3yo & newly allergic

[solhful]

Hi all, I am new and finding so many helpful boards around here...I love it!

Anyway, my dd is turning three tomorrow, and has just been recently been showing signs of allergies. About a month ago it started with a strange rash. Well, there wasnt a visible rash unless she itched, and then she would welt up (I do the same thing if I am in the cold air, which is a lot here in MN!). THen it was painful sinuses and glands, a sore throat, and now a slightly runny nose. We took her to the doctor (who commented the circles under her eyes were classic signs) and he said give her Claritin; we could test but why bother if the Claritin works. I do not agree with that for so many reasons. But....it was a Saturday and she was so itchy I relented. She had an adverse reaction and went ballistic and screamed, thrashed all night. It was bad and I feel bad because my instincts said dont give it (I am sensitive to so many meds I feel so reluctant to give any to dd or ds).
So next Monday we have an appt. at the Naturopath I recently found and I really hope they can test and give us some natural options.

I am just befuddled that she is developing allergies. I was hoping that bf her would eliminate the possibility and thought we were in the clear. I myself have asthma, so I guess it isnt a huge surprise. She also had bouts of exzema as a baby, and I always had it in my head that allergies were a possibility. I now am freaked she is going to develop asthma.

Are there any other kiddos that developed allergies at this age? What can I do for her outside of conventional medicine. Are there any good websites you can point me to? Thanks!

[kjbrown92]

It may be a combination of food and environmental, for eczema, so you might want to start keeping a food journal to look back at when pondering. I went with the "medicate and don't worry about it" theory with DD1, when she developed allergies (at about age 6). I went for a year, and every time I forgot the Zyrtec, or tried to take her off it, she'd start sneezing and get itchy eyes again. So I took her to an allergist. Turns out she was very allergic to dust/dust mites and cats. So we encased her mattress and pillows, traded heavy (dust-collecting) curtains with roman shades, took out the stuffed animals, and she did much better. And now we know that we have a time limit when we go to a house with a cat, she doesn't touch the cat, and all clothes have to go immediately in the wash when we get home. Now she only takes the Zyrtec if we're going to a house with cats, and it's manageable. And because DH has allergy-induced asthma, I asked the allergist about the potential for it to turn into asthma, and he said it most likely won't UNLESS we get a cat and expose her constantly to her allergens [which we won't since DH is highly allergic to cats -- he starts wheezing after 1 hour even on all his asthma medicine].

Also, DS has allergies. I got him tested, and it was ragweed. So I know the season, and I do medicate him (Zyrtec) during that time, but don't have to the rest of the year.

I am sure you'll find a ton of resources on here for non-conventional methods as well.

Also last fall, both DD2 and DS got runny noses/coughs as soon as we closed up the house at the end of October (the doctor said that it's typically mold or dust if that's the time of year). Since I found out ALL their food triggers and eliminated them all, this fall neither of them had any issues. So there is an "allergy load" aspect.