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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What’s The Deal With All Of These Kids Being Diagnosed With Asthma?
daycare 01:16 PM 09-08-2015
has anyone else noticed this?
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Crystal 02:05 PM 09-08-2015
Poor air quality. Especially now with all of the wild fires we have been having in Cali.

Although, I have, in the past,had children diagnosed with "cold induced asthma" Meaning, the child is sick, but we'll diagnose it as asthma so he can return to daycare.
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NeedaVaca 02:05 PM 09-08-2015
I personally think it's due to pollution, the tons of chemicals we put on our bodies and cleaning products in the house and diet (processed foods etc), and the anti bacterial products being used.
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daycare 02:09 PM 09-08-2015
Originally Posted by CoachingForQualityImprovement:
Poor air quality. Especially now with all of the wild fires we have been having in Cali.

Although, I have, in the past,had children diagnosed with "cold induced asthma" Meaning, the child is sick, but we'll diagnose it as asthma so he can return to daycare.
I myself was diagnosed with is earlier this year.. I have never had it before in my life. I know that the lack of rain is creating very poor air quality then add in all of the seasonal allergens going around due to the lack of rain.

i am in farm county so i get hit hard with allergies. I never had allergies until I moved here.

I am about ready to go back the beach...I miss new port
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Rockgirl 02:26 PM 09-08-2015
Originally Posted by CoachingForQualityImprovement:
Poor air quality. Especially now with all of the wild fires we have been having in Cali.

Although, I have, in the past,had children diagnosed with "cold induced asthma" Meaning, the child is sick, but we'll diagnose it as asthma so he can return to daycare.
My doctor diagnosed me with this a few years ago. It really only bothers me when I run during winter. Before I started using an inhaler, I'd cough for about an hour every morning after running.
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Unregistered 02:39 PM 09-08-2015
The introduction of antibacterial anything played a huge role in the massive increase in food allergies and asthma. Google increased number of children with asthma and you'll find tons of information
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Febby 04:14 PM 09-08-2015
I haven't seen an increase here. None of my current children are diagnosed with it. One at my last center was, but only one. But we haven't had a significant change in air quality.

I do have asthma and was diagnosed pretty young (four, I think?), but that was obviously a while back and it's stuck with me. It gets worse if the air is bad, but it's always there.
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stephanie 04:56 PM 09-08-2015
Yep, poor air quality, and I've also heard that children living in poverty are more likely to have asthma, since air pollution may be worse in lower income areas, and children in poverty may be more exposed to cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, etc. that contribute to asthma. So I'm sure it varies by state/region as well.
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Ariana 05:12 PM 09-08-2015
My kids have dairy allergies, more specifically allergies to whey. According to some of the articles I have read whey allergies can show up as Asthma in later life. So all of those kids with dairy allergies who "grow out of it" don't actually grow out of it, it turns into asthma. I know at least 3 kids with dairy allergies who ended up developing asthma as soon as the DR told them to go ahead and eat dairy. My husband has severe asthma and has given up dairy and it has helped him tremendously. We went on vacation and he ate dairy for 2 weeks and he had to start taking his inhaler (which had expired he hadn't used it in so long) again.

I am sure this is only one of many things contributing to it. I also think misdiagnosis is a big one as well and DR's wanting to give puffers for everything.
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Unregistered 11:36 AM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by CoachingForQualityImprovement:
Poor air quality. Especially now with all of the wild fires we have been having in Cali.

Although, I have, in the past,had children diagnosed with "cold induced asthma" Meaning, the child is sick, but we'll diagnose it as asthma so he can return to daycare.
That is not true. My daughter has cold induced asthma and it is a real thing. The illness is a trigger for asthma just like an allergy is for some kids. It makes their airways constrict. WE have spent multiple nights in the ER from a minor cold. It is not a fake illness people have to allow their kids into school, however, I'm sure some can abuse this when they are really sick just like some people can take advantage of everything.
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Unregistered 11:41 AM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
That is not true. My daughter has cold induced asthma and it is a real thing. The illness is a trigger for asthma just like an allergy is for some kids. It makes their airways constrict. WE have spent multiple nights in the ER from a minor cold. It is not a fake illness people have to allow their kids into school, however, I'm sure some can abuse this when they are really sick just like some people can take advantage of everything.
Also- many people did not seek treatment a long time ago if it was not that bad. However, most people now know that it is very scary to play the waiting game to see if your child will outgrow it. They definitely can outgrow it but it can lead to scarring on the lungs. We kept thinking wow my daughter just gets REALLY sick a lot and she was sick for 4 months straight one time. By the time we thought asthma we went to the dr and her blood oxygen level was so low they had to transport her to the hospital. When we saw an asthma specialist she had scarring on her lungs. This scarring can lead to COPD in grown ups even if the child has outgrown the asthma as many do when their airways expand. So knowledge of the dangers has led more to seek treatment leading to more diagnosis.
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daycare 11:43 AM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Ariana:
My kids have dairy allergies, more specifically allergies to whey. According to some of the articles I have read whey allergies can show up as Asthma in later life. So all of those kids with dairy allergies who "grow out of it" don't actually grow out of it, it turns into asthma. I know at least 3 kids with dairy allergies who ended up developing asthma as soon as the DR told them to go ahead and eat dairy. My husband has severe asthma and has given up dairy and it has helped him tremendously. We went on vacation and he ate dairy for 2 weeks and he had to start taking his inhaler (which had expired he hadn't used it in so long) again.

I am sure this is only one of many things contributing to it. I also think misdiagnosis is a big one as well and DR's wanting to give puffers for everything.
Interesting... I actually don't consume dairy but this is interesting. I have heard other people say something similar.

can allergy test be conducted in children under 5
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Crystal 12:08 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
That is not true. My daughter has cold induced asthma and it is a real thing. The illness is a trigger for asthma just like an allergy is for some kids. It makes their airways constrict. WE have spent multiple nights in the ER from a minor cold. It is not a fake illness people have to allow their kids into school, however, I'm sure some can abuse this when they are really sick just like some people can take advantage of everything.
Oh, I know that in some cases it is a "real" thing. But, I have seen MANY whose parents demand a dignosis from the Dr. so he can return to care, and it ends up being cold-induced asthma, even though the child had never previously exhibited any symptoms of asthma, and did not after the cold went away, even with subsequent colds.

I have had children who had the "real" thing (cold-induced) but it didn't just magically go away after one cold, it happened every time they got a cold. They also had allergies that would trigger attacks.

Sorry if my post made it sound like ALL cold-induced asthma diagnosis' were provided to allow child to return to care.
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mommyneedsadayoff 12:13 PM 09-11-2015
I think asthma has a lot to do with our food system. I think a lot of the allergies also come from our food system. We eat crappy food, we get sick more often and for longer periods of time (chronic everything), and we use meds to fix it, rather than changing out diet. The only thing is that changing the diet is not always helpful if the processing and production of food does not change. I think this is why local farms are becoming so popular and the large corps are starting to see the trend and attempt to offer whole foods without all the extras.
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Thriftylady 12:19 PM 09-11-2015
My daughter has asthma. It took us moving for me to get her a new doctor to find it out. He doctor told me she just had "a snot nosed cold" from the time she was born until we moved here to Ohio when she was seven. She would have "colds" for months on end, which I found odd. After we moved to Ohio her new doctor ended up diagnosing her with Asthma. I guess what I am saying is that it is possible for cases to go a long time without being diagnosed, especially when parents like myself know little about it.

My daughter who does pretty well with it in the summer (except for when swimming a lot, something about it gets her I think it is the odor of the chemicals). But now true to form this time of year her allergies started up, and she is wheezing and coughing up a storm and will likely be pretty constantly until spring. It is NOT a fake issue, and most doctors won't just "fake" it. DD had to have THREE doctors visits where there was wheezing before the doctor could make a diagnosis, the doctor said that was the medical standard because you can wheeze and not have asthma.

It is a SERIOUS chronic condition and to take a lax attitude about it as a childcare professional is dangerous.
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Unregistered 12:24 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
My daughter has asthma. It took us moving for me to get her a new doctor to find it out. He doctor told me she just had "a snot nosed cold" from the time she was born until we moved here to Ohio when she was seven. She would have "colds" for months on end, which I found odd. After we moved to Ohio her new doctor ended up diagnosing her with Asthma. I guess what I am saying is that it is possible for cases to go a long time without being diagnosed, especially when parents like myself know little about it.

My daughter who does pretty well with it in the summer (except for when swimming a lot, something about it gets her I think it is the odor of the chemicals). But now true to form this time of year her allergies started up, and she is wheezing and coughing up a storm and will likely be pretty constantly until spring. It is NOT a fake issue, and most doctors won't just "fake" it. DD had to have THREE doctors visits where there was wheezing before the doctor could make a diagnosis, the doctor said that was the medical standard because you can wheeze and not have asthma.

It is a SERIOUS chronic condition and to take a lax attitude about it as a childcare professional is dangerous.
who has taken a lax attitude about it?
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Thriftylady 12:26 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
who has taken a lax attitude about it?
To assume that parents and doctors are faking it is a lax attitude. The child you assume doesn't have it when they do is a big deal.
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Crystal 12:35 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
To assume that parents and doctors are faking it is a lax attitude. The child you assume doesn't have it when they do is a big deal.
I assume you are referring to my post. As I said in a later post, I do not mean ALL cases are diagnosed as such, and some are truly induced by colds/allergies. I was stating from MY experience, in which it has happened. It actually became pretty common in my area for some time and it was coming from the same group of doctors.

If a child were to have "colds" for months on end, they wouldn't be in my care for months on end without having been referred to, evaluated by and given a professional diagnosis.
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daycare 12:39 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by CoachingForQualityImprovement:
I assume you are referring to my post. As I said in a later post, I do not mean ALL cases are diagnosed as such, and some are truly induced by colds/allergies. I was stating from MY experience, in which it has happened. It actually became pretty common in my area for some time and it was coming from the same group of doctors.

If a child were to have "colds" for months on end, they wouldn't be in my care for months on end without having been referred to, evaluated by and given a professional diagnosis.
my husband said exactly what you said about the doctors diagnosis as well and he is an MD...
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Thriftylady 12:41 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by CoachingForQualityImprovement:
I assume you are referring to my post. As I said in a later post, I do not mean ALL cases are diagnosed as such, and some are truly induced by colds/allergies. I was stating from MY experience, in which it has happened. It actually became pretty common in my area for some time and it was coming from the same group of doctors.

If a child were to have "colds" for months on end, they wouldn't be in my care for months on end without having been referred to, evaluated by and given a professional diagnosis.
But how do you KNOW it was fake? Are you able to listen to lungs and diagnose? If not, to assume the families are lying is dangerous. If the doctor wrote up the diagnosis, you have to assume that it is correct. If you question it you can call the authorities in your state and report your suspicions, but you have to care for the child based on the written treatment plan of the doctor.

If you have never sat up all night listening to your child breath after they have been sent home from the doctor or hospital and are still having issues, you are very lucky. But it is something those of us who have done it won't forget.

ETA: As far as the diagnosis my daughter was getting from her professional for years, it was a cold. I had suspicions but had no idea how serious it could be. If I had, she would have had a new doctor much sooner. I had never spent any real time around anyone with asthma and had no clue. I now try to tell parents about what happened to us so they know what to look for.
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Rockgirl 12:50 PM 09-11-2015
My diagnosis of cold-induced asthma isn't due to me having a cold.....it's due to cold air, which is why I cough and cough when I run outside in winter.
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Thriftylady 12:52 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Rockgirl:
My diagnosis of cold-induced asthma isn't due to me having a cold.....it's due to cold air, which is why I cough and cough when I run outside in winter.
Yes, My DD gets that also but not nearly as often as she gets a cold from allergies and such. We don't allow dd to run and such outside in the winter though.
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Rockgirl 12:53 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
Yes, My DD gets that also but not nearly as often as she gets a cold from allergies and such. We don't allow dd to run and such outside in the winter though.
I probably wouldn't let my child, either. But I let myself, lol.
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daycare 12:56 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
But how do you KNOW it was fake? Are you able to listen to lungs and diagnose? If not, to assume the families are lying is dangerous. If the doctor wrote up the diagnosis, you have to assume that it is correct. If you question it you can call the authorities in your state and report your suspicions, but you have to care for the child based on the written treatment plan of the doctor.

If you have never sat up all night listening to your child breath after they have been sent home from the doctor or hospital and are still having issues, you are very lucky. But it is something those of us who have done it won't forget.

ETA: As far as the diagnosis my daughter was getting from her professional for years, it was a cold. I had suspicions but had no idea how serious it could be. If I had, she would have had a new doctor much sooner. I had never spent any real time around anyone with asthma and had no clue. I now try to tell parents about what happened to us so they know what to look for.
its not fake....it's just that because there are not really any other medications that they can prescribe for children under 5 that are safe.

most colds cause inflammation in the airway and congestion in the lungs, an inhaler is the fastest way to combat it. so my husband says

he said most doctors are not well educated in asthma and that most kids under 5 are never usually diagnosed with actually having it.
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Thriftylady 12:57 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Rockgirl:
I probably wouldn't let my child, either. But I let myself, lol.
Well I guess I will ask this..... Why put yourself though that? But I am asking as a person who hates cold anyway.
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daycare 01:01 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Rockgirl:
I probably wouldn't let my child, either. But I let myself, lol.
lucky for me when I am able to run it does not get cold enough here that breathing becomes an issue.

NOW I ran in Denver Colorado once and I say once, because even though i was there for a full week and intended to run each day. I could not even walk due to the elevation and air there.................
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spedmommy4 01:15 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
That is not true. My daughter has cold induced asthma and it is a real thing. The illness is a trigger for asthma just like an allergy is for some kids. It makes their airways constrict. WE have spent multiple nights in the ER from a minor cold. It is not a fake illness people have to allow their kids into school, however, I'm sure some can abuse this when they are really sick just like some people can take advantage of everything.
Agreed. My daughter has it too. Allergies are a trigger for her too. I can't send her to school when her illness triggers it. She gets really bad.
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Rockgirl 01:26 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
Well I guess I will ask this..... Why put yourself though that? But I am asking as a person who hates cold anyway.
Because I am a runner. I sometimes run on a treadmill, but I'd rather be outside. I'm out there for at least a couple of my runs, even in winter. In fact, colder weather makes running enjoyable for me, and I'm a person who does not enjoy being cold. I know it doesn't make sense, but running makes it feel as if it's roughly 20 degrees warmer. And I don't cough while running--it's as soon as I stop. I can take a couple of puffs from my inhaler, and I'm fine. I'm only using it 2-3 times per week.
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Rockgirl 01:29 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by daycare:
lucky for me when I am able to run it does not get cold enough here that breathing becomes an issue.

NOW I ran in Denver Colorado once and I say once, because even though i was there for a full week and intended to run each day. I could not even walk due to the elevation and air there.................
The altitude kills me! We went to a concert at Red Rocks last summer, and walking up the ramps and steps, I had to stop twice to catch my breath. I decided then not to register for any races there, which is a shame, since it's so beautiful.
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Thriftylady 01:39 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by daycare:
its not fake....it's just that because there are not really any other medications that they can prescribe for children under 5 that are safe.

most colds cause inflammation in the airway and congestion in the lungs, an inhaler is the fastest way to combat it. so my husband says

he said most doctors are not well educated in asthma and that most kids under 5 are never usually diagnosed with actually having it.
Maybe that is why my DD went so long. She does better with her singulair and allegra each once a day now. But there are times (this year is awful for allergies here it seems she and I are miserable), that nothing seems to help. We try to keep DD out of the cold air as much as possible but the colds going around school get her I think she catches every one that goes around there and it seems to take forever for her lungs to clear up when she does. I felt so bad when her new doctor here looked at me with a very serious face and said "how long has she been wheezing like that?" and her eyes about popped out of her head when I said "Since a few days after she was born mostly". I had no ideal nighttime coughing was a sign of asthma.
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Crystal 02:40 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
But how do you KNOW it was fake? Are you able to listen to lungs and diagnose? If not, to assume the families are lying is dangerous. If the doctor wrote up the diagnosis, you have to assume that it is correct. If you question it you can call the authorities in your state and report your suspicions, but you have to care for the child based on the written treatment plan of the doctor.

If you have never sat up all night listening to your child breath after they have been sent home from the doctor or hospital and are still having issues, you are very lucky. But it is something those of us who have done it won't forget.

ETA: As far as the diagnosis my daughter was getting from her professional for years, it was a cold. I had suspicions but had no idea how serious it could be. If I had, she would have had a new doctor much sooner. I had never spent any real time around anyone with asthma and had no clue. I now try to tell parents about what happened to us so they know what to look for.
When it has been diagnosed, I do treat it as such. I am not being "dangerous". I am trained in the use of nebulizers and inhalers and have used both in such situations.
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Thriftylady 03:40 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by CoachingForQualityImprovement:
When it has been diagnosed, I do treat it as such. I am not being "dangerous". I am trained in the use of nebulizers and inhalers and have used both in such situations.
Glad to hear that. When those are used, the insurance will not pay for them without the proper criteria being met. We had to sign we would pay for the neutralizer from the doctor, because the insurance wouldn't pay for it until all criteria was met. It was and they paid but they require it to be a real diagnosis.
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KiddieCahoots 03:56 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
That is not true. My daughter has cold induced asthma and it is a real thing. The illness is a trigger for asthma just like an allergy is for some kids. It makes their airways constrict. WE have spent multiple nights in the ER from a minor cold. It is not a fake illness people have to allow their kids into school, however, I'm sure some can abuse this when they are really sick just like some people can take advantage of everything.
I haven't read on to see if anyone has commented.....but has anybody talked about having your daughter's tonsils and adnoids removed?
I had infectious asthma when younger. Had the surgical procedure done at 13yrs of age, this was after being hospitalized twice and put into a breathing tent. After the tonsilectomy, it went away completely, almost like magic.
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KiddieCahoots 04:19 PM 09-11-2015
Has anyone noticed that tonsillectomys are not performed as often? Coincidence with the amount of increase in asthma patients?
I'm just one, but when I was younger and was sick with a common cold, it would always move into my lungs, and I would end up sounding like the exorcist when I would breath. It was awful!
A tonsillectomy took away EVERY symptom.

I believe a contribution of things make this what it is..... partly what I mentioned above, the over use of antibacterial products.

http://center4research.org/child-tee...es-and-asthma/

And the change in environment
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health...misery-n354931
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Thriftylady 04:20 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by KiddieCahoots:
I haven't read on to see if anyone has commented.....but has anybody talked about having your daughter's tonsils and adnoids removed?
I had infectious asthma when younger. Had the surgical procedure done at 13yrs of age, this was after being hospitalized twice and put into a breathing tent. After the tonsilectomy, it went away completely, almost like magic.
I have never heard of infectious asthma. Glad that helped you.
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KiddieCahoots 04:37 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
I have never heard of infectious asthma. Glad that helped you.
Basically it was what started out as a cold, that would end up in the lungs. To the point of hospitalization with a breathing apparatus (an oxygen tent) and steroid medications.
Thank you Thrifty, it cured me
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Unregistered 08:24 PM 09-11-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
Maybe that is why my DD went so long. She does better with her singulair and allegra each once a day now. But there are times (this year is awful for allergies here it seems she and I are miserable), that nothing seems to help. We try to keep DD out of the cold air as much as possible but the colds going around school get her I think she catches every one that goes around there and it seems to take forever for her lungs to clear up when she does. I felt so bad when her new doctor here looked at me with a very serious face and said "how long has she been wheezing like that?" and her eyes about popped out of her head when I said "Since a few days after she was born mostly". I had no ideal nighttime coughing was a sign of asthma.
Yep those are definitely symptoms. Others are having your colds last FOREVER, too humid or even too dry bothering it, and if they get bothered with exercise. But not all wheeze. My daughter didn't wheeze at all. She would get so bad she'd throw up because she couldn't breath. Her chest was so tight she couldn't wheeze. And for the exercise all she would do was lay down because she was tired. Didn't seem to not be able to breath, but not being able to breath was making her exhausted
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Ariana 06:04 AM 09-13-2015
Originally Posted by daycare:
Interesting... I actually don't consume dairy but this is interesting. I have heard other people say something similar.

can allergy test be conducted in children under 5
This is the kicker. Whey allergies do not show up on allergy tests at all. My daughter was allergic to dairy and I had no idea until she was 6 months and I first fed her yogurt. She broke out in an eczema type rash. So I gave up dairy (I was BFing her) and didn't feed her anymore dairy. So many issues cleared up like her cradle cap, goopy eyes and non stop sneezing (which I thought was normal baby stuff). I took her to the allergist at 1 year for an unrelated allergy (she reacted to her vaccines) and I asked them to test her for dairy. it came back negative so I started feeding her dairy again as so many people, including the allergist, told me that kids grow out of it. Within two weeks she started getting eczema on her skin. So I decided to give it up again and sure enough it went away. The weird thing was that I knew she wasn't allergic to Casein (The protein they test for) because it is in her rice cheese plus her allergy test came back negative. She was also ok with dairy that was baked, like in a cake. So I started to do some research as I was very confused and this is when I discovered whey allergies and what they are. It all made sense to me. Whey allergies have been linked to asthma from what I have been reading. Then my husband decided to give it up and it was amazing the results he had!

My niece also has a whey allergy but my sister keeps feeding her dairy anyway and lo and behold she was diagnosed with asthma at 3 years old. She was rushed to hospital twice for it My sister just doesn't want to believe, like so many people, that dairy is the culprit. My sister herself has a dairy allergy but thinks it's lactose so takes the lactose pills and assumes she is good to go. She feeds her daughter the pills too but I can see both of them suffering. My niece with her major asthma and my sister with an autoimmune disease. My brother also has severe asthma but refuses to give up dairy. My nephew on my husbands side just got diagnosed with asthma as well but of course they won't give up their dairy either. As you can see whey allergies run in my family on both sides. For me dairy affects my skin. When we went on vacation I was eating dairy for 2 weeks and my skin broke out in acne and I was constantly blowing my nose. Dairy is a known mucous producer in the lungs so for me it just results in a little more congestion but for someone with asthma is results in a more severe congestion as their body already produces more mucous in the lung.

My advice to anyone suffering from asthma or who has a child suffering from asthma is to give up the dairy for a few weeks (at least 2) and see if there is any improvement. Dairy is in everything so it will be difficult but there are a lot of awesome alternatives out there now.
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Thriftylady 09:24 AM 09-13-2015
Originally Posted by KiddieCahoots:
Has anyone noticed that tonsillectomys are not performed as often? Coincidence with the amount of increase in asthma patients?
I'm just one, but when I was younger and was sick with a common cold, it would always move into my lungs, and I would end up sounding like the exorcist when I would breath. It was awful!
A tonsillectomy took away EVERY symptom.

I believe a contribution of things make this what it is..... partly what I mentioned above, the over use of antibacterial products.

http://center4research.org/child-tee...es-and-asthma/

And the change in environment
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health...misery-n354931
I hardly ever hear of them anymore. Hadn't thought of it but they don't do them so much. DD does the same thing, every time she gets a cold it goes to her lungs and asthma. And I am not sure if it is just her or because of her asthma but she seems to catch every darn cold that walks past her.
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