My 6 year old has had a stuffy nose since April! At first we thought it was a cold and treated it as such, but when it didn't go away we began trying allergy medication. He's been on 6 allergy medications, some otc, some prescription and nothing is working. This problem is robbing him of a good night's sleep and destroying all the hard work we've put into managing his behavior issues. I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through a similar issue. What did the cause of the stuffy nose turn out to be? What worked to treat it?
PS- yes, we are working with an allergist but he won't cooperate enough to get allergy testing done - and nobody smokes in our home or anywhere he goes on a regular basis.
I have no problem with "making him" or hearing crying. I've held him down plenty of times. But... he's very strong and has gotten too big for me to pin down successfully. Last time I tried I ended up considerably injured.
My daughter had stuffed sinuses, we thought allergies too, but after she tested for none the Dr. put her on Nasonex (boy wasn't that fun : ( ). After about a week she cleared up and has had no problems since.
Good luck!
(Is he too old to do the test on his back? I took my daughter (2 1/2 at the time) to a pediatric allergist and that is what they did. Then they had toys set up at a table so she could play quietly while we waited.)
Yes...deviated septum, swelling of the turnanates....many structural issues with the nose...maybe even swollen adenoids. Seeing an ent is the way to go.
I don't have any experience with it, but he could have Chronic Sinusitis. Look it up and see if those are his symptoms. Good luck
Is there a lot of smog in your area?
What is the air quality there? Climate?
Is the air dry? That can cause stuffiness too.
As you said, only from April he's had a stuffy nose.
What changed... since April???
But yes, so many possibilities as all the other suggestions here, below.
The allergy meds are not working, so stop using it.
Those in itself, can cause fussiness in kids. ie: I have used Zyrtec, but hated it because it makes me tired and irritable.
Me, my nose just acts up due to dust or pollen.
Take him to a pediatric ENT.
To see his sinus structure etc.
These things are not always allergies per say.
Or it could be.
But see an ENT.
You could also try, a Neti Pot. It is a nasal rinse.
Drug stores have it or places like Whole Foods.
My Husband has sinus issues, and he uses this and it helps him.
Even my daughter, at 4 years old, would use it with his assistance.
Or if it is inflamed/irritated sinuses (which can cause stuffiness), things like Nasonex can help. But, it is a type of steroid. So some may not like to use it for kids. And it is prescription.
Or try "Little Noses," which is for kids and is a nasal decongestant. Found at drug stores. This helps my kids stuffy noses. Right away. It is nose drops.
Your son has a stuffy nose. You tried allergy meds. This does not always target the NOSE per say. So maybe, just try some nose drops. Like "Little Noses."
Dairy products are a big cause of sinus issues. If you have good insurance you may want to just ask if he can get a sinus CT scan. I just had that done myself and it revealed some lifelong sinus issues. Another option for allergy testing is a simple blood test. While the doctors say that it isn't as helpful to them as the way more expensive allergy skin tests, we had both done on our son and the blood test was more accurate and helpful in pinpointing the problem. You may want to ask your regular doctor about getting that done since the allergist isn't going to want to go that route since he gets paid way more to have your son go through the whole skin test procedure. Blood test is called the RAST test. And I also agree with the other people posting that a trip to an ENT is in order.
One of my girls was always stuffy when she was little. When she was 4, we took her to an ENT because her tonsils were so large and she was having episodes of snoring and sleep apnea. The ENT told me that one of the reasons her nose was always stuffy was due to large adenoids. It is not always necessary to have them removed. We could have waited to see if she grew into them over the next few years. I think he had said we could wait 4 yrs and see. But she was having the problems with snoring, grinding her teeth hard, and the sleep apnea. She was not rested at all and we were having big time behavior issues due to lack of sleep.
We had the same problem, but it sometimes extended into sleep apnea. Turned out, our daughter needed her adenoids removed. Don't know if that's applicable in this case, but might be worth exploring. Good luck!
Yes, you can have a stuffed nose from a food sensitivity or a food allergy. My friend only had luck going to a non-western homeopathic doctor for her daughter. She had a stuffed up/runny nose constantly and it turned out she was allergic to wheat and corn. She had to change her daughter's diet and then eventually her daughter outgrew it! I had a similar problem. I was stuffed up constantly and getting headaches often...and it turned out I have a food sensitivity to the ingredients in many processed foods. I have completely gotten rid of my problems by not eating those ingredients. (for me, the ingredients I have to avoid are listed on the "msg myth" webpages. You can google it. I guess it is pretty common). It's funny because for YEARS I thought it must be allergies or a sinus infection and my regular doctor thought that must me it also. I finally figured it out on my own. My doctor was no help at all!
My almost 6 year old is on allergy meds and the presciption nasal spray helps a little, but her nose is always stuffy to and she constantly feels like she needs to sniff. One thing I have found to help a little bit is giving her Benadryl at night.
Not just an allergy specialist, but one who is also an ENT (Ear Nose Throat Specialist) is the way to go. He could have swollen sinuses, deviated septum, cysts, blockages of other kinds, structural concerns, or any other number of things. He could have an allergy to mold or other seasonal issues or contact allergies or even foods... but he needs a blood test called a RAST test. He needs to be tested for food allergies. If he won't cooperate, you have to be willing to force him to comply and hear some crying. The tests don't take long and are worth some discomfort to him.
He may even require a CAT scan or MRI in order to determine if there's something in there contributing to the problem. So definitely an ENT.
My cousin had a polyp in her sinus that caused her to suffer congestion. After it was surgically removed she stopped having symptoms.
And as for the test, make him cooperate. My mother and a nurse held me down when I needed the pin prick test. If it were my kid, I'd do the same. Once you find out what's bothering him, that's when you can take steps to fix it. Until then you'll be in some sort of snot filled limbo.
Sit on that kid and get the test done.
Like others note -- this has gone on more than long enough for you to take him to an ENT to explore all options. This could be one of many different things and you need a specialist, not your regular pediatrician, to deal with it.
This is one of these posts, especially the SWH addition, where I feel that there are bigger and worse issues that are hidden under the surface of a simple question. You mention that "he won't cooperate enough to get allergy testing done" and then in the SWH say you've had to "pin him down" many times and ended up injured the last time you did so. You also mention in passing that he has had behavioral issues that are exacerbated by the poor sleep etc. No matter what, your son should not be injuring you even unintentionally. He needs tests that he apparently will not respond well to. Is he seeing, or has he seen in the past, any kind of counselor (even a school counselor) or therapist for his behavior issues? I would get some professional help with keeping your son under control, letting him know what is going to happen so there are no surprises, giving him and you some coping mechanisms, and whatever other strategies will make it doable for you to get him the tests he needs for the nasal issue. But if he is so out of control that you can only get tests done by manhandling him, and he lashes out so hard that he can hurt an adult -- there is a much bigger issue here. And you could get caught in a cycle: He feels horrid because of his nose and needs tests, but the tests make him act out, so he never gets the tests, so he continues to feel horrid, so the behavior gets worse, and he never gets any tests....He needs the tests pronto, and you may need help with getting him to endure them.
Depending on the procedure, the specialist may recommend a mild sedative to get your son through it -- a child who is that resistant will never endure an MRI for instance, where he must be perfectly still.
