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Children's health

is it worth taking a toddler with a constantly running nose to the GP?

7 replies

Playduh · 05/05/2016 17:48

DS has had a runny nose for the vast majority of his life, he's nearly three. Truly, I look back at photos and there's snot in pretty much all of them.

I have allergic rhinitis myself as has most of my family.

Obviously the weather is turning and already he has a sore, raw nose. I'm wiping with balm tissues (wet wipes make it even more raw) and trying to keep it as dry as possible. When I get like this I just slap on a tiny bit of hydrocortisone which usually fixes it. I'm extremely reluctant to do the same with him. The snot itself doesn't bother him but the skin round his nose definitely does.

Also, he did have a dairy allergy when he was smaller which caused eczema etc, but other than his nose we don't have any symptoms any more. He does drink a fair bit of milk now.

So assuming I go to the GP and they agree it's rhinitis, can they actually give him anything to help? I don't want to go if they're just going to give me a leaflet about avoiding pollen etc (seriously, if I avoided everything I was allergic too I'd live in a zip lock bag.)

Anyone have any experience?

TIA - much longer post than planned!

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Coldtoeswarmheart · 05/05/2016 17:53

Yes, it's worth a GP appointment.

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Playduh · 06/05/2016 09:51

Thanks, he's booked. Double checked with the local pharmacist who can't help.

He's rubbing his eyes already

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Coldtoeswarmheart · 06/05/2016 10:16

It's hay fever season....

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Coldtoeswarmheart · 06/05/2016 10:22

Gah. Fat fingers hit post too soon.

I meant to add that Piriton can be used from very young, DD had it from 6 months for a different suspected allergy (turns out she didn't have the allergy following testing, but we were given it as a precaution in case she had the same reaction which prompted the suspicion, again).

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cauliflowercheese14 · 06/05/2016 12:09

My dd was like this, seems to be related to gluten.

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momb · 06/05/2016 12:12

Eldest DC had this. Ended up having adenoids and tonsils plus grommets on her third birthday.
Her speech and hearing massively improved almost immediately (I should say that we hadn't been aware of an issue with her hearing at all) and the perpetual shine under her nose just disappeared.