WWYD - DS diagnosed with cat allergy, doctor says we must rehome cat, but DS' symptoms seem very mild (almost non-existent?)

[TheBronzeHorsewoman]

DS1 turned 4 this August. He never displayed any allergies to anything apart from the odd few patches of dry skin when I started to wean him at 6 months, and which I could never link to a particular food. They cleared up completely when he turned one.

This May, however, he suddenly came over all hay-feverish - had a permanent runny nose and dark circles under his eyes. After a month or so of this, I took him to the doctor's and we were referred to an allergy specialist who did blood tests which revealed high levels of allergy to tree pollen, cats and meadow grasses. The allergy specialist told us to get rid of our cat immediately and keep all windows etc. closed during the pollen season.

I was pretty devastated about the cat (who pre-dates DS) but started making enquiries about what I would need to do to send him to the UK to my mum's (we live abroad, Eastern Europe). While I was making these enquiries, however, DS's symptoms sort of cleared up and had pretty much disappeared completely by the end of June - despite the cat continuing to live with us.

Five months on and I still monitor DS1 daily for any signs of a reaction, but apart from the first 10 minutes after he wakes up in the morning, when his nose does seem a bit blocked, he is showing no other signs. His nose is usually completely clear by the time he has had breakfast and washed his face.

Today I saw the doctor again for a routine check-up of DS2. She asked specifically about whether we had rehomed the cat, and when I said that we hadn't, and told her about DS1's lack of symptoms, she intimated that we were being irresponsible and that DS1 could become asthmatic if we didn't.

Obviously, the LAST thing I would do would be to endanger DS1's health in any way, but OTOH I don't want to have to rehome the cat (at huge cost, both financial and emotional) if DS genuinely doesn't have any reaction to him at all.

WWYD? Would be grateful for the views of anyone who has been through something similar.

Libellule, interestingly both my DC were born dairy allergic, and we did cut it out of their diets. Both of them grew out of it, by ages 1 and 3. Doctors don't know enough about this so they often advise people badly. I'm sorry to hear that your DD is still milk allergic when it could potentially have been dealt with more effectively.

I think maybe you misunderstood maya. Obviously we have had to cut out dairy completely - dd is severely allergic to it and has been since 7 months old, there is no way we could be feeding it to her.

My point was that we did not cut out the other foods that she initially showed up positive to on skin tests but did not show an actual physical reaction to when she ate them. And in fact in her most recent skin test she was negative to everything except dairy, which suggests the initial results were simply an artefact. I'm delighted that your children are no longer allergic to dairy, but outgrowing allergy is just luck of the draw not something we can influence one way or the other.

I'm cat allergic. Have been since about 7yrs of age when I reacted quite severely. At the time we had no cat and as I was also allergic to just about everything else the cat issue didn't seem all that important.

I have 2 atm and have almost always lived with at least one since I became an adult. I am symptom-free the vast majority of the time but sometimes get a bit of a reaction to them when hay fever time comes around.

I wouldn't get rid of cat if he's doing OK. It sounds as if he is for the time being

"I am surprised by the idea that an allergy can cause asthma"

Really? Yes it can!

having non stop enviromental allergies can impact greatly on health, and education.

having a permanent blocked nose means poor sleep quality, so for instance going to school while tired, and having difficulty breathing normally ( always mouth breathing )will have a huge impact on concentration.

health wise , poor sleep, and ezcema that is not well maintained, will lead to greater chance of infection.

being able to breathe is quite important in life. esp for a human.

we have a enough trouble trying to control our sons enviromental allergies, adding a dog or cat to the mix isnt going to have a positive impact on life quality.

so for me, i vote get rid of kitty!

Just bear in mind that allergies also get worse after repeated exposure.

I was never allergic to anything, but after several years of wearing latex gloves as a dental nurse, I developed an allergy to them. My allergy progressed from dry skin on my hands (before we realised what it was) to an all out latex allergy, which includes eyes swelling shut & wheezy-ness - (at last exposure) . To the point that I can't let the girls have balloons in the lounge any more & I am in the process of getting a Medicaid bracelet.

I am now also allergic to Kiwi fruit, rubber bands & as mentioned, balloons!

It is still getting worse too & I am considering an absolute ban on balloons in the house, as now I seem to start sneezing/eye itching etc. if I so much as walk into their rooms if a balloon is in there. I haven't worn latex gloves for over 10yrs, but the allergy continues to worsen if I have exposure in any way.

Oh & for me, it would be a no brainer to let the cat go. I know how uncomfortable it is living with allergies, and as I said, I am reducing my exposure as much as possible. And as much as my girl LOVE balloons, I can't risk it any more.

You say he wakes with some symptoms, but that it isn't bad & they eventually go..have you tried waking up feeling rotten most mornings?

COuld you get DC desensitised? I used to take my cat to a vet who had been desensitised to his cat allergy - obviously for a vet any animal allergy is bad.

I know I'm coming on to this thread extremely late. But I just wanted to add my tuppence worth.

Ds2 is v allergic to cats. We rehomed our two with my brother when ds1 was a baby due to his bad eczema. Our immunologist explained that this was almost a pointless exercise because you never ever get rid of all the cat dander. She said it gets Everywhere.

We've since moved house, we have all wooden floors, I'm scrupulous about hoovering etc but ds2 only has to lie on the sofa and gets hives on his face. Wether that's residue of cat dander or dust mites I don't know (but we can't afford to replace the sofa).

I would say keep the cat but confine it to kitchen / utility so that there is minimum hair being shed anywhere your dc goes.