Dust Mite Allergy?

[kandb]

My 9 year old son was recently diagnosed with a dust mite allergy. He has reactive airway disease (pre-asthma like symptoms) and always got croup almost everytime he got sick when he was younger (and still gets its now also). We brought him to an allergist when he was around 5 and it showed nothing but brought I'm back recently and he tested positive for dust mites. It's a hard allergy to deal with since dust is everywhere. We are getting rid of carpeting (mostly area rugs) in our home. When he goes in our basement which is fully carpeted and damp he shows a lot of allergy issues including breathing problems. I am not sure if he will go for allergy shots and the allergist even said something about oral medication to make him immune to dust. Anyone have a child who has dealt with this and have any suggestions?

 

[kimblebee]

I was told I have an allergy to dust mites when I had a slew of allergy tests. I’m also apparently allergic to birch bark (how is that a thing lol)

Was he found to be highly allergic or did he just have a reaction (a bump) and they have to call it an allergy. I’m not a doctor (and didn’t recently stay in a Holiday Inn) but I wouldn’t go crazy trying to get rid of all sources of possible dust..it would be impossible.

Hopefully you can find something that works. Not being able to breathe properly is no fun.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My son had something similar and managed it with an inhaler as needed, and sometimes benadryl and Claritin. Thankfully, he has mostly grown out of it. Oh, and he sometimes uses a Neti pot.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Our daughter has a severe dust mite allergy. She was sick a lot before we found this out and took steps to deal with it. We removed all of the carpet in the house. We also use the hottest setting on our washer and dryer for her bedding, curtains, and stuffed animals once a week. It was twice a week per her allergist for awhile, but I've since found she does fine with once a week. Some of her stuffed animals can't be washed, so we bag them and put them in the freezer for 24 hours. We use mattress covers and pillow protectors. We updated the air filtration system in our home, too. Ever since we started doing these things, she has been mostly well. When we visit places that do have carpet and probably don't implement the rest of our plan, she does start to flare up. We're never away long enough for her to get very sick again, though.

Our daughter was on an OTC allergy med for awhile after diagnosis and while we were still making all of these changes, but she was able to stop that completely a few months after her environment changed. I have not heard about an allergy med that eliminates the dust mite allergy, but we went through all of this about 11 years ago so maybe it wasn't around or often used back then.

I hope your son starts to feel better soon!

 

[Disney Doll]

Good suggestions. May I
Also recommend an air filtration or air purifier ?

I was having lots of trouble with my in the morning being stuffy, eyes itchy etc. we purchased an air purifier by a company called Alens. Hepafilter. We put it in our bedroom. It has made a world of difference.

My 90 year old dad had the same issues. We bought 2 more...one for the living room where he spends a lot of time and one for his bedroom. The difference in his level of sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes etc has been
Amazing in 2 days.

 

[aprilchem]

My 9 year old son was recently diagnosed with a dust mite allergy. He has reactive airway disease (pre-asthma like symptoms) and always got croup almost everytime he got sick when he was younger (and still gets its now also). We brought him to an allergist when he was around 5 and it showed nothing but brought I'm back recently and he tested positive for dust mites. It's a hard allergy to deal with since dust is everywhere. We are getting rid of carpeting (mostly area rugs) in our home. When he goes in our basement which is fully carpeted and damp he shows a lot of allergy issues including breathing problems. I am not sure if he will go for allergy shots and the allergist even said something about oral medication to make him immune to dust. Anyone have a child who has dealt with this and have any suggestions?

I'm an adult who was diagnosed with a dust mite allergy (amongst other allergies) with mild asthma a few years ago. Here are the things we've done that have essentially gotten rid of all my symptoms:

• remove all carpets in the house. The padding under carpets can contain dust mites, as well as mold, mildew, and other gross things.
• Remove all of the knickknacks and other dust collectors in my bedroom.
• Encase the mattress and my pillows in a dust mite-proof covers. My DH doesn't have dust-mite covers on his pillows and it doesn't bother me, but mine are all covered.
• Invest in a good quality air purifier. I have one in my bedroom and one in the main living area. Change the HEPA filter regularly.
• Clean the house filter on a regular basis.

I would definitely try all of these things before medication, because they'll improve the overall health of your family and aren't too hard to do.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The OP said she was removing all carpets already.

The filter is a great idea. (With my son the culprit [to reactive airway disease] was seasonal allergens and putting in central air, i.e. keeping windows closed, helped a lot.)

Also, he can take a shower before going to bed and change the pillow case nightly (or frequently) to keep the allergens out of his bed. I would have him wear slippers in the house and [obvlously] take them off before getting in bed. (So an actual shoe type slipper as opposed to a slipper sock type thing.)

Since it's practically impossible to avoid dust mites in life (just as it is to avoid going outside during allergy season), I would be sure to have medical remedies on hand for when he reacts, too.

My 9 year old son was recently diagnosed with a dust mite allergy. He has reactive airway disease (pre-asthma like symptoms) and always got croup almost everytime he got sick when he was younger (and still gets its now also). We brought him to an allergist when he was around 5 and it showed nothing but brought I'm back recently and he tested positive for dust mites. It's a hard allergy to deal with since dust is everywhere. We are getting rid of carpeting (mostly area rugs) in our home. When he goes in our basement which is fully carpeted and damp he shows a lot of allergy issues including breathing problems. I am not sure if he will go for allergy shots and the allergist even said something about oral medication to make him immune to dust. Anyone have a child who has dealt with this and have any suggestions?

 

[okeydokey]

Dust mite covers for box spring, mattress and all pillows helped my son a lot. Also removed the carpets from his room.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I was told I have an allergy to dust mites when I had a slew of allergy tests. I’m also apparently allergic to birch bark (how is that a thing lol)

Was he found to be highly allergic or did he just have a reaction (a bump) and they have to call it an allergy. I’m not a doctor (and didn’t recently stay in a Holiday Inn) but I wouldn’t go crazy trying to get rid of all sources of possible dust..it would be impossible.

Hopefully you can find something that works. Not being able to breathe properly is no fun.

ANY raised area on an allergy test means you do indeed have an allergy to that substance. Some will react more severely than others and can give and idea of the severity of the allergy, but even that is not 100%. You can have a mildly positive skin test to something and find that its the allergen that gives you the most trouble.

I have known I have nasal allergies for years but written them off and "not a real allergy". My decreasing ability to control them with meds has forced my hand. I finally(at age 40) stopped being stubborn, and went for allergy testing today. My arms felt like they were on fire by the end of the test. I reacted to 24 out of 28 environmental allergens, and will be starting 2 allergy shots a week as soon as those reactions subside.

 

[kimblebee]

ANY raised area on an allergy test means you do indeed have an allergy to that substance. Some will react more severely than others and can give and idea of the severity of the allergy, but even that is not 100%. You can have a mildly positive skin test to something and find that its the allergen that gives you the most trouble.

I have known I have nasal allergies for years but written them off and "not a real allergy". My decreasing ability to control them with meds has forced my hand. I finally(at age 40) stopped being stubborn, and went for allergy testing today. My arms felt like they were on fire by the end of the test. I reacted to 24 out of 28 environmental allergens, and will be starting 2 allergy shots a week as soon as those reactions subside.

I never said it wasn’t a real allergy. Maybe I worded it weird, but I guess I could have just said how big was the bump. A 3cm bump is more severe than a 1 cm bump.

 

[Toolulu22]

I'm an adult who was diagnosed with a dust mite allergy (amongst other allergies) with mild asthma a few years ago. Here are the things we've done that have essentially gotten rid of all my symptoms:

• remove all carpets in the house. The padding under carpets can contain dust mites, as well as mold, mildew, and other gross things.
• Remove all of the knickknacks and other dust collectors in my bedroom.
• Encase the mattress and my pillows in a dust mite-proof covers. My DH doesn't have dust-mite covers on his pillows and it doesn't bother me, but mine are all covered.
• Invest in a good quality air purifier. I have one in my bedroom and one in the main living area. Change the HEPA filter regularly.
• Clean the house filter on a regular basis.

I would definitely try all of these things before medication, because they'll improve the overall health of your family and aren't too hard to do.

This.

My allergies include dust mists and mold. Get rid of dust collectors in the bedroom and put in a HEPA air purifier. We try to vacuum and dust often and it makes a huge difference.

I agree that eliminating the causes of the allergy is better than trying to treat the symptoms.

If I walk into a room with mold or dust, I immediately start to show symptoms (runny nose/scratchy throat/eye irritation) and so take a Xyzol every day per my allergist. Before that it was Zyrtec for a long time, years ago I started with Claritin. I like Xyzol because I don’t notice any side effects.

I started allergy shots, but not for dust mites, not sure why. I was treated for mold, cat, and either ragweed or trees. 3 things- maybe that’s the most you can get at once? I stopped the shots however. I reacted to the first low dose of mold, and it was pretty traumatic. I decided to deal with the allergies instead.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I used to have terrible allergies. I remember when I was about 13 going to my grandma's house and my aunt made me help her clean. I instantly started sneezing and my eyes got red, itchy, and swollen. My dog allergy started around the same time. I would get a "cold" every time I would go to my grandma's (they had a dog). I went to a vet appt with her once and the vet actually told me I had allergies. I started taking Benadryl when I would go to their house, and it helped.
Before DH and I got married, we talked about getting a dog. My first allergy test, I reacted to just about everything they stuck me with - dogs, cats, dust, pollen, but not horses (oh how I have begged DH to let me get a horse lol!). We held off for a bit because the allergist told me (no lie), if we got a dog, my allergies would get worse, I would get asthma, and I would die. He was totally serious and I was so upset. So we decided no dog. Well after I moved into DH's house, I was constantly in a terrible state because of my allergies - dust, pollen (we live out in the country surrounded by farms), mold. We got special filters for the furnace, and I could tell the day they needed to be changed every month (I would be miserable!) I finally tried another allergist. The tests all came back with the same results, but the new dr was willing to treat me. I started the oral drops and using a nasal spray and the first night using the nasal spray was the first good night of sleep I'd gotten in months! DH even had to check and make sure I was breathing in the middle of the night because I had never slept so quietly.
The oral drops are expensive, but the shots would've probably ended up costing just as much if not more because of needing to drive 50 miles roundtrip once a week for 2 years, then every other week for 2 years, then I think once a month for a year to get the shots. I administered the drops myself, obviously, and it was easy. I had to be retested every three months so they could adjust my drops, but that wasn't too much of a hassle.
I do still take a Zyrtec every day, and will have a little tickle in my nose when I clean, sometimes a few sneezes, but nothing like it used to be. I am a huge proponent of treatment, and early on is better. It really improved my quality of life.

 

[ditta]

My 9 year old son was recently diagnosed with a dust mite allergy. He has reactive airway disease (pre-asthma like symptoms) and always got croup almost everytime he got sick when he was younger (and still gets its now also). We brought him to an allergist when he was around 5 and it showed nothing but brought I'm back recently and he tested positive for dust mites. It's a hard allergy to deal with since dust is everywhere. We are getting rid of carpeting (mostly area rugs) in our home. When he goes in our basement which is fully carpeted and damp he shows a lot of allergy issues including breathing problems. I am not sure if he will go for allergy shots and the allergist even said something about oral medication to make him immune to dust. Anyone have a child who has dealt with this and have any suggestions?

Hello, yes, we have and it's been a long road. My youngest is on allergy immunotherapy now, which is helping but it takes a long time. In the mean time, I do what I can to minimise allergens in the home. We live in Australia, so it's very humid here, which dust mites love. I have found dustmiteallergysolutions. com. au to be very helpful

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hello, yes, we have and it's been a long road. My youngest is on allergy immunotherapy now, which is helping but it takes a long time. In the mean time, I do what I can to minimise allergens in the home. We live in Australia, so it's very humid here, which dust mites love. I have found dustmiteallergysolutions. com. au to be very helpful

Welcome to the dis, ditta. You have to be careful there about bypassing restrictions on linking by adding a space there, you may get whacked.

 

[BrianL]

My son had something similar and managed it with an inhaler as needed, and sometimes benadryl and Claritin. Thankfully, he has mostly grown out of it. Oh, and he sometimes uses a Neti pot.

I had something similar. It developed late in high school but started getting really bad in college, no doubt from going into those very dusty old buildings at school. I would get hives and a cough, plus liek swelling in my lips. I found that going outside helped clear it up and that the newer buildings weren't as bad. An alergist never really confirmed the cause, but we just called it "indoor allergies." It was manageable with Claratin or even Benedryl. I definitely hated it when I would forget to take it! Eventually, it just became a non-issue and I don't get them anymore at all.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Same here, both me and kids, it is such an annoying allergy because there is so much overlap, basically anything that causes dust can be a thing:/

Biggest is to not rewear clothes, have outerwear that can be washed (I air it out on hangers in the garage but wash in pollen season) shower at night before bed, keep up with clean washable bedding like quilts not fluffy (I keep 2 sets bedding for easy swapping), cover sheets with topper during the day to prevent dust settling on bedding, bad pollen I use a giant extra sheet to cover the bed. I get super red and itchy with dust kickup and need to shower immediately so you might want to clean when your child is out of the house. Fans can be a menace, try to keep stuff from blowing into the face. There are times of day to air out the house and times not to for dust buildup. The dollar store has great wand dusters, a damp washcloth pulled over a swifter is great for floors and you can just wash it. Might notice fragrance sensitivities too with this so I like the Bona unscented floor mop, I can wash and dust at once

Be careful with medications that can mess with mood, the singulair has been tied to some nasty stuff, Allegra was much better with behavior, research every medicine closely ask the Dr and watch your kid. I noticed prednisone behavior issues kicked in on day 3 so that's when I would keep the kids home... sigh, lots of apples fruit and waters keep weight steady. I kept inhalers all over the place and in sports bags with a note for coaches, during flares even a nebulizer was manageable with 7 am, 3pm & 11 pm where I would go in to the nurse to administer right before dismissal so they could do sports.

One of the biggest things to trigger the dust was when the corn would be harvested in the fall so I would start the medicine as soon as I saw the tractors and would tell the kids to watch on the bus too. Teachers would open the windows during bad pollen so I had the kids tell me and would start up the Allegra. Also had issues in the Feb thaw, if you watch pollen. com outside temps and all you'll see patterns and be able to get ahead of it.

This mentions dust mites https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/triggers.html

Dust Mites​

Dust mites are microscopic bugs that are in many homes. If you have asthma and are allergic to dust mites, they can trigger an asthma attack. To prevent attacks:

• Use allergen-proof mattress and pillowcase covers to make a barrier between dust mites and yourself.
• Don’t use down-filled pillows, quilts, or comforters.
• Wash your bedding weekly and dry it completely.
• Vacuum carpets, area rugs, and floors regularly using a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter.
• Keep relative humidity levels in the home low, around 30- 50%.

**Pollen count info is important too simply because pollen makes things dusty, this is useful for timing when you might not want to open windows
https://www.zyrtec.com/allergy-guide/outdoors/best-times-low-pollen-count

Highest and Lowest?​

The amount of pollen in the air varies from day to day, as well as throughout the day. Planning your outdoor activities for times when the pollen count usually drops may help minimize hay fever symptoms.

When Is The Pollen Count High?​

Pollen counts usually rise in the morning, and reach their peak by midday or early afternoon. This is the time of day that allergies are often the worst, since there is a high concentration of pollen in the air.

The release of pollen also depends on the species of plant or tree – so if you’re allergic to a certain type of pollen, you may notice symptoms peak at different times.

If the worst time of day for your allergies changes, you might want to speak to your doctor in case a different type of pollen or another allergen is the source.

When Is The Pollen Count Low?​

On an average day, pollen counts rise during the morning, peak about midday, and then gradually fall. So the lowest pollen counts are usually before dawn and in the late afternoon to early evening. But this is all relative – if the pollen count is very high, a moderate decrease later in the day may still leave a high concentration of pollen in the air.

Pollen levels are lower overall at nights, but in certain conditions the effects of pollen can feel more intense – when this is the case, your sleep might be affected6. Cooler night-time conditions can also cause pollen to descend to ground or second-story level7.

Knowing the most likely times for a low pollen count ensures you can better plan your days during hay fever season.

Its a lot at first but you get used to it, good luck