I'm planning on taking my son to the doctor next week when I return from a trip, but I'm starting to think my son may have seasonal allergies; however, I would like more information on symptoms and what I should talk to my doctor about when we go. It seems like he always has a runny nose and an occasional cough, but no other symptoms of a cold, so I'm thinking allergies. What other symptoms should I look for, what should I ask my doctor? I never had allergies so I don't know what to expect in the appointment. I'm not opposed to putting my son on allergy medication if it will help him, but I just want as much info as possible so I'm making the right decision.
That is extermly possible.
My son was tested at 2 for allergys and we were told that he was allergic to Oak Trees, (spring and Fall), Mold and a few other things.
Myt son has environmental/seasonal allergies. In addition to stuffy nose and cough, he gets the "allergic shiners"- the dark circles under his eyes that look like he's been punched. My son also battles eczema during peak season allergy times or when exposed to cat dander.
My son has been on OTC allergy meds since he 2. We have to switch around, as they seem to stop working after a while. We rotate on and off the same meds based on the time of year it is.
Hope this helps.
Since you live in VA, it's pretty likely. How old is your son? Our ped won't test until they're over 5, I think. You'll want a pediatric allergist if you can.
Hi, V.:
Check the web at : www.enzymedica.com
That will explain allergies of children.
Good luck.
D.
Runny nose, cough (usually resulting from the nasal drainage), sneezing, watery eyes. Can have some or all of the symptoms. Depends on the allergy season how bad I get it all.
We live in a high allergy area and our kids had to start with OTC allergy meds on the doctor's advice when they were very young. We have to play around to see whether Zyretc, Allegra or Claritin is the winner that season ... it can vary which one works best each season.
We went to a pediatric allergist, and surprisingly, he recommended against allergy testing. He said the only real reason to know EXACTLY what you are allergic to is if you plan to get allergy shots. I knew I didn't want weekly shots for my son, so we opted against it.
Instead, he took an observational-based approach. Basically, I had to watch him and if his runny nose goes away using a typical allergy med (claritin, zyrtec, or allegra) then he's got allergies. Also, if his nose stops running when it freezes outside, then it's most likely outdoor allergies. If it's year-round, then it's likely indoor allergies.
After that, we could be preventative based on that. If it was indoor, we'd need to take dust-mite allergy precautions. If it's outdoor, then you do things like keep the windows closed during high-pollen times to keep the pollen out of his room. That is what we've done, and it's worked fine.
Sounds possible. Our doctor said they usually like to wait to test until a child is around 5 or 6 but they tested my daughter at 3.5 because she had such severe incidences following symptoms (fine in the am but by pick up time at preschool, she was coughing horribly...by next morning the doctor thought she had pnemonia and treated it as such even though the xray showed it was not...home for a week and the cough still lingered).
As for what to ask the doctor 1. should he be tested 2. why or why not 3. what does he think it could be if not allergies 4. does he need to go to an allergist
You should take note of when his symptoms are worse (time of year, time of day, what he was around...just plants/grasses/trees, animals, dust, etc.).
It's high allergy seasons on the East Coast for anyone who is allergic to ragweed and/or mold. DD is miserable and she's on Zyzal (like Zyrtec) and Singulair year round. She's now on a prescription nasal spray, extra benedryl and an antibiotic because we didn't know her sinuses were so clogged. Her only symptom was dizziness for about a week. Her sinuses got so clogged she almost cried when the doctor pushed above her eyes.
Tell tale signs of allergies as others have said - crease in the nose, slightly dark circles under eyes and a dry cough that usually gets worse as soon as the child lays down. A good doctor will know right away if it's allergies or a cold but the easy way to check is to give them benedryl (assuming he's old enough and you give him the right dosage) and see if symptoms get better. Untreated allergies can cause a sinus infection and/or a cough so it's always better to hit them with heavy meds to avoid getting worse. Good luck.
Well, the first time we had actual confirmation from a doctor that our son had allergies, was when I took him in to a new doctor with what I wasn't sure of whether it was a cold or not.
He took one look at him and said, "he has allergic rhinnitis, right?" He said he had the tell-tale crease on his nose, that most kids get from wiping their nose with the back of their hand repeatedly, day in and day out. It's just a tiny little crinkle, but it was from having allergies and wiping his nose with his hand (on the nose, and above the lip from sniffing the drainage back up into the sinuses). After I was told this, I noticed that my son did this. He'd been doing it for some time, and BOTH of us had become so accustomed to it that neither of us was even aware of it anymore.
By the way. My son was just turned 7 at the time. It took a long time, but eventually we cam around to the embracing allergy injections (immunotherapy--shots), and now, 3 years in, at age 15, my son is virtually symptom free. And he doesn't have a crinkle on his nose or lip anymore, either.
;)
