Could This Be Allergies

I would definitely look into allergy testing as a possibility. My little brother suffered from asthma for over 20yrs - got tested for allergies, avoids those food triggers and has been inhaler/medication free for 4yrs.

Does this only happen when it rains? And then all other times she is OK? And also is it just when she sleeps and is laying down? If she seems to have allergies and asthma all the time check and see what laundry soap and cleaners you are using, they really can effect her breathing! Try more natural ones! Take care and I wish you the best! K. W.

Hey H.
I know someone else suggested that you look at the chemicals and toxins in your cleaning and laundry products.That is a huge possibility in being the cause of the asthma.Switching where we shop to chemical free products has been a godsend for my kids.
Check out my site for more information.
www.concernedmoms.com

www.SwitchStoresForHealthyLiving.com

H.,

Asthma and allergies can go hand in hand, but not always. Not sure where you live or what type of insurance you have but there is only one pediatric pulminologist practice in Pittsburgh. They are at Children's Hospital. My own pulminologist recommended them for a work-up for my 18 month old.

One of the docs name is Jeffrey Kurland. I don't have the number with me, but you can google him and find the practice. My doc (who is wonderful and amazing herself, BTW) said its a good practice, but because it is the only one, it is a mad house. She said "Pack food and take stuff to do because you will be there all day". But I think it's a small price to pay for peace of mind, don't you?

Good luck,

C.

My daughter had liquid albuterol when she was little, then we needed to add another medication that was more preventative. It was Flovent, but by that time she was old enough for an inhaler. Is your daughter's cough that short, every 3 seconds, non-productive cough? As if she's trying to force air? If so she's already in a full-fledged attack. But once we learned the triggers I could start both inhalers right away and avoid the nebulizer.

If her allergy tests came back negative it's a matter of figuring what else is the trigger. She's so young and can't tell you at the onset. I'd ask the doctor what else you can give her until you know what's causing it. I know how scary this is!!!

21 months old can yield a false negative.
Sounds like allergies to me. Big time.
My dd lived on nebs and high dose steroid meds through the fall season (trees and grasses/dust)for 10 years until we did allergy shots.

GET RID of all the unnatural chemicals you clean with in your home. This is a huge proactive control you can take. Change off laundry soap and body soap too and pick things for natural to the body. These were also a huge help.

and last but not least. A chiropractor will do wonders for the asthma. I am still kicking myself in the butt for not doing it sooner.

Changes that cost little in comparison to what the allergies & meds cost.

HUG

The short answer is YES. I have asthma and so do my children. My children did not test positive for allergies until they were older (either by blood or by skin testing). My doctor says that asthma is hyper-reaction of allergies. It is true that changes in weather can cause asthma attacks. However, it is also significant that prior to raining the mold count goes up in the environment. If she is allergic to molds, then the increase in the mold count can trigger an asthma attack. It is important to know that foods like cheeses are mold based. They can also increase your sensitivity.
A specialist can go a long ways towards helping you learn what you need to do to help her. An ENT who has asthma & allergy training is helpful.

Best of luck.

Hi H.
I totally sympathize with you-same thing happend to my son around that age. Can I just say that Singulair has changed everything. He has not had a SINGLE asthma attack (even while sick) since he started it. He has suffered no adverse reactions either. Before Singulair we were doing pulmicort breathing treatments. What a pain they were and they didn't really work.

We also use Zyrtec to control his allergies. You may want to try that too. It wouldn't hurt. Even though he tested negative for allergies I am sure that the tests could maybe be off...or maybe not pick up slight allergies. IMO worth a try.

Good Luck.

H.,

This is likely allergies. I have three children with asthma and we knew about their allergies before they were officially diagnosed with asthma, although their cases are relatively mild.

Because your baby is so young, you will need to discuss with your pediatrician what to do. I found out my son had allergies because his skin was dry and itchy at night. I would have never thought of that.

Hopefully you have a good pediatrician. That can make all the difference.

Hi H.,

I found this on a website about asthma (http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/learning/aafaasthma.html) : Cold air, wind, rain, and sudden changes in the weather can sometimes bring on an asthma attack.

So it seems like your doctor may be right that it is still her asthma causing these symptoms. If you are unsure about what the doctor is telling you, I would get a second opinion and see if that doctor can give you anymore options for her treatment.

L.

How did they test her allergies, skin or blood? There is a possibility that she may not be allergic, per se but she could be intolerant. It is basically the same reaction (histamine is released) but your body does not produce Ige.

It is my belief that allergies and asthma go hand in hand and that asthma is a symptom of an allergy.

Here is an excerpt from my allergist's website:

Medicines can help to control the muscle spasm and irritation. This decreases damage to
the bronchi.

The best treatment is prevention. Identify the cause of the irritation and avoid it (such as cigarette smoke) or stimulate the body's natural defenses against the irritants.

Airborne allergens cause asthma in over 80 % of asthma patients. Allergy vaccination (called allergy shots) stimulates the patient's immune system to protect against airborne irritants. The irritants include pollens, molds and dust mites.

Allergy vaccination enables many patients to decrease or stop their controller medications. Allergy vaccination is all natural. Children respond quickly to allergy vaccination. Many children with allergic rhinitis will develop asthma. Allergy vaccination can prevent the development of asthma in many children.

If you'd like to read more, the website is http://www.pennallergy.com/asthma.html

I highly recommend Dr. Joseph Rudolph.He is an excellent doctor. We need more like him.

You mentioned it gets worse when it rains. It could be because of her asthma. Think about how the air feels before it rains or after, it's usually heavy. You may want to ask the ped about Singulair if she still has problems with her asthma when the weather is ok. You may also want to see if you can take her to an EENT, eye/ear/nose/throat specialist. Maybe they can better decide what's the best course of action.