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I took Amelia to her allergist for the first time yesterday. Although I have spent a lifetime surrounded by family members with allergies (parents, siblings, husband, children), I had never been to an allergist before. Here’s how it was:
1) The trouble with having multiple young children:
The exam room was far too small to accommodate 2 yr old Kate’s energy and boredom. There were no magazines or books or anything to do but to attempt opening every cupboard and drawer. Said cupboards and drawers were all filled with medical supplies some which appeared dangerous to 2 yr olds. I stayed busy trying to keep them shut. Duncan was remarkably patient and well-behaved.
2) About Symptoms: [This part is boring. Skip ahead]
The doctor asked a series of questions about what symptoms Amelia had, when she had them, whether Claritin made any difference, etc. Then he stared at her eyes and poked into her nose. During this episode I had that fun sensation of: I’ve just wasted my money, my time, and to top it off I’m one of those paranoid, health-obsessed, pathetic parents. He asked if her eyes were itchy. She said yes. “A little itchy?” “No,” she said. “Very itchy!” He turned to his student observer: “See how her eyes aren’t red at all?” Later, “Now why was it you brought her in?” I tried to explain that sometimes she blinks so much that I’d started to worry that she had a nervous tic, but then felt a lot better when I realized the tic only appeared several months out of every year! He looked at me like “um, you know, it could be a tic.” I further explained that she clears her throat a lot. But I was forced to admit that her nose doesn’t run and she doesn’t sneeze. Her throat doesn’t hurt and she refused to admit any acquaintance with mucus.
3) The Skin Test:
Doctor and doctor wanna-be left. In came Nurse. Amelia’s slight back was soon decorated by 45 black magic marker dots. Then Nurse did something (I couldn’t see) that made a teeny-tiny hole near each of these dots. There was a little bit of oil (with a possible allergen in it, I assume) on each hole. I was surprised how non-compliant and generally difficult Amelia was during the procedure. (You who have had it done. Does it hurt? Is it awful?) In the midst of my toddler struggles, I couldn’t do anything but say “Stay still!”, and the Nurse finally had to threaten with, “Do you want me to have to do this again?” But Amelia has texture issues–significant ones. This is the girl who doesn’t wear pants because they are itchy. A paper gown and being poked repeatedly all over her back was apparently far more sensory stimulation then she could handle.
4) Results:
Although I heard an NPR program on how allergy skin tests are completely unreliable just recently, it was hard to help being convinced while watching it done. With the exception of three, none of the spots did anything. But those other three spots swelled up like hives. It was dramatic. The doctor came back and announced that she is allergic to dust and dust mites.
5) Dust and Dust Mites?
“But I thought her allergies were seasonal?!” “Well, dust mite problems can be seasonal. They are very sensitive to humidity. In fact, Amelia is lucky to live in such an arid climate. These allergies are much more of a problem elsewhere than here.” We had been on the verge of buying a whole-house humidifier. The doctor explained that we might want to rethink humidifiers because the cool mist ones especially cause dust mites to multiply like crazy.
Image from American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology; Click picture to go to their site
6) Treatment? [How now, brown cow?]
Wash her bedding in hot water. Order those covers for encasing the mattress and pillow from the internet. Give her over-the-counter Zyrtec, as it’s a better antihistamine than Claritin. It might make her drowsy. Give her Zaditor, over the counter eye drops, because they are very effective. Finally, a prescription for Fluticasone, a nasal spray. Even those she has no nasal symptoms, research shows that taking nasal spray will help her eyes.
7) Vindication.
I’m not crazy. She does have allergies. And it’s not just because the skin test says so. He pointed out that what I thought of as the puffiness beneath her eyes is what is known as the “allergic shiner.” Of course, I knew that she had allergies–that’s why I was there. On the other hand, I felt better hearing him say it.
8 ) Don’t go all Pmom [paranoid, obsessed, and overreacting] on this one.
In other words, the kind Doctor said, when you go on the internet to find those mattress cases, you will find that a lot has been written about dust mite difficulties. Be careful what you read. Don’t jump to extreme behaviors right away. You could spray your house with arachnicides. You could rip out your wall to wall carpeting. But don’t do it yet. Boil the sheets, take the medicine, wait and see if it helps. Shots are always an option. But let’s go with medicine first.
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6 Responses to “Dust Mites, Arachnicides and Carpet Removal, Oh My!”
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That sounds horrible! I hope the medicine helps her. I’d be happy to help with the younger ones next time you have something like that–might make it a little less miserable for you all.
Sam was tested for allergies several years ago. He’s allergic to cats, apparently. He has outgrown it. (We have 2 cats and 5 kittens right now.)
Skin tests totally bite, and I can’t imagine having sensory issues on top of the normal aggrivation of it. I sure hope the suggestions and meds work! I have horrible seasonal allegies, but I’m a shot drop-out (X2). Too much work to head to Orem twice a week. Well, it’s easy to say that in winter, and then I curse myself for dropping out come spring and summer. I do have to admit I have it a lot better in Utah than I did in CA.
Now I would be overly paranoid in the opposite direction wondering if the prescribed medications were really safe, plus the fact that I don’t like squirting things up my nose. I would much rather deal with wood floors and washing sheets more often than using medication everyday….we all have our things we worry about I guess.
I am usually a huge worrier about the safety of medications. I was amazed at what I was prescribed both while pregnant and nursing. For example, medicine that came right from the pharmacy with a big yellow “do not use while pregnant” flag on the bottle. It definitely pays to question medication.
I guess I probably didn’t worry quite as much as I might have in this case. Of course, I did know that Zyrtec had been prescribed to and taken by thousands and thousands of people. That lends some comfort. There’s also the fact that one can’t be totally anti-medication. At least, not without really suffering. Every medication has side effects. This doesn’t mean that side effects don’t matter, or aren’t significant, or aren’t sometimes reason for choosing not to take a certain drug. But it does mean that because medication does have the ability to ameliorate significant suffering, we must carefully consider the side effects and then weigh them against the potential benefit of the drug. Amelia definitely needs help for her allergies–whatever my anxiety-induced doubts at the doctor’s office, .
I am going to work on cleaning the bedding much more religiously. Sigh. Mother guilt. : ( As for flooring, we don’t have wooden floors. We have relatively new wall to wall carpeting. I can’t imagine tearing it all out (although obviously I would if it were necessary). I think wooden floors are gorgeous, but I would really miss the softness and warmth of carpet.
Don’t have mother guilt, Pmom. My kids have been sleeping on their mattress covers for more days than I care to admit b/c I haven’t gotten the sheets washed, dried and back on their beds in a timely manner. Ahem, I think I will go take care of that this morning. Hope Amelia feels better soon!