Could it be an allergy?

[quelindo]

We got a cat recently and I'm wondering if my son could be allergic to it.

He developed a stuffy/runny nose almost two weeks ago and we got the cat a week ago. So while he did have a cold and it may still be just a cold, it seems like a long time to have a stuffy nose, and I'm wondering if it's an allergy.

My son hasn't really been around cats that much before this. We do have friends with a cat that we visit about once a month or so, but the cat isn't around much.

How would I know? If he IS allergic I want to know ASAP.

[quelindo]

[quelindo]

Also, his nose (which is running almost constantly) is running clear, and he sneezes occasionally.

[jeliphish]

clear, runny nose was my first *sign* of an allergy. I recently found out I was allergic to dogs after years of having one. Pregnancy, I believe, brings my allergies to life. For me- pet allergies started with a runny nose, then progresses to itchy eyes, then full histamine reactions - my eyes would swell shut, I would be stuffed up and runny at the same time. Blood test confirmed I was highly allergic to dogs (and oak trees lol) I am a big advocate for allergy testing and even routine allergy testing because they can reek havoc on your life and it's such a simple fix for the most part.

[quelindo]

My son *only* has the clear runny nose. Could that alone be a sign of an allergy?

I am taking him to get tested tomorrow, though I'm not looking forward to him getting the scratch test, if that's how they still do it.

[jeliphish]

Originally Posted by New Mama

My son *only* has the clear runny nose. Could that alone be a sign of an allergy?

I am taking him to get tested tomorrow, though I'm not looking forward to him getting the scratch test, if that's how they still do it.

They can do just a blood test- it's less invasive but less inclusive. Scratch test will find more allergies.
If it is the cat- the clear runny nose may be all the allergy signs he has at first. Has he been exposed to animal dander before?

[quelindo]

Originally Posted by jeliphish

If it is the cat- the clear runny nose may be all the allergy signs he has at first. Has he been exposed to animal dander before?

Not really. We have friends who have a cat that we visit maybe once every other month for a few hours, but the cat is rarely around.

My sister is extremely allergic to cats (among other things) and my son has food intolerances and skin issues, so that's why I'm wondering if this could be an allergy.

[jeliphish]

*Usually* a body builds up a response to animal dander. It is unlikely that they are going to have the full wheezing, coughing, sneezing episodes from the getgo. Symptoms will usually progressively get worse. I think you will find a lot of answers from this scratch test. There are a lot of things you can do in the meantime to help enviormental allergies....like: make sure sheets towels are washed in hot water at least 130 degrees (check hot water heater for settings) allergy covers for mattress and pillows, room air cleaner (anywhere from $300 to $1000 but sometimes worth it) neti pot. Let me know what they find- I think allergists are worth their weight in gold!!!!

[kjbrown92]

Clear runny nose sounds like allergy to me. My DH and DD1 are both allergic to cats. I would get the allergy testing. When I asked the allergist what the odds were that the allergy could turn into asthma (since DH has allergy induced asthma with the animal dander), he said if she had constant exposure she would be much more likely to develop asthma. So I would check before you get too attached to the cat... My DD just sneezes with the cat allergy (it's different for everybody).