very thankful we have the choice to do medication and immunotherapy for a short time with the hopes of preventing her from suffering her whole life. There would be no way to prevent her from being exposed to animals her whole life. Of course, we all make the best decisions we can. Thank you for the hugs!

[Nakia]

Both my son and I have multiple food and environmental allergies. In fact, I tested positive for every single allergy for which I was tested. The one thing that has helped me the most is to consume local raw honey. It's not an overnight cure, but over the years it has helped me tremendously. People who knew me before I started consuming this can't believe the difference.

 

Thank you! I had totally forgotten about consuming local raw honey though I had read about it before. A friend of my husband's has bees, so I will ask him to get us a few quarts! Thanks again!

 

Nakia, I have several cats and and allergy kid and DH. CATS!

 

But DH loves cats so years and years ago, I did some research on raw diets for cats (and then dogs for us). We have no allergy problems from the animals. DH has problems seasonally. I can have friends post here who are cat allergic who have no problems in my home. I just helped a mom of an allergic, asthmatic little boy switch her cat over to raw.

 

We also do bathe all the animals every couple of weeks.

 

So don't give up if the first easier, more mainstream suggestions don't help enough. Look around. I think someone else recommended raw honey and I know a couple of people swear by that too.

 

Thank you, Jennifer! I would love any information you could give me about raw diets for cats. I would really like to be able to keep our animals. My girls love them so much. Well, my dh and I do too, lol!

 

My 6 y.o. started shots three months ago.

He is allergic to dust, tree and grass pollen (and we live in Georgia where there is an abundance of all three, all the time.)

 

His allergies get really bad in the fall and really, really bad in the spring.

His allergist warned it could be a year before we see results, but I'm praying we'll see positive results this fall anyway.

 

As far as eyedrops~Eli gets so miserable that he will do anything we tell him will help him feel better.

He doesn't like the eyedrops, or the nasal spray, or taking pills twice a day, or getting shots twice a week, or inhaling that nasty advair...but all of that is necessary for him to feel better and he knows that.

 

It was heartbreaking for me at first to see him so resigned, but as all of this helps keep the allergies under control, we have moved from resigned to grateful.

 

Your poor son. I am so sorry. It is heartbreaking to see them so miserable. I will pray for your boy!

[Rose in BC]

We are praying the shots will prevent asthma. Has your dd had shots?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No my daughter has not had allergy shots. Our dr said he didn't prefer them in the kids/teen years (I didn't ask why but next time we go I'm going to ask him.)

 

I forgot to ad one thing I did learn from one of the allergist we saw . . . showering the pet frequently can help control allergens. I don't know if this is true because honestly we haven't tried it. I want to but I forget.

[Jennifer3141]

Nakia, I think this is a good place to start: http://www.holisticat.com/rawrecipe.html

 

We switched to raw years ago because it made sense to both of us that an animal that is fed the proper diet and is optimally healthy will shed less dander. When you look at unhealthy animals, they often have that dry, flaky skin. Cats should gleam. :)

 

Also, female cats shed more dander and the upper neck region sheds the most dander so when I bathe the cats, I concentrate on soaping and rinsing those areas, especially on my girls.

 

Bathing cats is not particularly "fun" but my eldest is resigned to it now, I have one that loves a bath (he actually lays down and stretches out), and my two girl cats fight it but it's my youngest girl cat that gives the the most trouble. I am always tempted to just slam her into the counter or something because if she'd just stop struggling, the bath would be over in a quarter of the time!! I bathe her only when DH is around to help restrain her. The cat that loves baths, also must sleep in DH's armpit or he howls all night long. So he gets a weekly bath or even more (he comes up to me while I'm doing dishes sometimes and plops down!!).

 

Welcome to the world of allergies!! When I was pregnant, I tried inhaling cats deliberating hoping that would magically "fix" it in my kids. It worked for one!!! Or else I was just a crazy pregnant lady sniffing cats.... :glare:

[Nakia]

No my daughter has not had allergy shots. Our dr said he didn't prefer them in the kids/teen years (I didn't ask why but next time we go I'm going to ask him.)

 

I forgot to ad one thing I did learn from one of the allergist we saw . . . showering the pet frequently can help control allergens. I don't know if this is true because honestly we haven't tried it. I want to but I forget.

 

There really must be many different schools of thought, because Emma's allergist said the earlier the better. He is a strictly pediatric allergist, if that makes a difference. I have no idea.

 

I guess we will start bathing the cats. That should be fun, lol!

[Nakia]

Nakia, I think this is a good place to start: http://www.holisticat.com/rawrecipe.html

 

We switched to raw years ago because it made sense to both of us that an animal that is fed the proper diet and is optimally healthy will shed less dander. When you look at unhealthy animals, they often have that dry, flaky skin. Cats should gleam. :)

 

Also, female cats shed more dander and the upper neck region sheds the most dander so when I bathe the cats, I concentrate on soaping and rinsing those areas, especially on my girls.

 

Bathing cats is not particularly "fun" but my eldest is resigned to it now, I have one that loves a bath (he actually lays down and stretches out), and my two girl cats fight it but it's my youngest girl cat that gives the the most trouble. I am always tempted to just slam her into the counter or something because if she'd just stop struggling, the bath would be over in a quarter of the time!! I bathe her only when DH is around to help restrain her. The cat that loves baths, also must sleep in DH's armpit or he howls all night long. So he gets a weekly bath or even more (he comes up to me while I'm doing dishes sometimes and plops down!!).

 

Welcome to the world of allergies!! When I was pregnant, I tried inhaling cats deliberating hoping that would magically "fix" it in my kids. It worked for one!!! Or else I was just a crazy pregnant lady sniffing cats.... :glare:

 

That made me :lol:. Thanks! I will look at that site.

[Rose in BC]

There really must be many different schools of thought, because Emma's allergist said the earlier the better. He is a strictly pediatric allergist, if that makes a difference. I have no idea.

 

I guess we will start bathing the cats. That should be fun, lol!

 

Honestly I am going to check this out again. My daughter's allergies are bad. If shots would help, I'd sign her up. I'm going to have to some research. We live in a small, fairly remote town. I may have to ask for a referral to a dr. elsewhere.

[Nakia]

Honestly I am going to check this out again. My daughter's allergies are bad. If shots would help, I'd sign her up. I'm going to have to some research. We live in a small, fairly remote town. I may have to ask for a referral to a dr. elsewhere.

 

I really hope you can get some answers! The literature I have says that "in over 85% of cases, immunotherapy can provide substantial, long lasting improvement in allergy symptoms." Pretty good statistics!

[Live2Ride]

I'm a believer too in NOT putting them into a bubble (unless it's life threatening). We open windows in the house to air it out from time to time, we drive with the windows down, he plays outside whenever he wants. He understands what his allergens are and he understands what happens when he doesn't take his meds or wants to hang outside on really nasty allergen days (when the pine trees pollinate is a bad one here).

 

Years ago my son went through the prick test with 50 of the most common allergen serums. He tested positive on all but 2! And those two were a little difficult to assure that he didn't test positive on because of all the swelling on his back. The poor kid is even allergic to Cockroach Poo...ew!

 

Anyways. We've noticed that this past year he seems to still be allergic to the cats (they live outdoors though) and still has some allergies to some outdoor plants (especially the pine trees...that's a major problem for him). He takes meds during the pine tree pollination window, but other than that, he doesn't want the meds. He used to need them year round in pill form, nasal form and eye drops. That's how bad he was, but allergies cycle. I've seen it in my own family and they have many different allergies with many of them changing in severity or being gone with new ones starting.

 

We also decided not to do the shots. He was young when diagnosed (5 yrs old- he's now 12) and I didn't want to put him through that. We lived 35 minutes from the clinic and driving there 4 times a week was not realistic especially considering that none of his allergies were life threatening.

 

He is doing well now and doesn't have nearly the issues with his allergies as he did when he was young. Living here in south Louisiana can be difficult for allergy sufferers as we have a LOT of allergens year round.

Edited July 28, 2011 by CountryGirl2
incorrect number...fixed it.

[Jeannie in NJ]

Countrygirl were you told that your son would need allergy shots 5 times a week? My son tested allergic to everthing and he goes in once a week, he gets 4 shots in his arms. This is my special needs son that usually get hysterical at all shots and the allergy shots don't faze him one bit. We live 40 min. away and dh and I alternate taking him him. THe shots have done wonders for my son,

 

He is 13 and has been having weekly shots for a few months now, around Nov or Dec, it will change to once a month shots.

[Jeannie in NJ]

Nakia, my son is allergic to everything, he has shots once a week. His allergist said that there is no reason to get rid of our cats, he said to just keep cats out of ds's room and if ds pets a cat, just have him wash his hands. This allergist said that he never tells people to get rid of their pets, he would rather work with them on handling and controling living with the pets.

 

D s has not had any allergy problems at all since starting the shots.

[Nakia]

I'm a believer too in NOT putting them into a bubble (unless it's life threatening). We open windows in the house to air it out from time to time, we drive with the windows down, he plays outside whenever he wants. He understands what his allergens are and he understands what happens when he doesn't take his meds or wants to hang outside on really nasty allergen days (when the pine trees pollinate is a bad one here).

 

Years ago my son went through the prick test with 50 of the most common allergen serums. He tested positive on all but 2! And those two were a little difficult to assure that he didn't test positive on because of all the swelling on his back. The poor kid is even allergic to Cockroach Poo...ew!

 

Anyways. We've noticed that this past year he seems to still be allergic to the cats (they live outdoors though) and still has some allergies to some outdoor plants (especially the pine trees...that's a major problem for him). He takes meds during the pine tree pollination window, but other than that, he doesn't want the meds. He used to need them year round in pill form, nasal form and eye drops. That's how bad he was, but allergies cycle. I've seen it in my own family and they have many different allergies with many of them changing in severity or being gone with new ones starting.

 

We also decided not to do the shots. He was young when diagnosed (5 yrs old- he's now 12) and I didn't want to put him through that. We lived 35 minutes from the clinic and driving there 5 times a week was not realistic especially considering that none of his allergies were life threatening.

 

He is doing well now and doesn't have nearly the issues with his allergies as he did when he was young. Living here in south Louisiana can be difficult for allergy sufferers as we have a LOT of allergens year round.

 

No bubble here either! She played outside all afternoon, and we are working on cat loving strategies, lol. Gotta wash those hands after!

 

Your poor son! That's a lot to be allergic to!

 

Nakia, my son is allergic to everything, he has shots once a week. His allergist said that there is no reason to get rid of our cats, he said to just keep cats out of ds's room and if ds pets a cat, just have him wash his hands. This allergist said that he never tells people to get rid of their pets, he would rather work with them on handling and controling living with the pets.

 

D s has not had any allergy problems at all since starting the shots.

 

Glad to hear that! I hope the allergy shots go well for Emma.

[prairiewindmomma]

I don't know how good your Rx insurance is, but Pataday is $120ish a bottle, and Zatidor is $8 at Wal-Mart. Functionally, Zatidor has been just as good as Pataday.

 

We aren't able to be a pet family, or open our windows. We can be outside, but we have to shower immediately and change clothes. Having no shoes in the house and getting rid of carpet has helped.

[Nakia]

I don't know how good your Rx insurance is, but Pataday is $120ish a bottle, and Zatidor is $8 at Wal-Mart. Functionally, Zatidor has been just as good as Pataday.

 

We aren't able to be a pet family, or open our windows. We can be outside, but we have to shower immediately and change clothes. Having no shoes in the house and getting rid of carpet has helped.

 

Wow, that's tough for your family, I'm sure. I'm sorry you have to deal with that. We do what we have to, though, huh?

 

The Pataday and Patanase (sp?) are one of the upper tiers on our insurance, so they are $40 per bottle. Not great, but I am so thankful we have the insurance. The doctor gave us a bunch of samples of both. Huge blessing!!

 

Is Zatidor OTC? I haven't heard of it, but I will look into it. Thank you so much!

[Alyeska]

:grouphug: The diagnosis can seem overwheming at first. But then you just get used to it.

 

Our dd is allergic to 58 out of the 65 things they tested her for on her skin prick tests. Just playing in the grass gives her full body hives. She is very needle phobic so we opted not to do allergy shots. And since we moved to AZ a year ago, she no longer has to take daily allergy medications. We also stopped her Singulair, which is for allergy induced asthma.

 

Some of the following was probably already mentioned, but I didn't read all the replies. :blush: The biggest thing is carpet, which you have already done. Also, get GOOD hepa air filters. Those will be an investment...we dropped over $400 on 2 large and 2 small air filters, but the payoff is worth it. They have pre-filters so we don't have to replace the actual filters all that often. We've had ours just over a year and have only had to replace the air filters once because I keep the pre-filters clean by vacuuming/washing them. We run a small one in dd's room 24/7. We also SwifferVac daily or every other day. It helps tremendously. We also change our furnace/AC filters often...that is a biggie.

 

Shave your dogs and bath them weekly to get rid of dander. It is easy to shave them at home. I keep my dog's hair 1/4 of an inch and only have to trim him every 2 to 3 weeks (in the bathtub) using pet clippers I bought at Target. The dog LOVES having short hair and I love having less shed to deal with. If your cats will let you bath them, then do that too. If not, I would seriously consider re-homing them. I know it is hard. But cat dander is tough to erradicate if the cat is still in the home especially becuase they climb everywhere. We re-homed our kitty because he was always sleeping on dd's bed and pillow, of all places. I was changing her bedding every.single.day and it was just too much.

[MelanieM]

I am very thankful we have the choice to do medication and immunotherapy for a short time with the hopes of preventing her from suffering her whole life. There would be no way to prevent her from being exposed to animals her whole life. Of course, we all make the best decisions we can. Thank you for the hugs!

 

Nakia, I'm sorry... I realize my post might have come across like a judgement of your choice, and that wasn't really my intention at all! I can see how choosing to remove beloved pets from the home could be very damaging to a little girl, and have no idea what I would choose to do in your shoes. I absolutely agree that people should all feel free to make the best decisions they can, and have no doubt you're doing just that. (Er... not that you care what I think, I'm sure... just wanted to be clear I meant no offense with my post. :grouphug:)

[Aubrey]

I'm curious why the doctor said you didn't need to get rid of the cats and dogs? I tested positive for a cat allergy and we got rid of our cats....it took a few months for the dander to get out of our house, but I felt SO much better after they were gone.

 

I'm allergic to everything your DD is, except for dogs. Some months of the year are definitely more difficult than others. I don't take any meds though.

 

Sometimes when someone's already lived w/ a *particular* animal for a long time, that one doesn't affect them *as much as* other animals of the same type.

 

Dh is allergic to cats, but he was fine(ish) w/ the cat that had been in his house for 10 years...until he went away to college. Then when he'd go home, that cat was the same as any other.

[Nakia]

:grouphug: The diagnosis can seem overwheming at first. But then you just get used to it.

 

Our dd is allergic to 58 out of the 65 things they tested her for on her skin prick tests. Just playing in the grass gives her full body hives. She is very needle phobic so we opted not to do allergy shots. And since we moved to AZ a year ago, she no longer has to take daily allergy medications. We also stopped her Singulair, which is for allergy induced asthma.

 

Some of the following was probably already mentioned, but I didn't read all the replies. :blush: The biggest thing is carpet, which you have already done. Also, get GOOD hepa air filters. Those will be an investment...we dropped over $400 on 2 large and 2 small air filters, but the payoff is worth it. They have pre-filters so we don't have to replace the actual filters all that often. We've had ours just over a year and have only had to replace the air filters once because I keep the pre-filters clean by vacuuming/washing them. We run a small one in dd's room 24/7. We also SwifferVac daily or every other day. It helps tremendously. We also change our furnace/AC filters often...that is a biggie.

 

Shave your dogs and bath them weekly to get rid of dander. It is easy to shave them at home. I keep my dog's hair 1/4 of an inch and only have to trim him every 2 to 3 weeks (in the bathtub) using pet clippers I bought at Target. The dog LOVES having short hair and I love having less shed to deal with. If your cats will let you bath them, then do that too. If not, I would seriously consider re-homing them. I know it is hard. But cat dander is tough to erradicate if the cat is still in the home especially becuase they climb everywhere. We re-homed our kitty because he was always sleeping on dd's bed and pillow, of all places. I was changing her bedding every.single.day and it was just too much.

 

Dang, that's a ton of allergies! Poor thing. It makes Emma's 5 allergies seem easy, lol. Since she tested positive for grass, she was really worried she would never be able to play outside again. It can really rock their world!

 

Thanks for the great advice! Would you mind to tell what some good HEPA filters are? I think that would be a great investment.

 

Nakia, I'm sorry... I realize my post might have come across like a judgement of your choice, and that wasn't really my intention at all! I can see how choosing to remove beloved pets from the home could be very damaging to a little girl, and have no idea what I would choose to do in your shoes. I absolutely agree that people should all feel free to make the best decisions they can, and have no doubt you're doing just that. (Er... not that you care what I think, I'm sure... just wanted to be clear I meant no offense with my post. :grouphug:)

 

Oh, no you didn't offend me at all! If it comes to it, getting rid of the cats will be done, and it will be really really bad. My girls are such animal lovers. Parenting is hard business, that's for sure!

 

And don't worry, no offense taken! :001_smile:

 

Sometimes when someone's already lived w/ a *particular* animal for a long time, that one doesn't affect them *as much as* other animals of the same type.

 

Dh is allergic to cats, but he was fine(ish) w/ the cat that had been in his house for 10 years...until he went away to college. Then when he'd go home, that cat was the same as any other.

 

I have read that in numerous places.

[Ellesmere]

Sometimes when someone's already lived w/ a *particular* animal for a long time, that one doesn't affect them *as much as* other animals of the same type.

 

Dh is allergic to cats, but he was fine(ish) w/ the cat that had been in his house for 10 years...until he went away to college. Then when he'd go home, that cat was the same as any other.

 

I've always had allergies to pets but I did fine with the ones I lived with growing up. Then I moved out and didn't have pets of my own. Now, I'm a basket case around animals.

 

:grouphug: to you, Nakia. Allergies are tough!

 

Growing up, my parents didn't know what to do with me. They didn't know anyone with serious allergies. I had severe pet/environmental ones. Then, I developed life-threatening food allergies. And I have asthma. They kept their pets, not being told to do otherwise.

 

I'm sure your allergist would mention this if it's a concern, but my parents never knew until I was older that my environmental allergies were connected to the funny feelings I would get when eating certain foods. They wished they had known why I had such food aversions -- they just thought I was picky. I had oral allergy syndrome and they never knew. Finally it got serious enough that I saw an allergist when I was older and was diagnosed.

 

Best wishes. If you need a laugh -- here's how to bathe a cat.

[sbgrace]

 

 

 

Thank you! I will look into one of those HEPA units in her room. Do you have suggestions about where to buy them?

 

We got this one for my son's bedroom (it's to 160 square feet and permanent filter).

 

We got this one for the family room where he spends much of his time--it filters a larger space (up to 374 square feet) and has a permanent HEPA. It has made a huge difference in my son's allergies/asthma. In fact, even more than the one in his room. That may be because we are careful to keep allergens out of that room anyway--hot wash and dry his sheets and blankets, clean clothes, showering before bed, no pets in the room, etc. Those things are probably more important than a HEPA. Anyway, I wish I had done it long ago.

 

Both of these are permanent filters which means you vacuum to clean and they last a long time...but not forever. No filter will work effectively forever. Still, no replacing filters for a very long time. If you can do HEPA anywhere pick the bedroom first.

 

If the cats won't tolerate a bath without scratching someone to death you could try wiping them down several times a day. An allergist told us to do that along with keeping them out of my son's room. Like your allergist she did not push us to remove the cats.

Edited July 28, 2011 by sbgrace

[Nakia]

I've always had allergies to pets but I did fine with the ones I lived with growing up. Then I moved out and didn't have pets of my own. Now, I'm a basket case around animals.

 

:grouphug: to you, Nakia. Allergies are tough!

 

Growing up, my parents didn't know what to do with me. They didn't know anyone with serious allergies. I had severe pet/environmental ones. Then, I developed life-threatening food allergies. And I have asthma. They kept their pets, not being told to do otherwise.

 

I'm sure your allergist would mention this if it's a concern, but my parents never knew until I was older that my environmental allergies were connected to the funny feelings I would get when eating certain foods. They wished they had known why I had such food aversions -- they just thought I was picky. I had oral allergy syndrome and they never knew. Finally it got serious enough that I saw an allergist when I was older and was diagnosed.

 

Best wishes. If you need a laugh -- here's how to bathe a cat.

 

That was really funny!! Thanks for the laugh. I think I might try and talk my dh into bathing the cats, and I will be sure and post pics for all to enjoy! :lol:

[Nakia]

We got this one for my son's bedroom (it's to 160 square feet and permanent filter).

 

We got this one for the family room where he spends much of his time--it filters a larger space (up to 374 square feet) and has a permanent HEPA. It has made a huge difference in my son's allergies/asthma. In fact, even more than the one in his room. That may be because we are careful to keep allergens out of that room anyway--hot wash and dry his sheets and blankets, clean clothes, showering before bed, no pets in the room, etc. Those things are probably more important than a HEPA. Anyway, I wish I had done it long ago.

 

Both of these are permanent filters which means you vacuum to clean and they last a long time...but not forever. No filter will work effectively forever. Still, no replacing filters for a very long time. If you can do HEPA anywhere pick the bedroom first.

 

Thank you so much!!

[prairiewindmomma]

Zatidor is OTC now, it used to be Rx.

 

And, if she has to go on Zyrtec to handle the itchies, the generic name is cetirizine. It's cheapest at Costco....about $18 for 365 pills, if I remember right. We just use a pill cutter to cut the pill in half for our kids for the proper dose for their weight. :)

[Nakia]

Zatidor is OTC now, it used to be Rx.

 

And, if she has to go on Zyrtec to handle the itchies, the generic name is cetirizine. It's cheapest at Costco....about $18 for 365 pills, if I remember right. We just use a pill cutter to cut the pill in half for our kids for the proper dose for their weight. :)

 

We've tried Zyrtec and Claritin without luck. We started Allegra last night. I hope it works. If it doesn't, we might go back to Zyrtec because at the time she took it, she wasn't on any nasal spray. We are just going to have to work on finding the right combination.

 

Thanks!

[kengjw]

I took Emma to the allergist today, and she tested positive for allergies to cats, dogs, dust mites, grass, and ragweed. The poor thing has been suffering off and on for a while now, and we've tried every over-the-counter med there is, to no avail. Well, actually we hadn't tried Allegra, but we started it tonight. She is also on Flonase daily (can increase to twice a day if needed) and Patanase as needed. The pediatrician prescribed Padaday eye drops, but Emma won't let me put them in. Any hints for that?? She needs them, but she is scared to death of them. Anyway, she is going to start allergy shots in a week or two.

 

I was pretty worried when she tested allergic to cats and dogs because we have several of each. But the allergist assured me that there was no need to get rid of the animals. Whew! We got a pillow cover and mattress cover. We have pulled up all the carpet in the house except in our room, and it's coming up in the next month. I am not planning to put her in a bubble, but I do want to do some simple things to lessen her symptoms.

 

I would love to hear any hints, advice, etc about the eye drops, allergy shots, and raising an "allergic" kiddo. TIA!

 

I haven't read all the posts so I hope I won't be repeating what others have said but I thought I will throw in a natural allergy med for you to look at. I bought mine from Amazon.

 

http://www.amazon.com/bioAllers-Pollen-Allergy-Relief-Liquid/dp/B00008US2Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1311895059&sr=8-7

 

My dd has seasonal allergies.The last 2 to 3 years had been miserable for her until this spring when I decided to take a friend's recommendation to use BioAllers after her over-the-counter medicine didn't work anymore. The results have been amazing. It was as if she doesn't have any allergies at all. I started her with the "Grass Pollen" and when the tree's pollen arrived, I started her on the "Tree Pollen" one. BioAllers also have med for Dust, Mold, Pets etc that you can check up on. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to find something natural that works for my dd. Hope yours will get some relief too.

 

My dh has been taking local raw honey (a tsp or two a day) for few years and he sweared that it works to keep his seasonal allergies away. My kids are not very keen on taking honey so the med really worked well for them.

 

HTH.

 

Julia

[Live2Ride]

Countrygirl were you told that your son would need allergy shots 5 times a week? My son tested allergic to everthing and he goes in once a week, he gets 4 shots in his arms. This is my special needs son that usually get hysterical at all shots and the allergy shots don't faze him one bit. We live 40 min. away and dh and I alternate taking him him. THe shots have done wonders for my son,

 

He is 13 and has been having weekly shots for a few months now, around Nov or Dec, it will change to once a month shots.

 

The first two weeks we were supposed to go 4 times a week. I need to go back and correct that post. Then 2 times a week for a bit...then once a week for a number of weeks...this was 6 yrs ago...I don't know what the protocol is now, but we decided not to do it. Oh and he also ate local honey each day.

[Nakia]

I haven't read all the posts so I hope I won't be repeating what others have said but I thought I will throw in a natural allergy med for you to look at. I bought mine from Amazon.

 

http://www.amazon.com/bioAllers-Pollen-Allergy-Relief-Liquid/dp/B00008US2Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1311895059&sr=8-7

 

My dd has seasonal allergies.The last 2 to 3 years had been miserable for her until this spring when I decided to take a friend's recommendation to use BioAllers after her over-the-counter medicine didn't work anymore. The results have been amazing. It was as if she doesn't have any allergies at all. I started her with the "Grass Pollen" and when the tree's pollen arrived, I started her on the "Tree Pollen" one. BioAllers also have med for Dust, Mold, Pets etc that you can check up on. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to find something natural that works for my dd. Hope yours will get some relief too.

 

My dh has been taking local raw honey (a tsp or two a day) for few years and he sweared that it works to keep his seasonal allergies away. My kids are not very keen on taking honey so the med really worked well for them.

 

HTH.

 

Julia

 

Thank you! I will look into those.

[LittleIzumi]

:grouphug::grouphug:

[BabyBre]

I was pretty worried when she tested allergic to cats and dogs because we have several of each. But the allergist assured me that there was no need to get rid of the animals.

 

 

That's nuts! She's so allergic that she needs meds in every conceivable form and the allergist said you don't need to get rid of the animals? That sounds like irresponsible advice to me.

[Nakia]

That's nuts! She's so allergic that she needs meds in every conceivable form and the allergist said you don't need to get rid of the animals? That sounds like irresponsible advice to me.

 

 

It's actually very sound and logical advice and very supported in the allergy community. And the advice came from one of the leading pediatric allergists in our state. I have researched this in depth since Wednesday. If you read my original post in its entirety, you would have read that she is also allergic to grass. Shall I remove every blade of grass in our yard and put down a concrete slab so that she doesn't come into contact with any grass ever again? Of course not. That would be absurd. Shall I rehome the animals she loves and refuse to allow her to ever be around another animal as long as she lives? Of course not. There are many factors here. Even if we got rid of our cats and dogs, she would still be allergic to cats and dogs. The allergy shots are very likely to eliminate her allergies and even more likely to prevent allergy-induced asthma. Neither of those can be said with simply getting rid of the animals. There are steps we can and are taking to alleviate exposure. We will try everything we can, and if we have to, we will rehome the animals. My child's health is more important than an animal, but her emotional health has to be considered as well. We just have to wait and see. My husband and I, along with her allergist, are very comfortable with this plan.

 

This is the last time I am defending our decision about keeping our animals. I don't have to justify my decisions, and you (general you) don't have to understand or agree.

 

Thanks again to all of you who have offered support and suggestions! I really appreciate it!!

[BabyBre]

It's actually very sound and logical advice and very supported in the allergy community. And the advice came from one of the leading pediatric allergists in our state. I have researched this in depth since Wednesday. If you read my original post in its entirety, you would have read that she is also allergic to grass. Shall I remove every blade of grass in our yard and put down a concrete slab so that she doesn't come into contact with any grass ever again? Of course not. That would be absurd. Shall I rehome the animals she loves and refuse to allow her to ever be around another animal as long as she lives? Of course not. There are many factors here. Even if we got rid of our cats and dogs, she would still be allergic to cats and dogs. The allergy shots are very likely to eliminate her allergies and even more likely to prevent allergy-induced asthma. Neither of those can be said with simply getting rid of the animals. There are steps we can and are taking to alleviate exposure. We will try everything we can, and if we have to, we will rehome the animals. My child's health is more important than an animal, but her emotional health has to be considered as well. We just have to wait and see. My husband and I, along with her allergist, are very comfortable with this plan.

 

This is the last time I am defending our decision about keeping our animals. I don't have to justify my decisions, and you (general you) don't have to understand or agree.

 

Thanks again to all of you who have offered support and suggestions! I really appreciate it!!

 

 

I'm sorry to have struck a sensitive chord! I certainly wasn't questioning your decision on your child's healthcare! Environmental control vs medication in your child is purely no one's business but yours. You need only defend your decision to your dd, no one else. I was questioning your doctor's decision to advise you as he did. That is contrary to the advice allergists in our area offer. I've been told by several to promptly remove all animals from the home. Take a breath and don't assume that everyone condemns you (or care if they do, for that matter) for the decisions you make regarding your own child's health.

 

From an allergic-asthmatic who was raised with animals and is now the parent of an allergic-asthmatic, I sincerely wish your family and your daughter the best of luck in maintaining the household as it is.

 

:grouphug: