Why Manage Allergies?

Is he one of those guys who is always healthy and strong? It may be hard for him to understand how weak and tired and achy and miserable someone with "just" seasonal allergies can feel. Tell him that if he had a raving headache for weeks on end, would he not want to take something to be able to just function again?

You've gotten a lot of responses, so I'll try to keep mine short. Try the Saline rinse with the bottle (can get it at Walgreens, etc.) I have been rinsing both of my children's noses since they were 2 years old. Don't think they are too young to do this. Once the child sees how much better they feel, they want you to do it! Nuf said.

Any allergy is your body reacting to a normal substance as if it were poisonous. Which damages your organs (the body 'figures' better damaged than dead). Allergy meds negate the poison response, so your organs don't get damaged.

Before allergy meds, kids with chronic allergies were known as 'sickly'; they also had shorter life expectancies, and got hit harder by illnesses. Their immune systems are so busy fighting the 'poison' that they can't fight illnesses effectively. Like having a mild case of HIV.

TODAY allergies are 'no big deal' BECAUSE we have meds that shut down the poison response.

Withholding meds is JUST like giving them poison every D.. Which I'm sure is the opposite of what your child's loving father wants...as soon as he understands that.

Oh my god, really? I have seasonal allergies and would be MISERABLE without medication. MISERABLE!!! My eyes puff up and swell shut, the inside of my mouth and ears itch, my eyes goop...it's disgusting. If your daughter needs medication then she NEEDS it. It's called good parenting. I can't believe that your husband doesn't want to see his daughter feeling well. I understand that some people really don't like medicine, I am one of them, but if it's a necessity than you better believe that my kid is going to get some relief.
L.

I am sure I am a little biased because I am a testing specialist for a giant laboratory and allergies are a focus for me. If I had a younger child now I would absolutely get the IgE blood test (it's not IgG) for allergies (food and environmental in the same pop) to know where she stands. There is also a huge correlation between allergies and asthma in children and I would want to get that in check.

I wouldn't ignore a broken leg. Allergies are a chronic condition and need to be treated.

I am sorry. If we didn't manage our allergies with the daily pill for about 6 weeks in the fall and 6 weeks in the spring, we would be one miserable family.

Around my house, if you don't manage it somehow, you have a sinus infection. Daughter is 16 and a Jr in High School in mostly AP classes and a cheerleader. She can't afford to be out of school.

One thing I've done that does seem to help and your hubby might be ok with is taking local honey or bee pollen. We got the local bee pollen and it does help. Daughter sprinkles a little on her cereal, I just take a bit and chase it with water.

I think your hubby does need to hear from the Dr. that you should manage allergies. It is not like your are drugging your child for no reason. Allergies are miserable.

Good luck.

Make an Appointment with the pediatrician and the three of You go. That way he can hear from the doctor that she needs a little meds to help and realize he's being unreasonable. He'd really rather your daughter be miserable then take an allergy pill? Sad.

First, I don't grab meds often either. I rarely take anything, even when I have a headache. BUT I have seasonal allergies and if I couldn't take OTC medications, I would be absolutely miserable. In college it was so bad, I sometimes would just skip class, shower, and go to bed. Your husband is being ridiculous and bordering on cruel. Sorry! I would insist that he go to the Dr. with you and your daughter and get advice. In the meantime, make sure she is drinking lots of water. The Dr. told me that will help.

My husband is the same way, but after he saw the suffering our daughter was enduring just for the sake of not taking some Claritin, he gave in. He goes for it himself, now, if she needs it...and he was just as adamant as your husband. There's hope.

Would you give your child tylenol if they had a fever? To me this is quite similar. I don't like giving my kids medicine, but I do sometimes if it will make their quality of life better. I have allergies occasionally and I take OTC meds as needed to help me function better....I don't think this is any different.

Tell him to get over his personal choice of not medicating himself and to let the more responsible and educated parent (obviously you!) make such choices for the well being of your child. Would he refuse the antibiotics too, if she ended up with a major sinus AND ear infection?

Also let him be aware children have been removed from parents for refusing medication or treatment for their children.

My husband is/was very resistant to any medications either. However, after spending a week every month during September, October, November, and December...that is four bouts with severe colds that suddenly went to bronchitis, once into pneumonia...and all four involved asthma getting triggered with round the clock nebulizer treatments for days and almost daily trips to the pediatrician because the nebulizer was not getting his breathing under control.

I made him go with me to the allergist. The allergist ran the testing and our son was off the charts allergic to dust mites...and his elementary classroom had old carpets that are a haven for those suckers.

So when the allergist laid out a plan of medications for my son to take to keep the allergies in check which then prevented the colds/bronchitis/pneumonia and then severe asthma from triggering...it made sense to my husband. Then he got on board.

So part of the year my son takes four allergy meds and then certain times of the year no medication. This school year so far, we have been in session for nine weeks...my son has had perfect attendance for the first time EVER!! I am so thankful we got this under control and pray it continues through the winter!!

Good luck with your hubby...mine can be hard headed at times as well.

take him to the child's doctor's appointment and have him share his concerns with the pedi. Perhaps together your husband and pedi can come up with a plan that everyone is comfortable with.

In short, you convince him by showing him the flaw in his logic (in a non-aggressive but confident way)when he says that he doesn't want her taking medication. Whatever his opposition is to it, you find the flaw in his argument and override it (but not in a confrontational or nagging way) with the reasons why treating her allergies is better than not treating them. If it's financial, do a cost comparison of monthly OTC allergy medication versus a trip to the doctor (or hospital) for sinus infections, ear infections, bronchitis, asthma, or fill-in-the-blank other allergy-related complication. I promise you, he won't be able to argue against the numbers. If it's philosophical, say, because he thinks that children are over-prescribed medication (but his opposition is to something specific like Ritalin)show him the difference between the medications he's concerned about versus allergy medication (for instance, a difference in side effects). If it's something from his past, like having had to take allergy medication himself and hating it, compromise with him by saying, "Let's try this for x amount of time. If after that time, there's no difference or if our daughter doesn't like it, we'll try something different."

I agree with Cheryl O. - I had ALL of these happen to me until I was diagnosed and on allergy meds and shots: multiple sinus infections each year that always led to an ear infection, bronchitis almost every year, and pneumonia twice. It's a miracle I didn't end up with some "super bug" due to all the antibiotics I was always on. This was all before my 9th birthday.

When I started allergy meds (they weren't highly available OTC like they are now) it was a whole new world. I could play at my friends houses who had cats and dogs for a few hours without being miserable the whole time, we had a bunny as an outdoor pet that I could pet and hold, and my illnesses were less often and less severe.

My son clearly had allergies and by age three the sneezing and coughing was actually causing him to lose several hours of sleep per night, making him a total nightmare of a toddler. Put him on a half dose of zyrtec once a D. (the full dose the Dr reccommended was making him groggy and weird), and he actually starting sleeping three extra hours per night!! He was a whole new kid, and we could actually see his beautiful blue eyes when he woke up because his eyes weren't all puffed up :)

This year in first grade he was coming home from school with bloodshot eyes, and I thought he was allergic to something in his classroom. We had a physical done, and he pretty much failed the quickie eye exam. Turns out he needs glasses, and they arrive next week.

Go to the doctor ALL together, see what (s)he has to say and prod your husband to ask as many questions as he needs to. We are not big on meds in our house either; I don't give tylenol for a fever, I let the fever do it's work. I don't take meds for headaches until I've tried rehydrating, napping and other things that could be the cause. But when it comes to allergies... we have anti allergy covers on beds and pillows, we have hardwood floors that are regularly mopped and no stuffed animals on the bed, we run a humidifier 24/7, and keep fans dusted and clean and my son STILL can't go a D. without his zyrtec!

Hopefully hearing other people's experience with allergies, and a doctors knowledge - maybe even get a referral to an allergist, if their expertise will help convince your husband - will help bring your husband around. Living with untreated allergies SUCKS.

You don't say how old your daughter is.

if she has been tested for allergies - they are easier to combat if you treat them....which you can do with the shots or an OTC medicine..

while i do see what your husband is saying - if you let it be - her body will fight it naturally - as people did 30 to 40 years ago...however, there's a difference now - instead of suffering with the puffy eyes, sneezing and such - she can be healthier and WANT TO DO MORE (i.e. be active) if she can BREATHE!!!!!

So tell him that she NEEDS TO BREATHE!! Unless of course he wants to see her in misery...maybe take him to the Doctor WITH you so the doctor can explain what can happen to her if she doesn't get relief...sinus infection, ear infections (with possible hearing loss), bronchitis, pneumonia and so much more....

get her tested to find out what she's allergic to. find out if the shots are available..

GOOD LUCK!!

Take him with you to your daughter's next visit to the ped and bring up the allergy issue. Possibly he'll listen to a person with a doctorate and a six figure salary whom he's paying big money for medical advice?

:(

I hate giving my child meds too, but I can't bear for my kids to be miserable. Does your husband have allergies? My son has seasonal allergies and is absolutely miserable in the fall.

If it were me, I would buy the allergy meds, tell your husband that I *am* giving her meds as a short term solution to help her feel better and tell him that he can take the issue up with the doctor if he wants to.
The thing is that adults can choose to take meds when they just can't function any more, but kids don't have that option. They are totally at the mercy of an adult and it's our job as parents to recognize when they need relief from whatever symptoms they are having.

Good luck to you!

ps. sometimes seasonal allergies to pollen and such can be alleviated by taking a teaspoon of raw local honey (how old is your daughter? You don't want to give honey too young) each D., and you can use a child's size neti pot. I will always go the natural route first unless my child obviously needs medical intervention.

When my allergies get bad they start making my asthma bad which left untreated with medication I can end up in the hospital. Which in that case OTC's are better than well...death.

Hi-
There are still other options. My husband and both my boys have really bad allergies and you can manage them naturally. Go to a vitamin store and get quercetin (a bio-flavonoid found in onions) and nettles (an herb). They are a natural anti-histamine and work just as well as benadryl. I've even used quercetin when my son was having a severe allergic reaction to peanuts and it worked fantastic. You can get quercetin in liquid form. Be careful, though. It's bright yellow and stains everything. Also, Vitamin C in very high doses is also a natural anti-histamine. You can also try honey that is made in your area. It can be a potent anti-allergy. Acupuncture can also balance her body, and there is a technique called NAET (Natural allergy elimination technique) that gets fantastic results. You'll have to google it for your area--typically it's a chiropractor or acupuncturist that does these treatments. We've had great luck with them.
Hope that helps!
J.

My 7 year old daughter and I used to take allergy meds daily in order to get by. I hate how many medications we have had to take for our various health issues, so I've focused on changing our diet. I noticed a few people mentioned honey. We use honey to sweeten everything we eat.... no longer eating sugar. I can't say for sure that the honey is the reason, but neither of us has needed OTC allergy medication in more than a year. Totally unheard of a year or so ago. My daughter used to have severe asthma, bronchitis and sinus infections too.... all gone (or controlled) since changing her diet. If your daughter is old enough, try getting some local honey and see if that helps at all. Good luck.

I'm on your side on this one =o)

My son has Dustmite allergies and we have done many things in hopes of alleviating this problem. However, most things don't work in that dust (and mites) are in so many places. Additionally, my son does take Zyrtec.. Now, I really don't want to give him this every D. , but when I don't, he sneezes and sneezes and then it often turns into a cold which only compounds the issue.. My fear is that, what will long term use of Zyrtec do to a child (let along an adult) the doctor says it's harmless, but I don't believe anything is completely harmless.. for now, I will continue to give it to my son (we do 2 tsp before bed) HOWEVER, I am going to have him evaluated again.. I think getting a second and or third opinion is a good idea. have you taken your children to an allergist? In the mean while, I was like your husband and for a few days didn't give my son the Zyrtec, initially it seemed like that was a good idea in that there wasn't any sneezing or continual runny nose.. then BAM... once again, the allergies hit and that time around they hit hard.. so it took almost two weeks to get everything back under control.. during that time, my son suffered (thanks to me) and coughed , sneezed and that time,even his throat hurt.. it's a tough situation. I mean no one wants their kids on meds.. then again, you also don't want them to suffer and not be able to stay in school all D... Can you do this.. give her the meds.. BUT do get another medical opinion and have your husband come along.. this way, he can ask all the questions he wants to and then some. perhaps this will help guide the both of you as to what you should do..

blessings

I give my DD some Claratin in the fall and spring because otherwise she is miserable. She doesn't sleep well. She is in a bad mood. She has constant headaches. When she gets to school, this will affect her learning. I feel that a little Claratin per our pediatrician is better than her suffering. We don't generally medicate for every little thing and I don't do it year round. Just seasonally. My DD loves the outdoors and camping so I feel this is a middle ground as holing up in the house is not good, either. I am also a seasonal allergy sufferer so I know how she feels. Am I correct that he does not have allergies?

If he's dead set against it, he should 1. do some research on alternatives and 2. meet with you with the pediatrician.

I would also discuss with him medicine in general. Is he against OTC meds or will he get her antibiotics as needed? Occasionally most people need them, for serious bronchitis or for a UTI, for example. A friend's friend lost her little girl recently because her UTI turned septic. What will his criteria be for getting medication? Is he against all meds all the time or just allergy medications?

Have you thought about alternative methods for allergy treatment? My sister in law is a naturopath, look into it.
http://sharonkrahn.com/
She has worked wonders for my own allergy problems so that I have not in 5 years had my annual sinus infection in the fall. She has also tremendously helped all three of our children with seasonal allergies and food sensitivities.
Good luck!

Here are some ideas, but it really has to be a compromise you both agree to to make it work. One idea is to say "lets try this for 2 months when we know here allergies kick in. The key to this medicine working is to use it consistantly for X amount of time. If it doesn't seem to make things better, then we can take her off of it. If it does, then we can discuss how long to keep her on it". You can also have him accompany you to the Dr. to discuss the various ways to manage allergies. My Dr. also said that the alternative to medicine was to basically wait for the infection, then treat with antibiotics & steroid breathing treatments, and that has it's own set of worries (overuse of antibiotics, etc.)

We tried the medicine for a while, but I didn't think it actually helped. So, what we did was we tried using local honey and that certainly didn't hurt! Each morning I'd make him toast with a tablespoon of honey on it and supposedly the local bees are in the same pollen as we are, so that helps your immune system. The second thing we tried was a netti pot. This is basically a nasal rinse. My son was about 3 when we started this. If I could tell he was getting snotty, we would rinse his nose with the netti pot. It's weird, but the water goes up one nostral and out the other and helps to rinse out the pollen from their nose so they don't get so sick. You can also reduce the amount of pollen/stuff that is in her bed by bathing her every night and making sure to wash her hair so whatever is in her hair doesn't get on her pillow and then into her nose. Finally, we would put our son in the warm shower and tell him to blow snot rockets. All of these "home remedies" helped him without having to use the medicine, and I think he finally outgrew most of the stuff that aggrivated him. He did have a blood test for allergies and it came up that he wasn't actually allergic to anything, just something bothered him.

Maybe go with allergy meds are generally safe where antibiotics have a mess of issues. The biggest one being your infections develop a resistance to them if they are overused. Would kinda suck if she got into an accident and her antibios failed and she got staff or worse.

I have had alot of success with rinsing with saline 2-3 times a D. and taking vitamin C, Zinc, and garlic 3-4x a D. when my allergies are acting up. It is like night and D. in the way I feel. I used to wind up with sinus infections every time my allergies would act up for 2-4 weeks and now I feel better in just a couple of days. Even just rinsing makes a huge difference. You wash dirt off your face, why shouldn't you wash it out of your nose.

I was very anti-medication also...until I had a child with severe allergies. I read a book called What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Allergies and Asthma by Paul Ehrlich, MD and Larry Chiaramonte, MD. It really helped me understand the importance of managing allergies, especially in relation to the development of asthma and the interconnectedness of the sinuses and lower respiratory system. It made me feel better about the decision to medicate. Hope it helps.

I think medication is the last resort. If your'e on your "last resort" then by all means you should follow the advice of your doctor.

However, there are many things you can do to manage allergies. Have you done them all? If not, try those first.

Not all medication is bad--but it's not great for you either. It's much healthier to get to the "root" of the issue. Medication covers up symptoms. Allergic reactions are a symptom of an immune system that is either overtaxed or perceives the allergen to be harmful. It releases histamine which is your body's way of trying to get the allergen out of your body. Hence sneezing, coughing, runny nose, hives, etc. With your immune system busy getting rid of the allergen, it doesn't have enough strength to fight off things like infections.

Depending on what your daughter is allergic to, you can help her without meds. Getting a good air filter in her room helps along with dust mite encasing for her bed (if she's allergic to dust mites). Upping her vitamin C intake will help. Keeping the windows closed and the air on helps at this time of year. There are also a variety of natural remedies such as Bromelain-Quercetin, stinging nettle--even a dose of local honey!

If those options have been explored then medication is your last result. If your husband is so against medication, make him research the alternatives and implement them. He's right, you CAN manage them without medication. Whether you're willing to put the time and effort in is another matter.

(We suffer from allergies here and use no meds. Our remedies are natural and they work great! So it CAN be done.)

Hi G.D.,
I too am a major allergy sufferer. The only two things I'm not allergic to are food and horses. So, basically I suffer all year long. I've had many sinus infections due to allergies and also have had to have polyps removed from my nasal passages and have my nasal cavity cleaned out, caused by damage from untreated allergies (all throughout my childhood). My ENT suggested that after my surgery I should seriously consider allergy shots, otherwise, I might be looking at surgery again a few years down the road (which by the way was VERY painful during the healing process.). I'm not suggesting you daughter needs to go to that extreme with allergy shots, but not treating the allergies can be equally as damaging. Not to mention the suffering your daughter must be going through, the poor thing must feel sick each and every D.. Allergies are not something you get used to and get over! Let your husband read this, and then together figure out what the next step will be in helping your daughter feel better.

While I don't have any advice on convincing your husband that hasn't already been covered, please read this article about using raw honey for allergies before you try it. I'm not saying you shouldn't try it, but maybe take this info into consideration & talk to her pedi or a pediatric allergist first.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/health/Honey-for-seasonal-allerg...

Also, if you haven't already, try doing a search on "allergy prevention" for a list of easy things you can do around your house to help (i.e. not dry dusting, vacuuming often, best/worst times of D. to be outside, dust covers, carpeting, air filters, etc). Maybe they can help provide a little relief until you can change his mind.

Best of luck!

** If nothing else, take my sister's approach on dealing with her husband when he's being less than agreeable...find a way to torture him until he caves! :)
(I don't actually suggest this, even though it is HIGHLY effective for her. LOL)

I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone else suggest this yet, but have you tried putting saline in her nose (using a neti pot or saline spray bottle)? You have to use a lot of it, but it really works. I have allergies and asthma, and was on prescription medicine most of my life and had 10 years of allegy shots. Now all I use is the saline plus claritin on really bad days. I feel much much better than when I was on daily medicine. I know several other people who were able to stop antihistamines after using saline, too. I definitely agree you need to help ease your daughter's allergy suffering, but this might be a path you could try before you use antihistamines. Good luck managing her allergies!

Try a chiropractor, naturopath, or classical homeopathy.
If you are interested I can give you names.
L.

It depends on the seriousness of the allergies. If she is in elementary school the doc may prescribe something for her allergies. If she is younger than that the doc probably won't suggest meds at all.

Talk to the doc and get him to say she needs it. Then start out with half a dose. Often the allergy meds are way too strong and the kids get totally dried out and get wildly crazy acting. They can't tell you where it hurts except the head. The sinuses are everywhere and they get dry...they are painful.

That's what I do even with myself. I only take 1/4 to 1/2 dose of Benadryl to treat my allergies and that is always enough.

I don't do medication unless there is some infection. A runny nose (and sneezing) is the body's way of expelling those irritants. As long as the discharge is clear, there should be no worry of infection. I am against the idea of using medicine to stifle this, as it inhibits development of the body's abilities to respond appropriately. Of course, there can be exceptions, but this is the rule in my house.

I have suffered with allergies worse this year than any other.
I also have had two serious sinus infections that made me feel like I wanted to crawl into a hole and die...seriously, I was barely functional, and not being one who is usually sick I cannot imagine coping with my allergies without my OTC treatments.
I agree with the mom who suggested having hubby go with you to the doctor, so he can hear the doctors advice.
I am all for natural remedies, IF they work...but I have not had any reaction or side effects from the OTC medications I have had to take.

Have you thought about homeopathy? There are lots of natural remedies for allergies, you just have to look for them. A simple Google search will bring up tons of info! My best friend had the worst allergies I've ever seen. She's been popping Benadril and RX meds for it since she was very young. Recently, she decided to through out the toxic pharmaceuticals and switch to homeopathy. She got some green liquid that she put on her feet every night. After a week, no more allergies! Not one bit. So I would definitely look for homeopathic medicine, which can be found in your local health food store. Also, tons of people swear by local raw honey. It MUST be local though! Good luck.

Hi GD---What would you think about a solution that would help your daughter's body to balance that immune system? With a balanced immune system, those perceived allergens will not cause as much, if any, trouble as they have in the past.

I have tons of research to show how getting more nutrients from fruits and veggies can do just that. We are supposed to be eating at least 10 servings each D.. But even with that, I think that most of the f&v that we eat is sadly deficient in the nutrients that are needed to keep our bodies functioning optimally. Some sort of supplementation is necessary but traditional man-made vitamins do NOT work. I can share research on that as well. I found out about a company that juices 15 different f&v, dehydrates them and then puts the concentrated food powders into capsules and soft chewable gummies. This product really works. Again, you don't have to believe me, there is 15 years worth of research. Docs recommending this never have to hospitalize their asthma patients ever again. In fact, the asthma clears up. Another doc I work with has celiacs disease. His last check-up showed NO gluten antibodies in his blood stream at all. That means that his immune system is not patrolling for gluden antibodies...no sign of the allergy.

Please understand that I am not suggesting that your family has a poor diet, rather maybe it is not adequate for what the body needs. Does that make sense? I truly believe that we are exposed to so many 'things' that could challenge our health, that even eating those 10+ servings of f&v each D. is not enough.

It would be my great honor to share a bit more about how the immune system works and how you might be able avoid those OTC meds. BTW... my kids had pretty bad allergies as children. My daughter was still getting ear infections in college. Not anymore. No allergy meds at all. No OTC stuff is needed at our house, for allergies, for colds, for anything. It's easy. Be well. D.

Nikki said what I was about to say :)

My husband also has very bad seasonal allergies. The years he does not take medicines during the period of time when it is bad, he ends up with terrible sinus infections that get out of control and then he has breathing treatments and once, a hospital stay.

Then he had a doctor tell him to take garlic during the periods of time when his allergies are at their worst. So now he manages his allergies with garlic. It doesn't take away the allergy symptoms, but it keeps things from developing into a sinus infection. It has really worked for us and we DID NOT THINK IT WOULD. We were total skeptics. But it has been four years now with no allergy meds and no infections. So it is worth thinking about and might make your husband more comfortable.

There were so many answeres I only read the top 10 or so and no one mentioed this..so I hope its not repeated information. But I would take him with you to her next dr. appt. and let him discuss all his concerns w/your doctor. That is, if your Dr. is the one recommending she take OTC allergy meds. Maybe the Dr. can ease his mind. If he still refuses then make him take her to the Dr. when she developes a sinus infection and let him stay up with her all night if she has fever etc...My husband can be the same way..although not as bad. But we'll argue about it, and I tell him I don't think its fair that he wants to be that way..cuz I am the one that always has to miss work when our kids get sick and take them to the Dr. and stay up with them all night. Good Luck!