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Question...Sickly SD....

Stepmomnotroses's picture

SD13 seems to always have what seems to be a never  ending cold.  She will get a “head cold” coughing, stuffy, tired, post nasal drip, clearing throat. These symptoms will  SLOWLY seem to get better over a period of two to three weeks and then when it seems SD is almost healthy then bang symptoms are back full blown. She seems “better” during summer/early fall months but from October till May seems Constantly sick with the symptoms coming in waves but never fully getting better. SD will miss one or two days a month sick. 

Thoughts?

notsurehowtodeal's picture

Sounds like allergies. Assuming you are in the US - it might be some sort of indoor allergy since it is worse during the colder months.

Mandy45's picture

Yes my sd always sniffling or has a cold or coughing. Especially after swimming or if she sleeps in a air con or been in dusty dirty places like her mothers. Doctors said she may be allergic to the cats also but she can go I'm not getting rid of cats. Some kids are just sickly too. 

Thisisnotus's picture

My SD12 is sickly too....she has asthma and allergies but she is sick because BM has cats and rabbits and other pets in the house.....makes perfect sense!

SteppedOut's picture

Have your husband take her back to the doctor and let him know OTC meds are not working. Then the Dr can do some tests and/or send her to an allergist.

Rags's picture

My bet is on allergies.  

Put her on a daily dose of Zyrtec/Citerizine.   That should reduce the symptoms if it is allergies.

Make sure to get her the flu vaccine every Sept just to be safe.

Trying to Stepmom's picture

My SD has had a stuffy nose since before I met her.  She would say something about it and I'd comment that it's allergies (because I have year-round indoor/outdoor allergies), but she would deny that she was allergic to anything. Then she would magically be able to breath after taking some OTC allergy meds. 

 She has a dog at BM's that sleeps in her bed. I 100% guarantee she has a dog allergy. 

Stepmomnotroses's picture

We DON’T have a cat. BM has 4 cats that she got about 3 years ago. The problem is SD does NOT get better when she comes back to our house. SD is only with BM every other weekend and one night a week so if it was cat allergies from her moms cats I would think after a day or two at our house SD would be better since we don’t have any cats. My understanding was once you got away from whatever you are allergic to your symptoms went away. Am I wrong to think this?? 

Anouther thing is we did give SD some over the counter Allergy medicine and it did nothing to help with her symptoms. Is this also common?

notsurehowtodeal's picture

You indicated it was seasonal, so it is probably not the cats. If over the counter meds are not helping, it is either not allergies - or they are not strong enough to help. She probably needs some testing. It is miserable to live with those constant symptoms - DH really should take her back to the doctor and figure out what is really wrong.

Rags's picture

How is her hygiene?  I am deathly allergic to cats and dogs both.  I have to shower as soon as I have anything to do with a cat or dog. Leaving someones home who has cats or dogs does nothing to alleviate allergies and asthma related to animal dander.  It gets in your hair then showers down in front of your face and you continue to breath it in  until you bathe and wash your hair.

Also, you may want to get your home tested for mold.  Mold can be a sever trigger for allergies, asthma and URI problems.

Stepmomnotroses's picture

We need to force SD to shower every other day and Honestly sometimes I think she just stands in there and lets the water run over her and never really cleans. BM’s house is a Cluttered mess and allows SD to go all weekend without changing her clothes, brushing her teeth or showering. SD will come home Sunday night in the same clothes she went to school in on Friday. SD will also come home covered in cat hair on her clothes. With your cat allergies how long does it take the Symptoms to go away once you shower and change your clothes? 

Rags's picture

For my me I start to improve almost immediately.  If I have not allowed it to go too long and started a bronchitis episode.

lieutenant_dad's picture

YSS has severe allergies, like multiple surgeries, multiple meds, and allergy shot-levels of allergies. Even with all of that, he's constantly sniffling and sneezing and post-nasal drip.

It could be that she's allergic to mold, certain fall pollens, holiday flowers, dust, etc. Indoor allergens are a beast to combat because it could be just about anything.

Take her to an allergy specialist and get her tested, then go from there. You'll never know what it is until she goes, and she'll be miserable until then.

Rags's picture

My bet is on allergies.  I have had the same symptoms for neaerly the same months for nearly my entire life.  I would suggest two things.  Zyrtec daily for the rest of this kid's life, and the same with Flonase.  Once modern OTC meds reached the recent level of effectiveness I have had very little issues with allergy related problems.  Usually I go from allergy rinitis to bronchitis and cycle back and 4th with the cycle hitting and resulting in bronchitis 2-3 times per year.  

Once the Doc put me on Zyrtrec then added Flonase the cycle is pretty much manageable and I degrade into bronchitis maybe once every year or two.

Work with an allergy specialist.  They can do some amazing things these days for people who suffer from allergy problems.