Allergies @ WDW?

[forgetyourtroubles!]

If you are an allergy sufferer (things like pollen, mold, ragweed, airborn particles) did you experience symptoms while at WDW?
We are going May 16 and my allergies and all my kids allergies have been TERRIBLE here at home in TX. Wondering if we need to cart all this medication and nebulizer junk with us.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

My Ds has quite a bit of allergy problems with occassional wheezing. We went last January and left cold dry air for the warmer moist air in Flordia. He had some problems before we left but they seemed to get worse there. I know this sounds strange, but the shows where they used the smoke stuff ( I'm not sure what it is) really seemed to bother him. I am sure it is something that should not bother people's allergies but it did him. We kept him on his regular medication the whole trip. I would take everything you could need just to be safe and then hope that you don't need any of it. Here hoping for a healthy trip.


Jordan's mom

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

I have a 3 year old with environmental allergies and asthma. Last year, his nose started running in March here in Ohio and it ran constantly for months. They day after we arrived in Orlando in June the running nose cleared up completely.....like someone turned off a faucet....and he was great the entire time we were there. It started up again a little when we returned to Ohio, but it didn't get as bad as it was........well, at least not until the cycle started over again this March......

Not sure how much similarity there is between the types of pollens/molds found in TX vs. Orlando, but I thought this might provide one encouraging story!

Good luck!

 

[Baloo]

If I was you I'd take the stuff.I'd rather be safe than sorry.I take all my meds with me although I don't seem to be bothered as bad with sinus headaches while I'm there...I think all that pixie dust floating int the air helps take those away!

 

[perpetualplanner]

Our theory is " Do you want to have to go to the emergency room for a breathing treatment when you could just bring the stuff with you?" It's what I tell DH all the time when he doesn't want to bring the nebulizer and inhalers and medication and countless other "stuff" we have for DS. You'd rather be safe then sorry and end up spendig a day in ER for something that takes 15 minutes in your resort.

 

[forgetyourtroubles!]

*sigh* you are right. We will take our "ball and chain" nebulizer with us. I should be thankful we aren't in need of a wheelchair and oxygen tank, huh?

 

[perpetualplanner]

Well I guess you're right about the wheelchair and oxygen tank but I know how you feel. My son takes more medicine than many older people do and he STILL has problems. It's just the way it goes - and he NEEDS to breath so I dole out the pills every day and he takes them. I'm just waiting for the day when he won't take them anymore.

 

[forgetyourtroubles!]

MedsRUs, too. There was a time that between my 3 kids, I was administering 56 doses of meds per day!! And people would ask me if I had a job! After 7 years, my most chronic child is down to generally 2 meds/day and my other 2 are on an "as needed" basis. I, too, hope they will outgrow it.

 

[perpetualplanner]

How old are your kids?? When did they start to outgrow it?? Mine is almost 8 and what I've read says if they're going to outgrow it they start around 7. Oh well - only time will tell at least he never crashes (knock on wood).

 

[laceemouse]

Texas is very large. Do you live in the wet part or the dry part? We lived in Jacksonville, Fl. for many years and my brother lived in Houston. I would say they were very similar climate wise and plant wise. Also, you have never seen as many flowers, trees, and plants as you will see at WDW. Definitely bring all your stuff!!!

 

[deirdrefitch]

We live in Central Texas, and my son too has fought allergies/asthma this spring. Probably one of the worst seasons we have had in a couple of years. He has never had a problem with his asthma acting up in June. Our whole family dealt with mild allergy problems last year. My son used his Allegra and Singular, and went on like normal. Sudafed took care of the rest of us. I think Orlando and the central/southern part of Texas has basically the same pollens, mold, etc. I would take everything with you just to be safe. Walk-in clinics in Orlando/Kissimmee are quite expensive.

 

[veraletta]

I have allergies and asthma and when in Orlando they clear up..I do bring all our meds, nebulizer and inhalers, and same with my son his clears up too. its doesnt start back up again untill we get to Charleston, WV.

 

[erinch]

When my DS was 3, it was before inhaled cortasteroids. He needed an average of 8 breathing treatments a day. This was also before battery pack nebulizers. Needed electricity to run it. Before spacers; couldn't use an inhaler. Every trip we made, anywhere, was outlet to outlet.

When we made our first trip to DW with him at 3, we had made arrangements for a plane with electricity available, in case he had breathing difficulties in the air. They screwed it up, and we discovered, when we were in the air, that there was no way to run the nebulizer if needed. It was an hour flight, and sure enough he started to wheeze and retract in the air. Was fine with a treatment on the ground, but during our entire trip, every time we sat down for a meal, he took one bite and started to choke and wheeze. We had to interrupt every meal to find an electric outlet and give him a treatment before going back to the cold food.

He's now 15. Even though people delighted to tell us all about their grandson Jeremy who grew out of it at age 7, he has not. in fact, after years of improvement, when he was 13, an anaphylactic reaction to a few strands of hidden cheese plummeted him into uncontrolled asthma and severe reflux, which took over a year to turn around.

For us, the miracle drug has been advair. Even though it has the exact same meds as the long-acting albuterol and the inhaled CS taken separately, somehow the delivery together has turned it around for us. Even with the spring pollen, he goes days without having to use his rescue inhaler.

But when we go this summer, we will take the nebulizer, the epipens, the backup inhalers, the emergency prednisone, the antihistimines, cortisone cream, eyedrops, stomach meds.....

We will remind ourselves to be thankful that hte current nebulizer is 1/4 the size of the first sewing machine sized one. That it recharges, and dispenses the meds in 1/2 the time. That there have been advances in treatment. We will give thanks for inhalers.
We will give thanks for the stellar first aid centers in each of the parks, which let you drop it all off, hold it for you, and let you administer it all when you need to with cheer and grace.

And---we will still sigh when we enter our 15th year of packing it all up.

 

[DisneyVillain]

Call the special needs line (I think it is 407-939-7807), and tell them that you are concerned about your child's allergies.

Tell them that a non-smoking room is a medical necessity. They will guarantee that you will have a non-smoking room.

They can also order what they call a VIP cleaning. Before you enter your room they will do extra filtered vacuuming, wipe down all the walls and furniture, and replace the drapes and comforters with freshly laundered ones. There is no charge for this service.

I would take the neb and meds. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[loveswdw]

For us it was location. We stayed at POFQ for our honeymoon in Sept. 99. As soon as we got to the resort my DH and I both just totally stopped up. When we would leave to go to the parks or DTD, we would clear up.

We figured there must've been some type of flower or plant that was growing around the resort to which we were allergic. So needless to say we didn't spend anymore time at the resort than necessary since it was a nice thing to be able to breathe!!

When we stayed there last Sept. I made sure I took the OTC allergy/sinus pills... guess what? We didn't need them this time!! Weird!!

loveswdw

 

[erinch]

Given my DS's absolutely over-the-top asthma I was really petrified about staying at POR--or any moderate, due to the window units rather than central air.

In addition to the VIP cleaning, we also requested they change the filter in the ac unit. I was really glad I did, because I saw the one which went out. We had absolutely no problems with the air conditioning and were really pleased at how clean the unit is.