3-Year-old and Seasonal Allergies

I would see a pediatric allergist. We see a great pediatrician and allergist who treats our entire family. He is in Crystal Lake, but it is totally worth the trip. He also uses supplements and other natural remedies in addition to allergy serum and Rx antihistamines. BTW: the allergy serums are basically personalized homeopathic remedies. If you can get out there, you can't go wrong. His name is Gary R. Oberg, MD
Northern Illinois Integrative Health Center.
###-###-####. Also, read anything you can find by Doris Rapp, MD. She is the author of "Is This Your Child" and is a mentor to Dr. Oberg.
Good luck.
A.
PS Claritin does not work at all for us!
Also, for allergies, you need an antihistamine--not a decongestant. If the antihistamine works, your child will not be congested. Most doctors recommend just the antihistamine, rather than a combo antihistamine/decongestant for kids.

My 5 year old has been taking zyrtec(liquid) and using flonase nasal spray for 2 years. It has really helped her. She was getting chronic sinus infections all the time and now she is never congested.

A.,

My 19 mth old has seasonal allergies also. One of his doctor's recommended Flonase. We give it to him once a day and so far it's been working (it's only been 10 days). I also don't like giving him any medicine he doesn't need, but this once seems to help. Good luck!

I have terrible allergies and am concerned that my 1 month old will inherit them too. His peditrician is Elizabeth M. Swider MD, she specializes in the treatment nd prevention of allergies.
We are thrilled with her! She is Evanston Nothwestern Healthcare

909 Davis St
Suite 200
Evanston IL 60201 (map)
This location is accessible.
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Hi A.,
Homeopathic medictions are great. They cure the cause of trouble from inside your body. There are no side effects and the medication is easy to give to the kids. I have grown up taking homoepathic medication and so are my two boys. There is Homeopathic store in lincoln park area where I get me medications. You can call them and see if they can help you locating the right medicine or tell you the one you are looking for is the right one or not. This is their contact info:
Merz Apothecary
4716 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago IL 60625
###-###-#### Phone Orders: 1-800-252-0275

Also, I have a friend who markets a great Air purifier. I know of people with allergies using this purifier and getting great relief in their homes. let meknow if you want her contact info.
I hope something works out for you.

V.

i took her to a ped allergist out of loyla
she is on chewable zyrtec and singulair
and a nasacrom
if you can get the nose to stay clear it won't get to the chest i usually spray it in her nose at the beginning of her bath so it drains and then as needed

A.,

I have two kids (1 and 3) My 3 year old also has allergies. He has had zyrtec(prescription) and done well on that. It does not have a decongestant. We tried allergy D (prescription also) it made him crazy. Hyper isn't the word he was a maniac. If he is really congested I use the pedia care infant drops (orange box) My 1 year old is using zyrtec too and having good luck so far. For the running nose, sneezing and itchy eyes you need an antihistamine (zyrtec).

We tried claritan also but it didn't work for us either. I take allegra D every day. I can't wait for the frost, they will be better soon!!! A friend of mine has her kids on cingulair (prescription) I guess the best advice I can give is talk to your Dr. They know the best meds.
Good Luck,
M.

A.,
I FEEL FOR YOU...I JUST HAD MY 2 YR OLD GO TO THE ALLERGIST BECAUSE SHE WAS GETTING WORSE & I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT MEDICATING HER BUT FEEL IT IS BETTER THAN HER SUFFERING. I HIGHLY SUGGEST DOING THIS SO THAT 1ST YOU FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HE IS ALLERGIC TO & YOU CAN HOPEFULLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT HIS ENIVRONMENT AND 2ND AT HIS AGE YOU CAN CHECK OUT ALLERGY SHOTS TO DESENTIZE HIM SO THAT MAYBE, HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE A LIFE LONG PROBLEM AS IT IS WITH ME (AND SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALSO). MY DAUGHTER IS CURRENTLY ON D'ALLERGY WHICH IS A SCRIPT BUT SEEMS TO BE DOING WELL ON IT. IT HAS THE DECONGESTANT IT IS WHICH IS HELPING, BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL EVERYTHING IN HER ENVIRONMENT (OUTSIDE MOLD) WHICH I WAS TOLD IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CULPRITS WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES. I KNOWIT IS HARD TO EVEN THINK OF HAVING A CHILD ON MEDS AT THIS YOUNG AGE & I REALLY WRESTLED MENTALLY WITH THAT BUT HER CONGESTION GOT SO BAD THAT SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING & THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME (SCARED ME TO DEATH REALLY). GOOD LUCK I HOPE THIS WAS A BIT USEFUL TO YOU!! BEST OF LUCK
K.

My 3 year old has pretty bad allergies too and her doctor suggested Benadryl. So, at the slightest sight of her being stuffed up or conjested, I give her a spoonful and she's fine within a few hours. Before my doctor suggested Benadryl, I was trying all the allergies meds in Walgreens and nothing worked. She actually got worse and was then given Singular. She also has eczema and Benadrly helps with itching as well.

My 3-year-old daughter responded beautifully to Zyrtec. She's like a different person.

Make sure to get it flavored. Also my insurance wouldn't cover it until we'd tried some of the over-the-counter meds, like Claritan for kids. My doctor just had to write a note saying those did not work for her.

Good luck.

As your 2nd question... some of the allergies could be linked to household chemicals as well. They are terrible for people with allergies. I shop with a wellness company for all my household products and it's helped us alot.
You can call me for more information: ###-###-####
A.

Hi,
I have the same issues you do. I actually have my son on Zyrtec now and it definately helps more than Claritin and Benadryl (without the drowsy side effects). I find decongestants make my son completely wigged out and not really work. I don't think decongestants have the same effect with children as they do adults, unitl they are older....at least that has been my experience...and I say this as a complete slave to Allegra-D. (I can't survive without it). At night, I use a warm steam humidifier with Vick's menthol liquid in it and prop my sons head up with a couple of pillows and that really helps. I also use visine allergy in his eyes when they're really bothering him. His pediatrician gave me an eyedrop RX, but the visine allergy seems to work just fine.
Good luck!

My son has seasonal allergies. And sometimes they are bad other times they are tame. We use the claritin also. To decongest him we use Ocean drop in his nose and turn on the humidifier. Having him sleep on his belly brings it to up to drain on its own and he may have about two days of congestion and be fine after that. Normally just putting on the humidifier after giving him ocean will clear him us for hours on end. It was simple and did not medicate him alot that is why I loved it so much. We also use Triaminic decongetion (Yellow box). Have you had your sons ears check to make sure that the draining in his ears is not causing the conjestion. My brothers son was like that and it turned out he had to have tubes put in his ear. He now still gets allergies but the congestion is minimal. Since hearing this from my brother I suggest that everyone who has a child with a lot of congestion have their kids ears checked, it may be a little more than just allergies.

Hi A.,

My son, who is 3 1/2, has allergies as well. Mostly he gets a really bad cough that just doesn't go away and it disrupts his sleep. The best remedy I found is a combination of medicines. He receives a prescription of Singular from his Doctor and also takes Claritin for Kids. My pharmasist is the one who told me to give one medication in the morning and one medication at night about 1 hr. before bed time (I can't remember the order, so you would have to ask) but I will tell you it offered him the relief he so despartely needed.

Good luck and please do not hesitate to write me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
M. L.
SAHM of 3 1/2 yr. old twins Gracie Lou & Carter