Persistent cough and sniffing

[FeFe]

My 7 year old over the past year seems to keep a cough and sniffling most of the time. On a couple of occasions it will turn into some type of bronchial infection and or sinus infection. Antibiotics and Albuterol (we've only had to do that two or three times over the past year) seem to clear it up briefly then he starts up again. 

 

I'm thinking I may need to take him to an allergy specialist. But I'm also wondering if there might be some natural remedy I could try.

 

Another thing I'm thinking about scheduling is a home ventilation cleaning.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

[sbgrace]

It does sound like allergies and allergy related asthma flairs.

 

A good HEPA filter, showering after coming in from outside and/or before bed, making the bed and bedroom allergy friendly, and similar environmental changes can help. Supplements to look into: pycnogenol, healthy vitamin D levels (supplement D3--get to a level of 50), I used to have a nasal gel (drug free) that coated the nose to prevent allergens from getting inhaled. My son didn't like the feel, and I don't remember the name! But that's an opition. So are nasal rinses. Again, my son hated that so we didn't do it much. FWIW, my allergy kid still needs zyrtec. But it's certainly worth trying these other options. Pycnogenol has proof of decreased nasal and eye allergy symptoms and lowered IgE level in users vs. placebo users in a trial I saw. It also has proven benefits for asthma, and pediatric blind trials for that use. It's entirely natural, but pricey! Vitamin D has some pretty impressive results in studies for asthma control. I forget what the name of the chemical is that it reduces. I do not have any allergy symptoms or asthma with health vitamin D. For my sons (both of them), upper levels (above 50 actually) have been fantastic for asthma. Unbelievable really. But it hasn't been 100% for allergies for my allergy kid.

 

 

[Lolly]

First line of defense: 1. allergy barrier mattress cover for mattress and box spring, 2. wash down everything in his room (comforter, curtains, walls, shelves, 3. wash all stuffed animals/or freeze them (look up online), 3. get rid of carpeting if possible in his room, 4. put him on an antihistamine round the clock (zyrtec, claritin), 5. a good HEPA air fllter for his room, 6. no pets in his room ever, 7. when he comes in from outside, he goes straight to bathroom where he showers including hair and puts on clean clothes (his outside clothes do not ever enter his room/pollen contaminants). 

[FeFe]

Thank you both! I'm going to look into all of this and start implementing. I've got to get this little guy better!