Seasonal Allergy/Sinus Relief

My daughter uses the NeilMed Sinus Rinse. It helps her so much. She uses it every night before bed and she doesn't sound like an elephant in the morning anymore from blowing her nose.
Here's a link to the informational video.
http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse_video.php

Have you tried saltwater to clear out his nose? It works great. You can use it as many times as you want without any side effects. Also, eating spicy foods like cajun type and foods with garlic makes the mucus runnier and eaiser to drain out than if it were thick.

He may be old enough for a Neti Pot. It would be difficult for him to use at first, but if he can get past the initial discomfort that happens while one learns how to use it, the Neti Pot can be much more effective than medications.

Has he been tested for allergies? That would be my first step. Some things work better on different allergens then others. We started w/ zyrtec for one son and claritin for the other. This spring w/ the tree pollen season hit hard and heavy and fast we had to add flonase to help because they were so bad that while they were getting some relief from the oral meds they weren't getting enough. You can also try a netti pot it will help. Also keep in mind that this wonderful time of the year there are lots of colds going around so on top of the allergies he may have some coughing and congestion from a virus and he won't get relief from those symptoms w/ an allergy med.

I'm not sure about the drug but this is a good time to emphasize why it is important for all of us to plant the right types of plants in our gardens -- and the plants that your neighbors choose is just as important as your own. You want to avoid planting only the male versions of plants -- even though they seem less "messy", it is only because they produce microscopic pollen (rather than fruit or seed), and pollen is what troubles allergy sufferers! There are many lists of appropriate plants for landscaping if you have allergies; if you can't find one handy, write me.

Lisa F.
Y.

If you haven't already you should take him to an allergist. My son had such a stuffy nose that it would bleed. His ped said to give him an antibacterial cream and that was it. Finally I took him to an allergist who took one look and said that his nose is almost completely blocked and he would need to use 2 sprays-Afrin just to shrink the membranes and then Varamyst for the allergy. So the point is my ped did NOT know how to treat this, And there have been other instances where he has shown innadequacy in dealing with allergy.

My son also takes Zyrtec every night and it seems to help. Don't know about the veramyst yet but it does *seem* to be working.

I agree he needs more agressive treatment. He's old enough to try a neti pot, too. I haven't used one, but they're supposed to be very useful in fighting allergy symptoms, and kids over 3 can easily be taught to use it. It flushes out the nasal passages with saline, which loosens secretions and carries away the allergens that cause symptoms. It's worth a try.

Also, consider diet. The most natural milk for humans is breast milk--once a child is weaned and a little older, many kids become allergic to cow's milk...you can try substituting goat's or almond milk instead for at least 3 weeks and see if his mucus levels decrease. Dairy is known to be a source of "phlegm" in traditional Chinese medicine.

And, if he likes cheese, please switch him to only RAW milk cheese for at least 3 weeks---pasteurization causes milk to lose the very enzyme we need to digest it, as a consequence of which it becomes toxic to the body.

The sinus rinse is not fun but it works well.

Also, daughter and I take local bee pollen and we've seen a dramatic difference with our allergies.

There is a store in La Verne called Natures Way by Vons. My son has bad allergies and I've found some great things there. I love the Allergy drops for children, the immune boost for kids, and there is a vitamin w/ fruits and veggies. They have definitely helped w/ colds so far :)

Honestly, benedryl (or the generic) has always worked great for my kids, with no side effects.

i myself have the seasonal allergy and stayed on regular medicines, but no to steroids. My doctor told me to continously take my medicines, but i don't do it, because i can feel the bad effects too. so instead i take some natural medications like lukewarm water with salt gargle, massage of throat and back with eucalypthus or just simply with vicks vaporub before sleeping. you can also try to get a second opinion from a specialist so that they can look deeper of your son's allergy. Goodluck.

Nasonex is awful for the side effects. Children's zyrtec in liquid form is good for the allergy symptoms.

Poor baby. I would suggest saline mist used in replacement of the Nasonex, even more often really, it helps a LOT. It gets the mucus flushed out a little more quickly than it does on its own. Have you looked into giving him Claritin or Zyrtec? You can try Benadryl, but that always made me sleepy so I would only try it as a last resort. Good luck!!

My husband get really bad allergies where he'll start sneezing about a hundred times in a row and then his eyes get all puffy and and he gets congested. We've started him on Shaklee's alfalfa and have had amazing results. It's a very powerful alfalfa because it's roots are from very far down in the earth (like 20ft) and full of nutrients. Plus, it's completely safe. Shaklee's quality control standards are above and beyond. I would also try a saline solution. Other supplements to add would be Nutriferon (immunity booster), Optiflora (probiotic), Incredivites multivitamin and extra Vitamin C, and Mighty Smart chews (omega-3).Those steroids are so harsh on a child's body, or anyone's for that matter.

Hope he feels better soon.

www.greennutrition.info

You can make your own saline solution for his little nose by mixing one cup of water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Put about a half a dropper full in each nostril and do not allow him to blow his nose for at least five minutes after you put the drops in. This will allow all the dried and sticky mucous to be blown out of his nose. Do this several times a day.

Dear L.:

There is a company that specializes in allergies/sinus who use all natural approaches. They do such a great job that medical doctors send patients their way. You may want to email them.

www.ndinutraceuticals.com

Kim

If the symptoms are seasonal the source of the allergy is probably pollen. Try keeping him indoors with the air conditioner on as much as possible. If your house is a little older you might want to check to see if the ducts need to be cleaned; at a minimum, change the filters frequently. Also, change and wash his pillowcase and bedding frequently.
I have mold allergies and Zyrtec and Claritin work well for me. I think both of them have children's doses. Benedryl works the very best, but it makes most people drowsy, so I take Zyrtec during the day and Benedryl at night. I recently read in my health newsletter that honey is a good natural rememdy for a cough -- check with your doctor.

If you have a Henry's/Wildoats or Mothers nearby, or something similar, I encourage you to try the Boiron Homeopathic remedies. They come in little blue tubes, and they are tiny white balls that dissolve under your tongue so their great for kids. In fact kids love their sweet taste. They work great and are totally natural with no side effects. And they have one for every possible symptom! There is one that is specifically for allergies, and we use it whenever ours flair up. You take them more often then traditional medicine though. Usually 3-5 of them at first, then take some more within an hour or two, until the symptoms are under control. Then you can just take them a couple times a day like anything else while you need them. There is also a Post Nasal Drip one that I use, and a Nasal Congestion, and several different specific cough ones if you need it. And you can take as many different ones as you need, totally different than OTC remedies that are potentially harmful.

You can also get them online, and the Boiron website is a great help to figure out which ones you need and how much to take.

Hope he feels better soon!

why isn't he on Claritin or Zyrtec? My doctor uses these choices as a 1st step, before moving on to the nasal spray.

I have gotten great relief from a product I get at the health food store called "Under the Weather". It is made by either Solray or Source Naturals, sorry I can't remember which. Ask the folks at your local health food store if it is OK for kids. Along with being an immune support, it really seemed to "dry me up" without side effects.
Good luck LL

PS there is another product called "Herbal Resistance Formula" that is made for little ones and comes in an eye dropper bottle, but that might be for kids smaller than your son and so not strong enough to help him......

Chiropractor. When the neck is out the sinuses do not drain properly and get clogged. If you are not comfortable with manual manipulation you can easily find someone who uses an activator, a tool that was developed for astronauts. Very effective. Chiropractic care can boost his immune system and there is no such thing as too young to see a chiropractor.

You might look into a salt pipe for him. Salt air is incredibly healing for respiratory ailments. Here's a link that gives you some info
http://www.portablesaltcave.com/faq.html

Local bee pollen is great at combating allergies. Pound it down for a month. I would suggest in smoothies. Superfood will build up his immune system.

Stop giving him dairy. It just causes mucus. We don't absorb the calcium. Better sources for calcium in leafy green vegetables. He may be allergic to wheat and/or corn. Yoga would be great. Yoga emphasizes breathing and is great for overall health.

Pharmaceuticals like Nasonex are horrible. I learned to treat my asthma successfully with foods, supplements, chiropractic adjustments, acupunture after being started on inhalers as a young adult. They make you feel terrible and do mess with your moods. They also take a toll on the body. There is another way. You might consider consulting an naturopath or homeopath. Ask around and get recommendations if you don't know where to go. I can recommend some people for you if you are interested.

Good luck!

My family suffers from seasonal allergies and we've found that loratadine is a great OTC allergy medication (my 12 year old takes a full pill, so maybe try half a pill?). I would also recommend a vicks vapor pad humidifier, rather than the cool mist humidifier. The eucalyptus oil really helps with congestion and you won't have to deal with the water part of things (I found mine at WalMart).

Good luck!

Why not spend the day at a mall away from plants.
I have lots of allergies myself, but I never go beyond the sneezing stage
so I have learned to live with it. If your little one goes beyond this get
professional advise., but the mall always works wonders....and also
proves that it is allergies not a bug.
Don't get too worked and don't deprive him of the love of pets.

We give our kids either Antronex from Standard Process or Milk thistle. We find that they can take 2 Antronex every hour until symptoms subside. it actually clears out teh liver, which is what causes allergies. But Nasonex, etc actually congests the liver, so when you stop it, the symptoms are worse. Very often, 1-2 doses of the Antronex is enough. During bad Santa Ana winds, I will take 5-6 in the am and then maybe need 2 in an hour and then I'm fine, even if they last a few days.

My 8 year old had the same problem, major drainage and coughing up nasty phlegm. I started using the NeilMed sinus rinse. It's made by the same company that makes the Neti Pot if you've ever heard of that. It just rinses the sinuses and gets all the gunk out. She used it morning and night for about 5 days and was clear after that. She uses it as needed now. I use it too. I got mine at Target for $10.00.

Homeopathy is great for his issue. Private consult is the best, but you may have a fluke with OTC combos as well.
Good Luck
V.

Neti Pot, 2x a day with warm water & about a 1/2 tsp of baking soda. It will wash the sinus cavities & remove the pollens. It took a while to get over the ICK-factor, but my whole family uses it now & it has helped greatly. My husband & I use the neti daily, but my children only want to use it when they are feeling the start of a cold or stuffy nose. My daughter that is prone to allegeries uses it when needed. We hardly ever even need the OTC allergy, sinus or cold meds anymore.

Also, my step-father has had a lot of relief with Xylotil Nasal Spray, he started using it 5+ years ago because the steroid the doctor had him use had too many side affects. He no longer needs the steroids & he swears by it. You can get the Xylotil--I'm not sure of the exact spelling--over the counter at most health food stores. Good Luck! V.