Talking Allergies

Absolutley love your magazine. Hav eyou ever considered doing an article on sleep, and the difficutlites children with asthma and allergies face. Perhaps some strategies specific to this population. We have a little guy that is almost two and we certainly struggle. I have found that a lot of sleep strategiesthat work with other kids don't take into account helath related issues.
Thank you
Stephanie

I second that idea, Stephanie. Both my kids have had huge problems sleeping, and I'm sure it's been related to one or more of reflux, allergies, asthma.

Example: My youngest had been a good sleeper, and then started having problems around the age of 3. For 2+ years, between the ages of 3 and 5+, he didn't sleep through the night. When I mentioned this to my allergist, said that she suspected his asthma wasn't as well controlled as it could be. (You'd think I would have clued in to this, but I think I was so sleep deprived and so focussed on keeping him safe with regards to his food allergies that I just didn't clue in.)

We upped his Flovent to 2x day instead of 1x a day (which had been what another allergist had told us to reduce it to), and on the advice of a Certified Asthma Educator, added Singulair to the mix -- and (cue heavenly angelic singing here) HE STARTED SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!

Same with my oldest - he didn't sleep through the night for the first 5 years of his life, and I now suspect reflux had something to do with it.

Seven+ years total is a long time to go without a good nights' sleep, and the usual baby books don't often mention allergies/asthma/reflux as potential causes of poor sleeping with young children.

It would be a great topic to research.

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

Meant to answer ages ago - have added this as a topic to research. Won't be next issue, but will see what new findings we can come up with on the topic in '07.

Thanks for the idea. /Gwen

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Gwen,
That is great to hear. My son has just been referred to the pediatric sleep clinic here in Edmonton. Sleep is a very hot topic in our family. I know that many have said it before me but your magazine has truly empowered me as a parent and provided me with a sense of community in a world that is just beginning to understand what it means to be allergic. My whole family receives your magazine and on the day it comes we all read it cover to cover.
Stephanie

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myself -Shell Fish, asthma, environmental allergies
Husband - Environmental allergies
7 year old- peanut, environmental
5 year old- eggs, nuts, fish, peas, environmental, and asthma.

Thanks very much for saying.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Gwen - I'm sure you already know this, but at the CSACI annual meeting at the end of October they are actually discussing sleep disorders and atopy.

See http://www.csaci.ca/CSACI_ASMpp2006.pdf - page 5 - "Sleep disorders: The Trojan Horse of Atopy"

I would be very interested to hear what they say...

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma