Ok....silly Question...

[mommy2krj]

Ok...my little guy did end up getting glutened on Thanksgiving. He ate a piece of fruit off his cousin's plate that was resting on a dinner roll. Add in the little other things that could also be a cross contamination issue and we have the resulting constipation and tummy issues.

 

Now here's a different issue though and I'm not sure if there is a connection or not. He's allergic to cats and dogs. He's SEVERELY allergic to cats (we've had issues with the instant breakout of hives and shortness of breath) but only kind of allergic to dogs. We have a dog...he's had no problems with him.

 

He's allergic to cats enough that he can't go to his cousin's house. We've tried that. Just going inside to go to the bathroom affects him while the rest of the time is spent outside. Oddly, his body seems to randomly pick and choose which cats he'll react to. Our neighbor's cat doesn't seem to bother him at all. It's odd.

 

Anyway. Both of my inlaws have cats and one has a St. Bernard. Now, we have spent a great deal of time over at my mother in law's house with said inlaws and since then he has done nothing but cough. He's got allergy meds and an inhaler that we haven't had to use in ages. I'm wondering if he's reacting both to the gluten he ingested and to the cat dander that I'm certain has traveled with my inlaws and their children. His system just seems to be in overdrive since Thanksgiving.

 

And of course...they stopped making his Singulair packets. Go figure. The poor kid is going to be fighting this cough for probably a week. Maybe more if the gluten thing is exasperating it. Is it far fetched to think this is partly affected by the gluten? It's worse than it usually is. *sigh* I just don't know what else to do. The inhalers never worked. Nothing really seems to ease the cough except the singulair. It's frustrating. I did give him some warm honey and lemon (a concoction I made a couple weeks ago for cold season) but he will only drink that if he's desperate. He was desperate tonight as he was coughing so hard he puked. Either it's working or the 2nd dose of benadryl was finally kicking in but he's finally sleeping.

Thanks...just needed to vent and ask others as my inlaws have been looking at me like I'm nuts about this.

[w8in4dave]

Wow!! Poor kid , I don't have answers to your question but I feel for you! And your Son! I hate to see Children suffer. Hopefully someone will chime in and answer.. Good Luck!! Prayers sent for a quick healing of your son. 

[SkyBlue4]

Sorry to hear this. I'm really not sure about the role glutening may play in asthma. Something to certainly consider.

 

He may benefit from a nebulizer treatment. Sometimes that's the only thing that works when my inhaler isn't enough anymore. If he's old enough I believe there is a children's Claritin to help with the allergy symptoms if they're still present (it's non-drowsy).

 

Poor kid. I hope he feels better soon! 

[Mizzo]

Well I don't know of any relationship between Asthma and Celiac ., but that doesn't mean it can't exist.  There are levels of allergens in different breeds of cats and dogs . The Siberian and Oriental shorthairs cats don't affect 75% of cat allergy sufferers and the Balinese, Javanese, Devon and Cornish Rexes and Sphinyx are also less allergen. Many Terriers and Poodles are also  "hypo Allergenic". So his level of  reaction could be breed based , maybe?

 

Also females have less of the allergen enzymes as well as neutered males vs unneutered males, light colored coats vs dark colored coats   etc...just a thought !!

 

I only know all this as I am severely allergic to cats and lesser to dogs. My husband and daughter are CAT people and I am trying to find a breed to work for us. :-)

 

I have had to use a nebulizer myself when I had respiratory problems , It worked tremendously.  good luck

[IrishHeart]

Actually, asthma is associated with celiac. (not that either of these conditions actually causes the other)

 

It's listed among 300 symptoms associated with it and some researchers have also found a link:

 

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Sorry about your little guy. my brother and a few of my cousins have asthma and I know how difficult it is to deal with it. (I have tried telling them it could be a gluten issue but, well you all know what happens......)sigh

[bartfull]

Well I don't know of any relationship between Asthma and Celiac ., but that doesn't mean it can't exist.  There are levels of allergens in different breeds of cats and dogs . The Siberian and Oriental shorthairs cats don't affect 75% of cat allergy sufferers and the Balinese, Javanese, Devon and Cornish Rexes and Sphinyx are also less allergen. Many Terriers and Poodles are also  "hypo Allergenic". So his level of  reaction could be breed based , maybe?

 

Also females have less of the allergen enzymes as well as neutered males vs unneutered males, light colored coats vs dark colored coats   etc...just a thought !!

 

I only know all this as I am severely allergic to cats and lesser to dogs. My husband and daughter are CAT people and I am trying to find a breed to work for us. :-)

 

I have had to use a nebulizer myself when I had respiratory problems , It worked tremendously.  good luck

There has been a myth going around for years now that some dogs or cats are "hypoallergenic". And that's EXACTLY what it is - a MYTH. I know this for a fact. My Dad, who died from his asthma, was allergic to dogs. My sister got my parents a poodle because she had heard this myth. Daddy's asthma had gotten so mild he hardly ever had to use his inhaler. After the dog came into the house it got so much worse he had to be hospitalized many times. I kept telling them it was the dog, but my Dad said, "The dog makes your mother happy, so leave it alone." I even asked the asthma specialist at the hospital and he sat down with my Dad and explained it wasn't the hair, but the dander that people were allergic to, and that ALL dogs had dander. He told my Dad if they kept the dog he would die.

 

And he did.

[shadowicewolf]

Just to point out something, people can also be allergic to the saliva of an animal (such as a dog or a cat). It is not always the dander.

[nvsmom]

I don't know about the dog-allergy myth thing. I think some animals/breeds are worse than others. We had a terrier poodle cross and it did not bother any people we knew who were allergic to other dogs including a young neighbour who was a severe asthmatic  and very allergic to dogs... Just my anecdotal input.

 

Anyway, my son who is a very mild asthmatic (symptoms only when sick) went gluten-free over a year ago (even though he tested negative for celiac disease) and his asthma is gone. It took a while but he hasn't used his inhaler for about 6-8 months. There is a link between asthma and celiac disease.

 

I hope your little guy feels better soon.

[mommy2krj]

Thank you for all the replies!

 

His pediatrician said that his "asthma" was allergy induced. He only ever has coughing fits and only when his allergies are kicking his butt. The inhaler has NEVER done anything to help. Ever. We went through a couple of inhalers during a particularly nasty allergy season before we figured it out. He had two inhalers...a regular use one and an emergency one. He only rarely has these reactions during the day but will sit up all night coughing. I don't get it. I had a friend growing up that had nasty asthma. I swear every time she tried to spend the night at my dad's house she would have a nasty attack. You know, 2 in the morning breathing into a paper bag type of horrible asthma. Little man has never had anything like that.

 

His cat allergies take him close to a week to get over. It's weird. My oldest daughter is allergic to cats as well. Also breaks out in hives with the itchy eyes and nose and some coughing...but aside from one reaction that was pretty strong....nothing like her little brother. But once she takes a dose, maybe two of benadryl and a shower she's generally over it. Never really more than a day or so.

 

I think I'm going to have to get some appointments with the allergist again. I remember when we first found out he was allergic to cats. We were at a party for his sister's soccer team. He was probably 2 maybe 3. We walked in, sat there for a few minutes and then all of a sudden he's rubbing his eyes, which were starting to swell. About a minute later the coughing started and the hives appeared. We didn't have anything with us because we had no idea. Someone finally found a benadryl at the bottom of their purse. All sorts of questions about why we didn't carry anything if he was so allergic. We had no idea! Poor kid. All he wanted to do was hang out with all the girls! They hadn't even had the cat all that long. But it was an indoor/outdoor cat....which generally makes his sister's reactions stronger as well.

 

I'm going to go ahead and assume it is most definitely a combination of my MIL's house/neighbor dog and the cat dander traveling on my inlaws. He was home most of the day today. The coughing calmed WAY down. Then he went to grandma's to play with his cousins and nothing but coughing. :/ So frustrating. Makes me incredibly happy that my dad no longer owns a cat. I'll just say it was so much fun trying explain why his granddaughter didn't like going to his house. :/

[mommy2krj]

Actually, asthma is associated with celiac. (not that either of these conditions actually causes the other)

 

It's listed among 300 symptoms associated with it and some researchers have also found a link:

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

Sorry about your little guy. my brother and a few of my cousins have asthma and I know how difficult it is to deal with it. (I have tried telling them it could be a gluten issue but, well you all know what happens......)sigh

I thought I had read something about a connection of some sort. I tried telling my sister in law about it as her youngest son has had all sorts of breathing issues and been on steroids multiple times in his short 3 years. My brother in law is a bit, um...pigheaded about some things.

[mommy2krj]

There has been a myth going around for years now that some dogs or cats are "hypoallergenic". And that's EXACTLY what it is - a MYTH. I know this for a fact. My Dad, who died from his asthma, was allergic to dogs. My sister got my parents a poodle because she had heard this myth. Daddy's asthma had gotten so mild he hardly ever had to use his inhaler. After the dog came into the house it got so much worse he had to be hospitalized many times. I kept telling them it was the dog, but my Dad said, "The dog makes your mother happy, so leave it alone." I even asked the asthma specialist at the hospital and he sat down with my Dad and explained it wasn't the hair, but the dander that people were allergic to, and that ALL dogs had dander. He told my Dad if they kept the dog he would die.

 

And he did.

Awww...that just makes me sad. The things we do for those we love.

I've talked to my husband about getting rid of our dog. He's a cocker spaniel and fits right in with his own ridiculous allergies! But I'm fairly certain that, while it may not be a severe reaction, both my husband and my little guy react to him. We love the dog and he's been part of the family since before the little guy so it would be hard...but I still think they'd both benefit from him not being here. At this point though, he's an old dog with pretty bad glaucoma that it's really only a matter of time for him anyway.

[mommy2krj]

Just to point out something, people can also be allergic to the saliva of an animal (such as a dog or a cat). It is not always the dander.

 

I agree...though I'm fairly certain it's a dander thing with my little guy as all he has to do is walk into the house...not even be in the same room as the animal.

 

I've come close to saying I'm allergic to dog slobber given the St. Bernard my BIL has (man that dog's slobber!) but they already have their son's birthday parties at other locations so my little guy can attend. We've tried going to their house for summer things so we stay outside most of the time...but just going in to use the bathroom has an instant effect on him.

Thanks for all the feel better wishes. It's nice to be able to share with people that have an idea of what it's like!

[bartfull]

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