Except for dust mites, my daughter doesn’t have any allergies. Intrinsic triggers tend to generate her flares instead.
But how about you?
What allergies are you/your child living with?
Related and making today a twofer:
Which one of them is the worst trigger?
My known allergies: Dust, hay, mold, horses, cattle, cats, dogs, rabbits, down, Kit Kat bars, Coffee Crisp bars, turnips, parsnip, squash (the final three are strictly gastrointestinal reactions and don’t trigger my asthma at all).
My worst trigger: Depends on whether you go by severity of reaction (in which case, hay, to which I have a very serious reaction), or amount of nuicance it causes (in which case, dust, to which I have a moderate reaction, but it’s nearly impossible to avoid and makes cleaning a pain).
Cats, as I’ve recently been whining about on my blog
Horses and other animals. Dust mites, tree pollens, codeine and clavulin.
Clavulin generates the most severe allergic reaction, but horses are my worst asthma trigger.
I am SO, so glad I don’t have to deal with food allergies
My six year old son is allergic to tree nuts – that is his worst allergy by far, as his reaction is anaphylactic. He is also allergic to dogs and cats, according to his test results. But I honestly don’t really know what his triggers are. I suspect viral illnesses play a large part, but are not the whole picture. In the experience of others, how old were you/your kids before you could identify triggers, or when environmental testing started to show an accurate representation of physical reaction?
Sarah–That’s interesting that only those 2 specific bars trigger you. Any idea what the problem ingredient is?
Danielle–You and me both!
Lesley–I’m sorry about the tree nuts. That’s a scary one, for sure. I started slowly–VERY slowly–identifying triggers accurately when my daughter was around 5. Except for the illness one, which was pretty obvious even when she was very young. Again, though, she’s not an allergic kid, so I don’t know if that helps you.
My six year old son is allergic to dust mites, some molds, timothy and rye grasses, and cats. His grass allergies seem to mostly give him red eyes, and sniffles, they don’t seem to trigger his asthma. Dust mites and molds on their own don’t bother him too much, but if he has a cold then the dust, mold, or cat pushes him over the edge.
Lesley — I don’t remember how old he was when I could trace his triggers, but looking back to when things were really bad and out of control, it’s so clear to me now that dust mites were killing him. He was in a bedroom with old carpet, a down comforter, a cat, and a feather pillow. Once we got all of those things out of his room and encased his mattress and pillow, he was a new kid.
Our doctor described his allergies like a stair case. One allergy on its own won’t necessarily trigger a flare but they build on each other until you reach the top and can’t breath…
That’s usually what happens to him in September — school starts with exposure to viruses, we turn the forced air heat on (we live in VT, the heat comes on early) which blows dust everywhere, and leaf and basement molds are at their height. This combined with the fact that we usually lower his Advair dose over the summer and we never seem to start the increased dosage in time for the September perfect storm to hit.
I’m not sure that M. has any true allergies. I have her on Allavert on her pedi’s suggestion, but if I forget, even for several days, I don’t notice any real difference…her sister, on the other hand, if I forget her Zyrtec one day, or her Flonase, she’s suffering all day.
We really don’t know what triggers her. She doesn’t seem to have any environmental allergy triggers.
Allergies, Triggers, interactions that worsen symptoms, intolerances which worsen symptoms…..
….This is a massive topic for many severe asthmatics. Thank the Lord for EpiPens!
Here’s my input:
I am hIghly allergic (anaphylactic) to Aspirin and Ibuprofen.
I have severe Wheat (Gluten) Allergy-not intolerance, serious allergy!
I am also severely allergic (Huge asthma flare symptoms) to red food dye, cherries, strawberries, paprika-this causes no end of reading the back of packets and eating bland, neutral food in restaurants.
Regarding Nuts: I underwent desensitization therapy for peanuts. I can consume 2 brands-one UK one US but am not allowed to eat PB on my own-just in case. I was severely nut allergic (anaphylactic) in my 20s. I do not eat tree nuts if I can help it. But I’m not allergic in any way.
Regarding Air/atmospheric triggers: HDM-dreadful. Dust-dreadful. I use anti HDM bed coverings, seal the mattress, chuck away and buy new pillows on a regular basis-better than washing actually-Costco are cheap enough! Damp dust twice weekly (Zzzzz) and avoid places like libraries, old people’s houses!
Damp air, fog, heat plus humidity (Florida, aaargh!) big drop in barometric pressure, thunder storms—–these conditions have put me in the ER many a time.
There are more but they are the same for every other atopic asthmatic, I’m sure!
Birch pollen season-constant sinus and rhinitis issues.
Life can be so-sweet!!!
Hugs!
Amy – I have no clue. I assume it’s some ingredient in the wafer (as in Canada, they’re made by the same company, and I can eat other bars – which don’t have wafers – from that brand). My best guess is either a rare ingredient specific to those bars or a combination of mild allergies that add up together but that I normally get hit with separately and so don’t notice (good example is horses + dogs… Separately, they don’t bug me too much… Together, I wind up hacking and short of breath). My doctor said that since I know how to avoid it and I don’t get reactions from other brands, I shouldn’t worry about it unless I start to have reactions to other foods.
I forgot another true allergy of mine – tobacco smoke. I break out in hives AND have a nasty asthma attack in response to it (I didn’t discover this until I hit my “stupid teenager” phase and decided that as a “Recovered” asthmatic, I could try smoking with impunity – Very Bad Idea. Since I was a Goofus Recovered Asthmatic, I didn’t have my inhaler with me and so nearly wound up at the ER – a friend thankfully loaned me her inhaler, and I never went near cigarettes again! XD). My allergist told me that he can’t test for cigarrette smoke, but from what I describe, I should avoid it like the plague since it’s about as bad as my hay allergy, for which I’m at “very high” risk of a life-threatening reaction. To date, I’ve been able to manage both with Benadryl and a rescue inhaler, but he suggested I consider an Epipen, just in case.
I have a ton of allergies, but since I’ve given up wheat, they have been far less of a problem. My biggie right now is cold induced asthma. It sucks! Especially since Rochester is COLD! But I exercise inside and try to stay in as much as possible on the super cold days.
My 7 yr old son who was diagnosed with Asthma/Allergies 1 month before he turned 2 started out with just a allergy to cats, well now he is allergic to all animals with fur, he has developed allergies to most outside things, trees, grass etc… he is also allergic to dust mites, and he can not take Motrin. Everytime he gets tested, more things pop up.
My 8 yr old who has mild asthma symptoms is allergic to cats,dogs,dust mites and most outside things.
My 4 yr old daughter has mild asthma and will be tested soon for allergies.
Oddly enough i have all the allergies lol. That we know of, im allergic to grass, most pollens, dust, mold, mildew, rabbits, milk and strawberries
my lil mini me with the asthma.. only tests as allergic to mold (which unfortunately we have outdoors year round where we live). But shes triggered more often by illness, rain, and cold weather