My 4 yr old is so miserable. I already knew she had allergies but it was confirmed on specifics when I took her to the allergist. Nothing Too extreme...pretty much seasonal and dust mites. She takes Allegra, singular, fluticasone propionate spray and on a asteroid for a few days becuz her tonsils are really enflammed. This morning woke up and since about 8:45am...she has been sneezing. It subsided a little when we left the house to go to church but started up again when we were in church to the point where we went home. I tried giving her some saline spray in her nose but it did not help. Does anyone have any suggestions? I realize it can be anything but my baby is just uncomfortable. Should I air out the place by opening the windows? Cleaning all the sheets?
So far still sneezing...just not as consistent. As far as her tonsils....they are very inflamed and she is on a steroid. I wonder if that has anything to do with the sneezing. At the moment I will be taking her back to the doctor (allergist) to find out what's going on. I thank everyone for their thoughtful advice. I am currently still trying to clean all the sheets in the room. Lol.....have a wonderful and blessed evening.
I think it's related to the enflamed tonsils in that they might have the same trigger. She has probably opened up and is experiencing either a virus or a bacterial infection causing her to drain and causing the sneezing and tonsil inflamation. Sometimes the nose sprays can cause them to be susceptible to infection. Call the doc.
A couple of things to think about....
If you open the windows, that can bring in more of the seasonal pollens and such. I know you didn't mention it, but what about mold? With all the damage from Hurricane Sandy, there may be mold growing in areas, and that may be increasing the allergy symptoms.
About washing the sheets, pillowcases, etc.... anything on her hair (pollens from outside, etc.) gets deposited on her pillowcase, so she essentially rubs her face in it all night long. Be sure to change her pillowcase frequently so he has fresh pillowcases at night. If possible, washing her hair at night may help wash off the pollens.
Yes, wash all the sheets. Dust your home, then vacuum. Wash all the curtains. Do what you can to seriously clean all the dust out from your home.
I clean for a living and I cannot tell you how many families I clean for who have alot of dust in their home and have kids who suffer from allergies because of it. I'm not saying it's going to cure the allergies, but, I promise, it should help!
She might be too young for this , but have you tried using a Neti pot for her? I know I use it for my allergies.
It also might be time to visit the ENT, or possibly see about removing the tonsils.
Poor baby...give her a good hug. Anyway, I hate to tell you to spend money, but you if you have a dust machine they sure help.Sucks up all that stuff... Your own ideas are fine. I guess you just have to figure it out by trial and error. Sometimes too, little people are sneezing from perfumes, or deodorants. Anything new like that in the house? Otherwise just snuggle her and keep writing if you are feeling overwhelmed.
It might be time to see an ENT.
When my son was not quite 4 his tonsils blew up till they almost touched each other across the back of his throat.
The ENT tried steroids to reduce the swelling but as soon as we finished they blew right back up again.
They were not infected - he never had a fever - but they had become an obstruction that was interfering with his swallowing and breathing.
Soon as he turned 4 we had his tonsils and adenoids out.
It was the best thing we ever did.
He could sleep and eat and breathe so much better - it was totally worth it.
Hey-- sorry to hear about your baby! Something we have been talking a lot about here in Colorado is home grown honey. Many people swear by honey as an allergy reliever because the honey is made from the allergens and it helps the body tollerate them later. May be worth checking into... buy some honey from your area and start feeding it to her. Can't hurt, right?
My daughter and I have dust mite allergies and it is miserable so I can sympathize with your daughter. I suffered for years before I saw an allergist. I took all the allergy meds you listed and they will only work to a point. I would suggest getting pillow and matress covers. They really do make a difference. Because she is allergic to dust mites, which you can never fully eliminate you might talk to her allergist about shots for her down the road when she is old enough. I get them and they have changed my life! You definitely need to talk to her allergist about your options.
Yes, clean all the sheets! Do that regularly if his allergies are that bad. It definitely helps. In fact, just make sure everything is as clean as can be. It's really important to vacuum daily, dust, and just do whatever you have to do to keep dust and mold away. Make sure the couches, blankets, carpets, and anything dust collecting is clean. I'm not saying you're not already doing that, but with a small child with allergies, it's important to do it frequently to keep the level down. Even a little bit can be irritating.
I know they make lots of hypoallergenic products like sheets, pillows, sprays, etc. My brother had bad allergies growing up, and he has special pillows. He also has a dehumidifier in his room. For some allergies, they say to use a humidifier, and for others a dehumidifier. So, check with his pediatrician to be sure. I personally like dehumidifiers a lot better, even though my daughter's pediatrician said to use a humidifier.
You can try a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, if you don't have one.That's what I use, and I love it so much. I have a Eureka with AirSpeed Technology and HEPA Filter. I got it from Wal-Mart for like $120 on sale, I think, about a year ago. I love it. It's advertised to clean better, or just as good as a DYSON for 1/3 of the price. I had a DYSON when I was married, and I LOVED it. If you have the money for one, I would recommend getting one. I do not have the money now, so I am fine with the Eureka. I wouldn't say it's better than the DYSON, but I would agree that it's close. I mean, I've had it for a year now, and it still works great. And I'm not easy on it, with my two year old ;)
Good luck!
