Hayfever in 7yr old , has suffered from it since he was 3.. advice needed when I see the GP AGAIN ! .

[CaptainUnderpants]

DS is 7.5yrs , suffers from really bad hayfever, especailly sore eyes . Both myslef nad DH suffer to he has had a double whammy in his genes !

He is prescribed anti histamines from Gp which we give but I have my concerned about if ther would be any effects fom log term use of them , trying to get eyes drops into him is a bloody nightmare and homeopathic stuff - well I want to try it but DH wants to dose son up on antihistamines .

Two summers ago I asked the Gp if DS could be tested to see what pollen he is alergic to , but they refused , I also asked about injections they refused again.

It is affecting his 'quality of life ' in the summer and makes him quite miserable,I am sure it must affect hsi school work , cant do PE outside at school as he gets into a right old state.

we tell him and the school to wash his hands after he has been on the field and he has a abth / shower every night to get rid of pollen .

Most nights he goes to bed with a cold flannel over his eyes to relieve the swelling and soreness !

I am going back to the Gp and would like some pollen testing done and enquire about injections again - any experience of this and how do I stand with the GP as I have felt fobbed off in the past .

Any advice gratefully accepted

[eddiejo]

My son (5) was also absolute nightmare. Tried everything available and homeopathic with no luck.

Eventually went to GP begging and he got prescribed Neoclaritin. Similar to claritin (Loratadine)but better!!!!! Worked a treat. His eyes were so bad i used to end up in A & E with him when they jellied up completely and now gets prescribed Otanolol ( I think) which is a miracle stuff.

I would try and dose him to get on top of it and then reduce to maintenance dose.
I would do anti allergy eye drops and chloramphenicol (antibiotic) for a week then just anti allergy, as he probably has allergic conjunctivitis now!!

[CaptainUnderpants]

Ds was on Loratadine for the first couple of years but then changed to being prescribed Zaditen Elixir ( Ketotifen).

I think you re right about the allergic conjunctivtis !

[eddiejo]

My DS is on that now too!! Seems to be working well but have you noticed any side effects?? He has had a bit of a pesonality transplant and is stretching his wings a bit at the moment. Bit wild and wreckless with play etc

Or could be 'just his age' thing!

[CaptainUnderpants]

No side effects noticed as yet . This would be his third summer on it so I reckon by next season he will be on something else as its effectiveness wears off.

I just really hate having to give him so much prescribed stuff for this allergy when I would hope that there is an alternative or more help out there.

[eddiejo]

I think the benefits outweigh the symptoms by far. Mine is so miserable when i forget!

[CaptainUnderpants]

Is it worth asking the gp for allergy tests / injections ?

[Squiz]

Would it make any difference if you found out he was allergic to grass or tree pollen? As a hayfever sufferer myself I can't imagine it would matter if I knew,as it would be nearly impossible to keep him away from one or the other! My son has food allergies so does see an immunologist, whilst we were there I said he has hayfever symptoms so he confirmed this with skin prick testing to grass pollens but besides giving him antihistamines there doesn't seem to be any better solutions. What injections do you have in mind? When I was a teenager and suffered badly with hayfever I was given Kenalog injections which is a steroid injection not widely advertised - I am not sure it is available at all now, and as I was mid-teens I did not really look into side effects of something like this- was just happy it gave me some relief for a few months.

[CaptainUnderpants]

The point is Squiz is that Gp have totally dismissed testing /injections without giving me a reason why , now that is down to me for not probbing further with them. We have an appointment next week so I would like to be a bit more prepared and will ask more.

I would like to know whether there is a better solution to antihsitamines . By next yera he will have to change the medicine he is on as its effects would have worn off. He would have been on it fot three seasons.

You being a parent that has a child with food allergies and a hayfever sufferer know too well how miserable it is and there is no way really to avoid tree/ grass pollen unlike being able to avoid some food.

It makes DS so miserable and being 7 I really feel for him , as I am a sufferer myself and its bad enough as an adult . I am also concerned that his concentration at school will suffer although the teachers are saying he is managing at the moment.

just really on the look out for a another way of managing it

[Squiz]

Have you tried any homeopathic remedies? When I was pregnant I used the New Era ones for hayfever which Boots sell. Not sure if they are suitable for children but I did find them quite effective - although I have gone back to the cetirizine now! Not sure that the effectiveness of antihistamines wear off - I have been using the same ones for years,even in the winter with allergic rhinitis and find they still work.

Your GP is probably reluctant to probe further as there are few NHS allergy specialists spread across the country with long waiting lists - they are quicker to refer for food allergies that need more investigation.

Other things to try - vaseline on the inside edge of nostrils to trap pollen and we find wearing sunglasses when outdoors helps a bit.

[CaptainUnderpants]

Have tried Nelsons Pollena - not very effective this year however , DS wears sunglasses too,

DS was on Loratadine for a couple of years when he first jad it but Gp then changed it to his current one as GP said the effectiveness had worn.

Some respite today thank goodness with cooler and wetter weather !

[KarenThirl]

I've found that no single treatment works for my ds (9), and we have to use a combination to get best effect. He uses:

Piriton, morning and evening and also during the day if the pollen count is high

Eye drops - he's used to them now but I used to have to lie on top of him and pin him to the floor to get them in (sigh)

Nasalese, non-pharmaceutical barrier spray which he can use whenever he feels the need during the day.

Local honey, which is supposed to help develop an immunity to the local pollens

Vaseline as a physical barrier around the nostrils and eyelids.

Sunglasses and a baseball cap in the sun.

TBH the most effective of all has been Vaseline. Cheapest too!

Tried loads of other stuff, homeopathic etc but nothing has helped. We're sticking with this for now and hoping it'll last.

[asteamedpoater]

There are injections it is possible to get, which I think are basically small quantities of the allergens to which you are allergic, in increasing doses over time. Over time, it dampens down the allergic response. My husband had these as a child, because one summer (aged only 4), his hayfever was so bad that his mouth, tongue and the back of his throat closed up, which obviously could have killed him. He was given the course of injections at the local hospital (I think over the course of a few months or years) and as an adult, his hayfever is now mild enough that he can get away with just taking loratadine. This treatment used to be used for severe hayfever quite often in this country. Due to the possibility of it causing anaphylaxis (since you are injecting something the person is known to be allergic to...), it is hardly ever used in this country any more - not enough specialists probably being the main reason. I think it is still a commonly used treatment in other countries and is about the only effective way to permanently dampen down your immune response. Prior to these injections, of course, you would have to know which pollens you were allergic to, so allergy testing would be required - yet another thing we hardly ever do in this country. Frankly, considering how debilitating the symptoms of hayfever can be, I think it's appalling that this treatment is no longer generally considered as an option in this country. Without it, my husband wouldn't be able to have the job he has now, as he wouldn't be allowed to do it if his hayfever required any treatment beyond non-drowsy making antihistamines in tablet form.

On the positive side, I think they are making a lot of progress on developing safer methods than the injections for reducing the immune response to hayfever permanently. Perhaps they will become available to people in the UK in the near future (not that I'm holding my breath).

[bozza]

TBH I think you need to be persevering with getting him to have the eye drops. I have a 7yo with hay fever and have to ensure he has them twice a day as they really do make a difference to him. Not long back he had open sores around his eyes but we have managed to get those healed up now and also his nose.

You seem quite well up on all the prevention methods etc, but just in case, the only thing not mentioned on here is not line drying his clothes/bedding. I am also washing DS's bedding at 60 but not anyone else's.

[potatolover]

The Medisana Medinoce Plus (and similar anti-allergy units) may be the thing. "Have a look". DH suffers from quite violent and debilitating hayfever attacks and yet since he's started on this, he's been virtually symptom-free for the 1st time in almost 20 years. (Too bad it doesn't do anything to combat his snoring!) This unit is a bit pricey but in terms of it's positive outcome it's been worth the outlay. I think there may be cheaper versions on sale elsewhere.