Natural Help for Asthma and Allergies

K., let me lead with the fact I am a Peds nurse who has a child, (actually all three have allergies) who is 12 who is probably a carbon copy of your child. I too, wasnt terribly receptive of all kinds of meds. But, after my child suffered MANY asthma attacks and oral steroids and pneumonia three times in K in three months, i had to make a choice. Here are the facts and my opinions. First, how allergic is he to eggs and soy? Is it soybean oil or proteins- they are different. Soy proteins aren't terribly hard to avoid, eggs, well, Alex was allergic to eggs to back then, but not nearly as allergic to nuts. Eggs in small amounts are fine with him, check your child's reaction out and see if he can have it in certain amounts. If it's just an atopic thing (skin rash) you have less to worry about than if his throat closes. The most reliable meds for asthma are those used in the lung. It also means that those items are much less likely to be distributed into his entire body. If you give someting by mouth, it goes all over the body, if you give it in the lung, it pretty much stays all in the lung. One dose of oral steroids, just one single dose = hundreds of doses of steroids in an inhaler. So, the inhaled steroids are much safer and work so much better in the lung. The oral stuff is given when the inhaled kind fails. I wasnt giving Alex anything but SIngulair and he paid dearly for it. Our best bets were Singulair daily (very few side effects, it's used in 1 year olds now with little problems, none that i can think of). We used a peak flow meter daily- it has no medicine but helps you determine when you need to use a neb treatment or an inhaler. It helps establish when a problem day has come up. We used albuterol as our rescue medicine (Xopenex is used more now probably and we use that now), we used Flovent (also an inhaler, but an inhaler with a steroid), and then that was about it. Even being a nurse, i don't like giving my kids meds. BUT, i had to be realistic that some meds, chosen carefully, keep them from major problems and ER visits. The worst thing with the asthma was he would get scared and that makes it worse. I had to drive him once to the MD's office when he couldnt breathe. He had the asthma attack in the car on the way to walmart. He was SCARED. He could not get enough air, it was awful. He was four and a half. Some meds are just to get things under control, then you taper off. A typical morning meant using the peak flow meter, two puffs of flovent, and sometimes albuterol if the peak flow was low enough. At school when his morning peak flow was low, more albuterol. After school, check the peak flow again (again albuterol if necessary), at bedtime singulair chewables or granules, and Flovent two puffs. It may seem daunting, but the alternative can be much worse, harder on his body and harder on you. OH, something we loved as we were learning to use an inhaler, something called an Inspirease. It is a type of spacer that a little person can use. You can use it with any inhaler. It's actually got a chamber you can view as it goes flat, so you know they got it all. And, many times his meds were seasonal with the singulair being all year. Please feel free to send me any messages if you want. I will help if i can. The ideas about cleaning his room, etc..are rock on, but you can't clean up the outdoors, and that also makes his immune system work better. Please dont be fooled into thinking you can do this without any meds, many, many times parents find out the really HARD way that they can't. Try to find some middle ground that makes you feel okay about it and him not to suffer..Good luck..I have been there before..

C

3 moms found this helpful

We do a Claritin each day as well, but here are some natural things too!

Apple juice- a glass a day is supposed to help prevent asthma attacks

Allergen cases on all pillows and mattress (Target has some good ones that aren't too crazy expensive.)

Remove the carpet from his room- hardwood holds less dust
Remove stuffed animals- if he sleeps with one, you should wash it frequently

Wash all bedding weekly on a very hot cycle to kill the mold and dustmites

Make sure you are vacuuming frequently. Especially under the bed. Use the "beater" part of an upright vacuum on his mattress frequently (the part you would use on the floor, the rollers will beat out the spores and dustmites.) I also heard that a mattress that is 10 years old doubles it's weight. A pillow that is 5 years old doubles it's weight. The extra weight is dead skin, dust, dust mites. Might want to buy him a new mattress too!! (Ikea ones aren't that expensive)

Make sure you have a good vacuum. Rainbow vacuums are expensive, but worth it. They use water in the bottom and everything sticks to the water and isn't released back into the air. You can even turn it on while not actively using the vacuum for a few minutes to catch all the dust floating in the air!

Local honey- farmer's markets are the only place I've been able to find this, but maybe you can find a local bee keeper. Local honey is made from, obviously, bees who use local pollen, which helps prevent allergies to those plants! What kid doesn't love a spoonful of honey!? Or toss it into a smoothie if they do! :)

Air purifiers- get one you can vacuum and/or rinse the filter. You can buy them at Walmart even and they really do catch dust. I would get one for the bedroom at the very least. I run ours constantly and you'd be surprised how much dust it collects.

There is something I heard this morning called an ozone light that is supposed to help kill mold and bacteria in the air, but I haven't researched it.

We do vitamins every morning. We use NurtiStars by Rainbow Light (got them at drugstore.com) they have lots of vitamins, iron, etc and even veggie extracts. Good to keep him well if all illness goes straight to the lungs.

Good rugs by the doors- inside and out. Most dust comes in the house from the outside. A good rule would be no shoes in the house too!

A neti pot (also from drugstore.com) I was VERY dubious about this for my daughter (she's 7 also) and she actually LOVES it!! Just make sure you use warm water or it will sting. Basically, if you don't know, it's a little teapot looking thing that you pour water into one nostril and it flows out the other, rinsing the allergens, snot, etc from your nose. My daughter uses it at night and ASKS me to use it if I forget. This is a girl who won't put her face in the pool, mind you! It feels wonderful once you can get used to it (maybe two times before you're a pro!)

Otherwise, I would also make a rule to wash hands a lot to keep from getting sick. There is some debate about whether antibacterial soap is good or bad. We use regular soap (well, she uses Cetaphil because she also has eczema on her hands) but I do put hand wipes in her lunchbox because they don't wash before eating at school, and we wash hands as soon as she comes in the door from school, and before each meal, and obviously after going to the bathroom EVERY time!

For cleaning, I use vinegar. There was an article, I think in TIME magazine, can't remember- one of the biggies, that white vinegar actually kills more germs than bleach! I use it with water on the counters diluted with a little water, in the bathroom, etc. I even mist it on the couch and chairs, etc. The smell evaporates really quickly, but I have heard of some people putting a few drops of orange essential oil in the mix as well. It is also a great laundry softener. (You might want to change to a free and clear laundry soap too- I use the Meijer naturals brand and it's been great- we've used it for over a year now with no allergy or laundry probs.)

Hope this helps. Also, I don't know which allergist you went to, but Dr. Ghani almost killed me- whatever you do, beware of him. I heard that HomeFirst does an allergy testing process on the hand while the child watches a video that is supposed to have better results than the skin test in the back. I believe I heard that it's a pressure test, but not sure on that. We are planning to have that done this summer.

Natural foods might help you too- pesticides can make our bodies do odd things. We try to eat organic (Woodman's is good) and dairy can make you stuffy sometimes too. My daughter likes the chocolate almond milk and doesn't mind rice milk either. You could give those a try. Remember, most allergens (food wise, at least), take 10-14 days to completely clear your system.

Feel free to contact me if you want! Allergies can be so hard.

Hugs,
Manda

PS- I do want to add, as someone who suffers from asthma myself, that you do need a rescue inhaler for him both at school and at home and probably another in the car.

3 moms found this helpful

I'm not sure of run-of-the-mill allergies, but I do know that asthma can be a life or death situation. I knew an 8 year old boy who died from an asthma attack. I don't think you should be fooling around with natural remedies for something potentially fatal. I would think at the very least, he needs his inhaler.

2 moms found this helpful

K.,
I am a mom and a respiratory therapist. I understand as a mom your reluctance to give your child medications. I have many patients that are reluctant to using their medications because they don't want to introduce chemicals into their systems or to over medicate. I read the responses and the pedi RN is right on the money with what she said.

If you use inhalers or a nebulizer with medications the medication is topical in the lungs and does it's job there without have much if any affect on the rest of the body. Inhaled medications are not systemic. The mistake people make when resisting using daily prescribed medications is that they end up causing more episodes of exacerbated flair ups and they tend to be harder to manage and/or recover from. Maintaining your childs health through a regular routine of stabilizing medication is a better approach than to allow major swings in the child's health status and it tends to cause much less residual damage from scarring etc. Also Singular is a great medication and I highly recommend it. I have one daughter that has similar problems to your child's. Singular and Albuterol in a nebulizer or MDI have been all she has needed since being treated and managing her health. I wish you the best.

2 moms found this helpful

Hi K.,
One of the moms suggested that you go green and I can't tell you how important that is. SIX MEDS FOR A CHILD! No way! There's a free health & wellness webcast that I'd like to invite you to. It's online and free; only takes about 30 minutes. Today there's a 12pm, 1pm & 8pm. Would you like to join me?

Meanwhile, did you know.....

"Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%. The Canadian Lung Association and the Asthma Society of Canada identify common household cleaners and cosmetics as triggers." (Dr. Joyce Woods)

Oust Sanitizer Warning Label (which is not stated on the commercials) "Before using product throughout your home, use in one room and wait 24 hours to ensure that no one has any physical reactions to the product. ASTHMA & ALLERGY Sufferers
Consult your physician before using this product in your home."
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100466&a...

Go through your home and read the Warning Labels on all household products you currently use. What are you washing your son's clothes with that he's inhaling while he's sleeping? LOOK AT EVERYTHING! You'll be surprised at what you find. My personal experience, this same webcast is the reason why I've been migraine free for almost 4 years. Not taking any Imitrex, Excedrine Migraine, or even herbal supplements. None of them are necessary.

~M.
###-###-####

1 mom found this helpful

I feel for you & your little guy & I commend your efforts to seek a natural solution for your son.
I suffered with chronic sinusitis from age 11 into my forties. I saw specialists & had my sinus' xrayed & washed out. They couldnt tell much from the scratch test but I was told I had airborne allergies. So how do you control what you breathe? I tried accupuncture, chinese herbs & chiropractic treatment.
Out of desperation I saw a woman who practices SAT. Self-Acceptance Training helped me connect the chronic sinusitis to & release emotions around a traumatic event at age 11. Children your sons age & younger can pick up the energy of their parents emotional stuff. Once I worked through & released the sadness & anger I strengthened my immune system with several courses of liquid (most potent) echinacea & golden seal (2 weeks on 1 week off) & antioxidant rich foods. Also have you tried homeopathic remedies? Kali bichonium (spelling?)gave me some relief. Its easy to take & easy to find.
There are so many alternatives to traditional meds & it's about finding what works for you & your son.

1 mom found this helpful

K.:
This has to be tough on the whole family, but especially to both of you. It's great that you are looking into alternative things and really investigating what you can do to help your child - in the end, it will help your whole family.

Unfortunately,we are exposed to so many things in the air and we can't live in a bubble. It is a good idea to really "Go Green" and get rid of all of your household cleaners that aren't botanically based, what you use for your laundry and what you use for every day washing - soaps, shampoos, etc. Anything that has a dye, chemical, fragrance, etc. is a potential hazard for him...and even the rest of you.

Boosting his immune system with vitamins and eating as many healthy foods as possible (try to eliminate fast foods as best as you can). Going green doesn't mean that you can't live life! You just do it in a more healthy way!

I've been doing this for 10 years and have noticed the difference in our health. Now, I don't worry about the doctor bills and how many vacations I must have sent them all on. I pay for healthier alternatives that will keep us clean, safe and promote long term health.

K., this is what I do - I educate people on healthy alternatives as I have learned the hard way myself. Try using a room purifier as well when he sleeps. Do you have pets? Think of all the things you use on a daily basis that you either eat, breathe in, use to wash your clothes with or put on your body. People with a multitude of allergies are very susceptable to the things that they come into contact with that have irritants - maybe most people don't see or feel but they do!

I would be happy to do what I can to help you. It's a big task to undertake, but for the sake of your son, I know you will do what it takes. Again, you will all be better for it!

K.

1 mom found this helpful

I take quercitin as a homeopathic remedy. I would suggest that you also watch your cleaning supplies and try to go green. I found with my asthma that cleaning supplies were a big trigger for me. As for the inhalers, there has been research done that patients using preventative inhalers with long term use fair far better than those that don't. I still don't use mine. I would also look into probiotics. I would also add using a netti pot to his daily routine to clean out the nasal passages.

1 mom found this helpful