How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

We are seeing red eyes - I think from rubbing, a lot of coughing sometimes at night and he's rubbing his nose during the day. I think it's allergies, but how early do they or can they diagnose it?

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

Most doctors will tell you that it's too soon for environmental allergies. I find that hard to believe, and someone recently posted that their newborn tested positive for an animal allergy at birth.

I insisted ds be tested for environmental when we were doing food allergy testing around 10 months, the environmental panel was negative. I was sure he'd have some since he seemed to have similar symptoms to me at the same time of year I was experiencing them. I'm allergic to a lot of environmental things and have several food allergies. DH is allergic to cats but neither of our kids seem to have any environmental allergies yet.

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

PEDs will tell you that you can't detect it yet. But both DH and I have severe allergies. Me more than DH. I know DS has allergies. He will wink his eyes on days I am feel my allergies kicking in. He will pull his ears but has no ear infections, etc...

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

See, that's the thing. I have never been diagnosed by an allergist, but I know I have some sort of environmental allergies. I also notice that DS (21 months) seems to be coughing and rubbing his eyes the most on days where I feel congested. My mom had terrible allergies and developed asthma later in life.

Cathy - do they think the eczema and allergies go together? I think I remember reading that there is some correlation with asthma and eczema, but wasn't sure about allergies. At least the eczema has gotten much better.

Also, when they do the testing, is it a simple blood test?

Message edited 8/28/2009 11:06:12 AM.

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

I knew it when DS was 6 months. He had the exact symptoms as me. The ped said it was possible, but not normal. After he turned a year he was sent to an allergist and got tested. I was right with my suspicions.

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

Message edited 8/28/2009 11:38:01 AM.

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

Re: How did you know it was allergies (under 2)

This has been an ongoing issue for us which just recently we were finally able to get some answers Ava has had a cronic cough pretty much since birth, especially at night and during the colder months of the year. The cough and congestion would then turn into an ear infection. She was on antibiotics literally every 3 weeks.....I just couldn't believe a child could be that sick all the time.....I knew something had to be causing it. Finally I brought her to an asthma/allery specialist who tested her for environmental allergies.....she rubbed some stuff on her back and said all tests were negative....every week she would have me try new meds to see if it was asthma related. The meds helped a bit but she was still getting sick......after months of this I decided to try a new allergy dr. which came highly recommended....he actually treated my sister 25 years ago.....Anyway he did the allergy test again...this time a little different though....he actually gave her individual needles for each thing he tested her for.....well it turns out Ava is allergic to dust, molds, cats, ragweed and grasses.....with the dust and molds being the culprit for all the coughing and congstion during the winter months. These allergies ar in fact causing the asthma.....and during the summer months causes exzema all over her body. So now we are going to try weekly allergy shots....with a flovent inhaler 2x a day. Hopefully this winter she will have some relief and it only took 3 peds and 2 allegists to finally get it right.

Message edited 8/28/2009 12:39:27 PM.