Airbourne allergy?

[obsessivereader]

Hi there

Our little one was sleeping through from 8 weeks old, but then suddenly started waking 6 or 7 times a night. She seemed to be really bunged up and the only thing that would settle her was a breastfeed - result - one very tired me! We thought it was a cold, but it went on for a couple of months so we went to see our GP.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, we have now been to see a paediatrician who says she has an allergy - probably airbourne, such as hayfever, house dust of similar. However, she is apparently too young to test and so he has prescribed an antihisamine which also contains a sedative.

This has worked, however I am very uncomfortable giving DD a sedative and am looking for alternatives. We've just been on holiday to France and figured if it was hayfever, she'd be better over there so stopped giving her the medicine. She was fine for a couple of nights, but then went back to square one. I'm reluctant to put her back on the medicine, but I am due back so work in 3 weeks (sob!) and won't be able to cope in my current zombie state!

Does anyone have any experience / advice on this sort of allergy as I am at a loss to know what to do? She's currently 8 months old and the Dr has said they can't do anything else!

We have tried keeping her windows closed and hoovering her matress (as well as the room, but nothing seems to make a difference).

Hi!

Sorry no one has yet responded to your post.

I've no experience of allergies at all (touch wood), but it sounds grim, poor you and poor dd.

It might be a bit left field to suggest this, but when children are very young, a good, (recommended) homeopathist can work wonders.

Do some research and ask around. Some practitioners are incredibly intuitive. As I say, no direct experience, but I've plenty of friends who swear by it. The best case scenario is that your dd will be treated once, perhaps twice, and the symptoms will go away.

I'm assuming, from your post, that neither you nor your partner suffer from allergy?

Hi Desiderata
Thanks for your post.

DH has hayfever and cat allergy, but her symptoms don't seem to correlate with his so we're not sure if hers is the same. (We have 2 cats, but they have been banished to the porch since she came along and we always bring her into the house through the garage, so she doesn't have any contact with them. I'm conscious that they may still affect her, but the paediatrician said not to get rid of them and I don't feel I can do on a supposition. Plus, I don't know anyone that wants 2 cats either!)

I had childhood eczema, as does dd, but the bunged up nose seems to be a different thing altogether.

Will ask around for homeopath recommendations and give it a whirl if I have any joy! Not something I've tried either, but I have had positive experiences with other forms of alternative medicine, so am open to give it a try!

Hi KerryMum

Thanks for your post. I will definitely look into both things you have suggested.

I haven't considered a food allergy as it started when DD was still only eating breastmilk. I'm not sure if she could still have a food allergy from what I'm eating can she?

I think if she'd been OK in France, we would have thought it was hayfever and tried to manage the symptoms for the part of the year she's going to have it, but now it appears to be something else, it's potentially a bit more permanent so we may have to invest in something proper to eliminate the symptoms.

Hi,

Sorry you are having such a rough time. I feel tyour pain as my daughter also has allergies (she is just two) and I am having a terrible time with her at the moment. She also has lung problems, so the allergy is the 'final straw' and often lands her in hospital.

We were in Italy recently and DD was worse than ever.

Have a look online for advice from anti-allergy companies (Zirtek give what seems to be good advice on their site).

Re cats - is she is allergic (and people with one allergy often have others) then the hair from when they were allowed in the house may still be affecting her (I've had this experience myself when we have bought a new houses). We were advised to have our carpets professionally cleaned to kill mites.

I hope that things improve soon for your little one. Personally, I can't wait for October!

Mojo

Hi OR

My ds suffers from excema, which is caused the same gene as hayfever, and has many of the same triggers. He suffers in the spring particularly when tree pollen is high. I use antihistamine occasionally for him - once or twice a week - as I share your reservations about using medication regularly, but on the other hand if it means that you and your dc get a good night's sleep occasionally, that helps everyone.

Can't add much to the excellent advice below, just some reassurance that if she has started this now, chances are that she will grow out of it eventually. Not everyone does, of course, but lots do. My goddaughter had horrific food allergies when tiny and is completely allergy free now at 12.

obsessivereader - Most antihistamines make you sleepy. Especially those that have been around for a long time like Tavegyl. It is not because they "contain a sedative", it is because the part of the brain they act on is very near the sleep center (I think that was the explanation). In fact, the main ingredient of over the counter sleeping pills is antihistamine.

Is it possible that you may have misunderstood the doctor (or he may have explained it wrong)? Without looking at the bottle, I am reasonably sure that there is no sedative added to the antihistamine you are giving your daughter.

As for "airborne" allergens, there are of course many - pollens, dust, cat hair, etc.

Still, what exactly is your lo's allergy like? If it is only the waking up at night, I would think she is teething!

Thanks to everyone for your advice and support. I don't want anyone else to go through what we're going through, but then again it is nice to know you're not alone
It's also nice to hear from people who have experience of babies growing out of their allergies, as it's very easy for the doctors to say that, but not so easy for us to believe!

I'm pretty sure the Paediatrician said the medicine (Vallergan) contains a sedative - I will check though as that would put my mind at rest a little.

The waking at night is accompanied by very mucousy (is that how you spell it?!) noises when feeding, and regular choking on nothing which we feel is more mucus moving about! She has had various bouts of teething - accompanied by lots of dribble, chewing on everything and very red cheeks, but this seems to be different.

Vallergan contains no sedative.

Such antihistamines that make you sleepy are prescribed to children all the time. Even 25 years ago, when I was diagnosed with multiple allergies as a child, I was given an antihistamine that would make me snooze at all hours. [My mother is a pharmacist & all drugs went through her control in her house ]

Hi there, I would recommend an air purifier. Mine has been a godsend to me (very bad hayfever). I run a webshop that sells products for this sort of thing and have just posted an add. Have a look if you get a chance. Cheers, Anita (DrivenSnow Ltd) x