Coughing and allergies/asthma

On 24 Oct 2005 07:46:53 -0700, wrote:

My 2.5 yo dd has colds/coughs quite often. She goes to a preschool. One
of the teachers asked me if she has asthma. I haven't yet taken her to
an allergist. She doesn't have wheezing or heavy breathing. She has a
cold two weeks out of a month and also if the weather changes. She's
quite susceptible to runny nose and sneezing. That's how I'm too. If I
wash my hair I'll be sneezing quite a bit that day.

Should I take her to an allergist? I dont' know anything about the
allergy shots. How do the allergy shots work? Should she take them for
indefinite period of time?

Once again, a request for help is followed by the usual
recommendations by Usenet denizens to see a specialist post haste,
with one even specifically diagnosing allergies and asthma as the
reason she should go straight for subspecialty consultation without
first seeing the pediatrician. And, as is common as well, the denizens
have given the poster options such as ENT, allergist, or
pulmonologist, although, after being so kind as to make Usenet
diagnoses (from a 5-line history and no physical exam) and make
referrals, they failed to give the poster any idea of how to choose
which specialist.

I have an idea: Take her to her pediatrician. The pediatrician can
consider possibilities such as relapsing upper respiratory infections,
chronic or relapsing sinusitis, asthma, allergic or nonallergic
rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux with aspiration, aspirated foreign
body, vascular ring, tracheoesophageal fistula, or cystic fibrosis.
These conditions may need to be treated by an allergist,
pulmonologist, ENT, gastroenterologist, or pediatric surgeon.

So perhaps it would be better to see the pediatrician first rather
than trying to figure out which specialist to see.

PF

Yup. See the ped. first.

No one was actually *diagnosing* over the internet. But in these days
of managed care, one often has to tell the ped. which specialist you
want to see. The way the system works here in the US, many peds. have a
LOT of incentive to avoid specialists, and not much time to review a
child's chart in the first place.

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Beth Kevles wrote:
Yup. See the ped. first.

No one was actually *diagnosing* over the internet. But in these days
of managed care, one often has to tell the ped. which specialist you
want to see. The way the system works here in the US, many peds. have a
LOT of incentive to avoid specialists, and not much time to review a
child's chart in the first place.

But one has to be skeptical of a ped who has been
seeing a child all along who has colds "two weeks out of
every month" and is coughing and hasn't discussed the issue.
By all means, see the ped, but if the ped says this is
normal and there's no need to do anything (as my ex-ped did
for nearly a year while my son got progressively worse),
one ought to consider changing peds and/or going to a
specialist for a evaluation--preferably before the kid
has been miserable for a year.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Beth Kevles wrote:
Yup. See the ped. first.

No one was actually *diagnosing* over the internet. But in these days
of managed care, one often has to tell the ped. which specialist you
want to see. The way the system works here in the US, many peds. have a
LOT of incentive to avoid specialists, and not much time to review a
child's chart in the first place.

But one has to be skeptical of a ped who has been
seeing a child all along who has colds "two weeks out of
every month" and is coughing and hasn't discussed the issue.

He said something about taking the child to the ped. when
he had a fever. I don't think he took him every time he
had a cold, so the doc may not realize the scope of the
problem.

I agree that he should go back to the pediatrician. He
can make sure the doc knows how long this has been
going on. And then say something like, "Someone
suggested that it might be...." and bring up the possibilities.

Bizby

In article .com,
wrote:

Should I take her to an allergist? I dont' know anything about the
allergy shots. How do the allergy shots work? Should she take them for
indefinite period of time?

Other people have responded well, so I'll just reply to this one bit. I
did allergy shots a few years ago. First I went in weekly for them; then
every two weeks; then monthly, etc. It took a few years, and worked
well. It wasn't a big deal -- it's a small needle -- it's just a pain
going to the allergist that often.

I'm in the US. If you're in the UK, my understanding is that the
appointments take longer -- the doctor requires you to sit in the
waiting room for a longer time to make sure you don't have a reaction.
--
Sara
accompanied by TK, number two, due in April of 2006

Anonymama wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

Should I take her to an allergist? I dont' know anything about the
allergy shots. How do the allergy shots work? Should she take them for
indefinite period of time?

Other people have responded well, so I'll just reply to this one bit. I
did allergy shots a few years ago. First I went in weekly for them; then
every two weeks; then monthly, etc. It took a few years, and worked
well. It wasn't a big deal -- it's a small needle -- it's just a pain
going to the allergist that often.

I'm in the US. If you're in the UK, my understanding is that the
appointments take longer -- the doctor requires you to sit in the
waiting room for a longer time to make sure you don't have a reaction.
--
Sara
accompanied by TK, number two, due in April of 2006

OP here. I'm in the US. thank you!

"Anonymama" wrote in message
I'm in the US. If you're in the UK, my understanding is that the
appointments take longer -- the doctor requires you to sit in the
waiting room for a longer time to make sure you don't have a reaction.

I'm in the US and have to wait 20 minutes after my shots to make sure that I
don't react. The allergist's office I go to are pretty adamant about that.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

In article ,
"Sue" wrote:

"Anonymama" wrote in message
I'm in the US. If you're in the UK, my understanding is that the
appointments take longer -- the doctor requires you to sit in the
waiting room for a longer time to make sure you don't have a reaction.

I'm in the US and have to wait 20 minutes after my shots to make sure that I
don't react. The allergist's office I go to are pretty adamant about that.

Oh, mine was too (at least at first and I confess I usually snuck out
before time was up). My impression is that in the UK, patients have to
wait even longer. I could be entirely mistaken.
--
Sara
accompanied by TK, number two, due in April of 2006

avoid the vaccines, they are the main cause of allergies and asthma
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/diseases.html

Ignore John's post. Whaleto (URL omitted intentionally) is full of
scaremongering misinformation.

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.