Toddler Allergic to New Cats

[SH27]

Hello,

We have just adopted two 6 month old cats from the RSPCA for our 12 year old son who had been on and on at us for ages. Naturally he adores them and so do we.

Unfortunately, our 20 month old son seems to have developed an allergy to them. He has a runny nose and coughs at night. It is not a constant cough, but it is worrying us. We are taking him to the doctors tomorrow, but I know he is going to say get rid of the cats. But what a nightmare, our 12 year old will be devastated.

Anybody out there have any other solutions, so that I can keep everyone happy?

Many thanks.

[DUSTIN]

There is a product called Petal Cleanse that you apply to the cat's coat once a week. It is supposed to help reduce the shedding of the allergens. A lady a work used it successfully when she was told to get rid of her cat due her childs allergy. It might work.

[misdee]

nope. get rid of the cats is the only soluation

[SH27]

Thanks Dustin will try Petal Cleanse before I get rid of the cats. Unless of course the doctor says my toddler has developed asthma.

[Sam100]

We use petal cleanse - dh (who is allergic) says it helps and he can tell when i have not done the cat for a while.

Our dd does have asthma and is allergic to cats and dogs - but her consultant said not to get rid of the cat as it would make no difference to her allergies. We do ensure that the cat does not go in her bedroom and get her to wash her hands after petting.

[MatNanPlus]

Is this your DSon's first exposure to cats sh27?

Have you raised the possiblity with your 12yr DSon that the cats might be the reason his brother is unwell?

It might be kinder than waiting till it is a definate and if Petal Cleanse can help then great, also make sure they aren't going into the babies room to leave dander.

[barking]

I've use to be very allergic to both cats and had hayfever. The following may sound slightly bonkers but bare with me...

The first thing I would try is buying a large plastic plant spray bottle, you can get them from garden centres, fill with water and set to 'fine mist' setting then spray all around the house, cats, furniture, toddler etc. and see if that will dampen down the allergen in the air. I have used this very successfully with hayfever (you don't sneeze when it rains).

The second I would recommend is medinose this works with infared light therapy, you can use it on toddlers as my 3 year old has hayfever. It works by desensitising the nasal membranes.

If your toddler is getting itchy eyes, I would smear a thin coat of balm or vasaline around eyelashes.

Hope it helps x

[MatNanPlus]

Here are some pet allergy products

[Sam100]

You can ask your doctor to run a blood test to confirm if your child does have a cat allergy - the runny nose could be hayfever related to a pollen that has come out at this time of year rather than the cats.

I think you need to ask yourself how you would feel if you knew for definite that ds has allergy? If you are going to get rid of the cats then you should do it sooner rather than later - the RSPCA should be able to re-home them at this age.

DDs allergies did not come to light until she was 2.5 yrs old - no symptoms prior to that. We have had the cat for 8 yrs (longer than dd!). Docs thought her allergy was probably dust mite related - but when they did the bloods it came back negative for dust mite and positive for cat and dog. I asked straight away if we should have the cat re-homed but asthma consultant said not necessary and would not really help as even if we got rid of our cat she would still be exposed daily to dander outside of the home, on other people etc.

[MatNanPlus]

Whether it is the cats making the OP's baby ds ill is not certain Kerrymum and i would try solutions before losing a loved pet.

[SH27]

Thank you everyone for you suggestions. We will certainly look into them and I am really grateful for the sympathetic messages.

KerryMum, I would no sooner let my child suffer every day than fly to the moon. I am seeing my GP tomorrow and if after tests etc. he advised us to get rid of the cats we would. However, as we live in the countryside, our son's allergy could be hayfever or anything else, for that matter, so we will get everything checked out.

I just came on here to see if anyone had any suggestions.

[wb]

Sam100 I am just at the advice your doctor gave you! It's just insane...

I am allergic to cats (since age 2) and trust me - not having a cat at home made the biggest difference to my quality of life.

[mamadiva]

I'd get rid of the cat for definate if you find he is allergic, I'm sorry but I'd rather get rid of the pet than my child having to be careful what he's touching or breathing in! It's not really a tough choice is it? Surely the best way to help your son is to get rid of the cat. Give it to a friend or someone who is close to you so your other DS can go see it.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

I have a cat which I'm not allergic to. But I have a dust mite allergy that I developed when pg with DS2. It makes my life hell. Before I was allergic to anything I might have said to use 'remedies' but now that I know how allergy sufferers suffer, I as a cat lover have no difficulty at all in saying 'get rid of the cat'.
If one of my ds's was allergic to my very much loved cat (had her 18 years) she would be rehomed in a trice.
Itching in the ears, runny nose, inflamed sinuses, sinus headaches, wheezing... I have to hoover the whole house top to bottom every single day.
When my allergy strikes I do cough at night. Thats because lying down, what runs out of your nose during the day when you are upright, runs down the rear nasal passage when you are lying on back or side, and makes me cough.
Please get rid of the cat. Any allergy sufferer will tell you its just not worth it.
Hayfever rememdies, fine. You can't do much about hayfever so you have to take meds or dampen the air.
But you can rehome a cat.
Keeping an allergen out of a childs bedroom won't make a blind bit of difference if a cat has access to the rest of the house.

[tatt]

20 month old children often get runny noses and coughs for all sorts of reasons. Get him tested for cat allergy. Until then an air filter will help a little whether it is cat allergy, mold allergy, hayfever or some other allergy. Medinose is fantastic - we have the cheap Lloyds version. If it is a cat allergy then sorry but they should go. Yes your child will still suffer from other people's cats but at least they will have respite at home.

The RSPCA should take the cats back if necessary and your son can join the Cinnamon Trust. Or the Cat Protection League would take the cats.

[fizzbuzz]

I found petalcleanse made no difference at all to my allergy

If your cat ever accidentally scratches your lo, and the surrounding area swells up, then he is allergic.

If your lo was fine before the cats, then it could be the cats. Isn't a night cough indicative of asthma? Again this could be the cats.

[fizzbuzz]

Can I just add, these symptoms may be only the obvious symptoms.

I suffer from cat allergies (severe). Unseen symptoms include a sore throat, swollen tongue, itching feeling under the skin, and feeling pretty miserable, all made worse by heat.

Visible ones are too numerous to list, but absolutely intolerable.

Sorry

[Flibbertyjibbet]

I forgot about my sore throats. I think I get the feeling miserable too but had put that down to the endless hoovering I have to do to keep my allergy down.

[PeaMcLean]

Is there a test for cat allergy?