Post Nasal Drip- in Tears over This Dilemma

HAs she been to an allergist?
It could be dust, cats, pollen, mold, foods, dogs,.
Take her in and have her tested. THen eliminate the culprits. If it's dustmites there are hypoallergenic pillow coverings. Cats, then she either lives with the dander and you bathe them every week, or they go to a new home. Same with the dog. Pollen air filters in the house and shut the windows,
It's time to be proactive and get to the bottom of this one. Hope she can start feeling better soon.

I'd take her to an allergist- and I'd consider getting a new Pedi!!!

A good pediatrician doesn't dismiss something that makes a child miserable- he/she looks for what's causing it- and refers you to a specialist if need be.
She absolutely doesn't need to suffer like this.
Hope she feels better soon!! :)

Find a different doctor! 5 years!! Are you serious! Find another opinion!

I highly recommend that you seek an ENT. I've had three sinuses surgeries so I've had a bit of experience with this same problem. Could be allergy related. Could be an on going low grade infection due to a anatomy amorality causing issues with proper drainage of her sinus. Don't miss with seeing someone other than a specialist if you can. I ended up getting a couple of surgeries and used a neutralizer that fought off any bacteria, yeast or fungus. Worked great for me and now I'm SO much better. Also found that most of the newer prescription antihistamines are useless once the problem is out of hand. I found that benadryl helped alot to get the drip under control and then used Zrytec to maintain. Be proactive and don't stop until you get help. I'm sorry, take a deep breath and pull up those boots straps and take another direction. Hope you find your answer soon.
Best Regards,
C.

That's ridiculous! Clearly *something* is causing the post-nasal drip and shame on your pedi for not helping you find the root cause. Sinuses don't just drip for years on end with no cause. Please start with and ENT doc and an allergist. The ENT would probably recommend an allergist anyway but those appointments can take months to get (literally the wait near me is 4-6 months and you can't sneeze without hitting a hospital here so I would imagine that the allergist demand is high elsewhere). There may be something structural causing the drip that's not an allergy (enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, a blockage in the sinus passages) that the ENT can check for first and then recommend allergy testing if necessary.

Good luck and please let us know what happens. And get a new pediatrician.

Please listen to the other moms and get a new Ped. I would try an allergist, possibly an ENT. There are solutions though, poor baby shouldn't suffer for five years. Good luck!

#1- Get a team of doctors, not just one. You can discriminate. You can choose the doctors that fit you/her best. Don't stop until you find something/someone who helps. Get her allergy tested- both the traditional way and alternative ways. Start with scratch tests and bloodwork through a pediatric allergist (post on here to find a good one in your area) and get alternative testing like MSA testing (Homefirst pediatrics does it for $100 out of pocket and VERY worth it!!) and NRT/ART testing. Eliminate things that show up. See a naturopath. Demand bloodwork for PID/CVID (primary immune deficiency/common variable immune deficiency) and Mycoplasma (which causes a cough- commonly called "walking pneumonia," but there are various strains of this.)

#2- Allergy-proof your house. Do you have pets? Can you part with them or put them outdoors? At the very least, keep the OUT of her room.

Line her mattress and pillows with allergy covers (Target and Walmart even sell them) and remove the carpet from her room/the whole house if you can.

Invest in a GREAT vacuum and use it OFTEN. Rainbow is a great brand, but there are others with filters as well.

Put GREAT rugs by your doors and insist that everyone remove their shoes when entering the house.

Get air filters, or at least one for her room. Change your AC and heat filters OFTEN and get your duct work cleaned.

Check your house for mold. Clean up the bathroom (white vinegar works well) and make sure you're washing her bath towel, bath mats, and shower curtains often to remove the mold. You can get test kits at Home Depot to set out in rooms to test for mold in the air that will clue you in if you have an issue that needs cleaned up.

#3- Get her OFF the meds- the ingredients in them are likely making things worse. If they aren't helping, stop pushing them until you figure out what is going on. If she does need them, get them compounded at a compounding pharmacy- they can make them without gluten, corn, dye and all the other fillers/chemicals that make us sicker.

#4- Get the chemicals out of your home. If you have to paint, use No VOC paint, use white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, or baking soda to clean. Toss EVERYTHING else- even the green cleaners. Change all your soaps to Dr. Bronner's. NEVER bring plastic grocery bags in the house- they off-gas more than anything. Rubbermaid type containers are HORRIBLE for off-gassing too, as is foam rubber. Anything made with MDF or PVC should go. Plastic toys should go (with exception for favorites.) Use reusable water bottles made of stainless steel or glass, not plastic disposables. Don't microwave in plastic at ALL- EVER. Use Ecover or another "green" dishwashing soap and then do an extra rinse every time.

#5- Bathe her before bed. Pollen and dust in your hair and on your skin can irritate you overnight. At the VERY least, wash her face nightly.

#6- Join groups online for parents whose children have similar issues so you can share ideas and have support.

Doing any or all of these might help AND might help you feel less helpless. Don't be afraid to try new things, and make sure you give things time to work- even if you eliminate things, it is going to take some time for her system to clear and the inflammation to decrease and get under control. I would be VERY wary, too, of steroids in ANY form. They can make immune issues worse over time, and cause plenty of other problems too.

Don't hesitate to contact me if she ends up with food allergies. My girls have allergies and I've gotten pretty good at figuring out menus and food substitutions and I'm happy to help all I can.

Hugs,
M.
www.chickiepea.wordpress.com (our food/health blog)

Seems to me that she needs to be seen by an allergist. Post nasal drip is most probably a result of allergies, and there are plenty of medications that will decrease mucous production, thus limiting or preventing post nasal drip, AND the associated coughing.

My son suffers from the exact same thing, and he is treated by an allergist, he takes one medication daily during the seasons where his allergies are worst, and he is TOTALLY fine with the medication.

There ABSOLUTELY IS a solution for this. See an ALLERGIST.

Have you been seeing the same doctor this whole time? I haven't had this issue, but the first thing I would do it get a new doctor. Anything that has gone on this long is definitely a problem. There must be an underlying cause to this symptom. Take her to see someone else, specialist or not. And push for a resolution.

I'd try a naturopath now. Your doctor's complacency isn't working for you. It might be some sensitivity to food, or another allergen, but who knows? I think an ND would be a sensible next step, and if this isn't the answer, usually NDs are very good at referring people to other options (acupuncture, chiropractic, allergist) to try.

My mom's doctor keeps telling her she has allergies, but her symptoms have been so bad that some of the family thinks she has COPD instead. I agree to see another pediatrician and/or get a referral to an ENT. Something is not right.

I agree - see an ENT. And get her adnoids checked out. My son was congested for the first 2.5 years of his life. Had his adnoids removed and he was like a new kid.

We've been down this road and I agree with the other posters. Allergist and ENT appointments ASAP!

I agree pediatric allergist.

We use Nasonex. It treats nasal allergy issues without drying out your whole body/system like Benadryl and Claratin can.

There are better meds out there, you just need to talk with a specialist to see what's best for your child and get the appropriate dosages.

Has she had her tonsils/adenoids out? Tubes in her ears? I would check in with an ENT ASAP!

My 6 year old has had a chronic cough on and off her entire life. We've been told over the years it was asthma and allergies by her pediatrician. It got so bad last week I took her to an allergist who did allergy testing. Turns out she has no allergies but he said she had a ton of post nasal drip which was causing the cough. he said that she has vasomotor rhinitis, which is caused by the changes in temperature and barometric pressure. He prescribed Nasonex and 3 days later her cough is GONE! I would see an allergist and try to get her on a nasal spray- it worked wonders!

Take your child to a pediatric allergist. The coughing could be asthma, or just a complication of the post nasal drip, but the complications could become things like bronchitis, so it's worth getting a second opinion.

Also, I highly recommend teaching your child how to do nasal irrigation. It has virtually no side effects, and can have really good positive effects in reducing the post nasal drip. We bought a neti pot and make our own saline solution (just google homemade saline solution) to use, or you can buy it in the pharmacy section. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-05-29-nasal-wash...

Google pediatric ENT's that specialize in Otology and Neurotology (disorders of the ear)... Have you tried the Neti Pot?