Does your LO take anything for seasonal allergies?

[lilbunnygirl]

What do you use if your child has seasonal allergies? Have you/do you use Children's Zyrtec?

We used it last year & it was wonderful, no bad effects at all and really helped Cash's symptoms.

He has been on it for a week now this year & I think it may have something to do with the pee issues we're having. Last night for the second night in a row, Cash woke up having totally soaked through an overnight diaper (not a pull up, a full on nighttime diaper, the same ones we have been using with 100% success for 12-14 hours at a go since October of 2008) his pajama pants, his sheets and his comforter.

Yesterday, I know since we're keeping the sticker chart, he peed in his potty 12 times, in the yard 2 times, had 1 accident in his big boy underwear, and went at least once (but probably 2-3 times) in a pull up while we were out & about. Now the kid drinks water all day long, so I never think much about him peeing a lot, but looking at that combined with suddenly soaking through the diapers in the night makes me wonder. Especially since he takes the Zyrtec at night before bed.

The only two things that have changed recently is he is drinking milk (which I can't see increasing pee production like that) and the Zyrtec. I have found 1 place where increased urination is listed as a "rare side effect" of Children's Zyrtec,and one site where a user of adult Zyrtec said he had to pee constantly all night every night, like he had no idea how he could have produced that much urine, he'd go like someone who had just drunk 8 glasses of water then lay down and 5 minutes later he'd have to go again.

I am going to call the pediatrician when they open and ask them, just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced anything like this with Zyrtec.

If you give your kids anything for seasonal allergies, what do you use? Last time I gave Cash Benadryl, it made him feel woozy and weird but not enough to knock him out, so he was just up crying and freaking out all night, so I am kind of scared to try that again.

[MomHenry918]

I've tried Children's Zyrtec and Claritin for Annie (Claritin worked better), but the thing that I'm TOTALLY sold on is the Chloraseptic Allergy Blocker gel that you put under their nose a few times a day. I mean, we're talking INSTANT clear-up that's drug-free and I don't have to wrestle her to take medicine. Win/win!! :hula:

[lilbunnygirl]

Thank you so much, that is a great tip! I am going to buy some of that today & some Claritin. I'm going to stop the Zyrtec tonight, try the Chloraseptic and see how he does. Worst case, I'll have the Claritin on hand if he's having symptoms after a few days of no Zyrtec.

[Jojo]

I can ask my MIL about the Zyrtec. She works for an allergist.

[Leah]

My doctor said Children's Zyrtec or Children's Claritin were fine. I think we did Zyrtec, but I didn't notice any increase in urination or other side effects. ;) Maybe try the Claritin and see if there is a difference or do the Zyretc for a couple more days and see if the same thing happens.

[lilbunnygirl]

Yeah, my pediatrician says it's fine & the peeing is unrelated. But another friend of mine said her little girl got extra excitable/easily worked up and had more pee accidents when she was taking it & those two things describe Cash's behavior the last two days to a TEE.

So I'm stopping the Zyrtec entirely. I am going to try using nothing but the Chloraseptic that Carrie recommended today and tomorrow and then if he is still having symptoms saturday, I'll try Claritin at bedtime.

[dixielanddelight]

Dylan takes the Zyrtec, let me know if you find something better...As he does pee alot, LoL, AND it doesn't really work wonders...It helps, but not to my liking.:hehe:

As for Benadryl, my doctor is against it, he says he's seen it give alot of young kids nightmares. And once he mentioned it, I linked it to Dylan having bad dreams.

[Farah]

Charlie took Zyrtec but I didn't notice a pee increase. Then again I didn't pay attention all that much.

[Goosey]

We usually do a Walgreens or Walmart brand allergy formula. Nothing fancy or special or anything.

[lilbunnygirl]

Well the Chloraseptic Allergen Block Gel is backordered, the druggist told me they have stopped production for some unknown reason (not a safety issue, he said it's really good and very popular) so I might order some onloine, since some sites seem to have it. In the meantime, I stopped the Zyrtec and will see how he does with nothing. I got some Claritin to try if need be.

[Bootysaurus]

Dylan has taken Zyrtec for many Springs. She pees a lot too. I believe it to be somewhat of a diaretic. (spelling? Oh well, I'm tired :hehe: )

I love that stuff though. It works and doesn't make her sleepy!!

[lilbunnygirl]

Well, 1 night without Zyrtec and no peeing issues + no huge drama king meltdown temper tantrums, so I think it was the culprit.

The downside was that he coughed and sneezed and had a crusty nose all day, and intermittently cried that his nose hurt and his face hurt. When I pointed to my sinus area and asked if that was where his face hurt, he said yes. Poor baby :(

So I gave him a dose of the Claritin an hour before bed. He was still coughing at bedtime, but he's been down for an hour now with no cough. I hope he doesn't over-pee from this stuff, because clearly he has to take something. He did drink half a sippy of water right before bed, so we'll see.

On a side note, when I posted about this on FB, one of my very good friends who I respect as an a parent immensely really fired me up by saying "I would just let him deal with the allergies. Aren't there some natural methods you could try?"

I was steamed. I tried natural/homeopathic remedies with him during last year's allergy season before turning to medication. I am all for natural methods, when they work. But I'm going to let my son "deal with" coughing himself awake all night? Crying because his sinuses hurt? I mean, I'm pregnant & taking benadryl for my own allergies, I'm going to let him suffer? No ma'am.

[Bootysaurus]

Yea. I would be irritated too.

Dylan has HORRIBLE seasonal allergies. I find the Zyrtec works really well for her, but has weird side effects (peeing a lot being the worst one) and Claritin has no side effects, but doesn't work as well.

Hope he sleeps tonight. Coughing sucks. Maybe some Motrin once a day would help his sinus pain?

[MomHenry918]

Ugh...I hate when people assume that you HAVEN'T tried other methods of relief...and then jump your lunch like you're a bad parent!!

I do hope the Allergy Block works for you. Did you order some? I swear by the stuff!! :hula:

[lilbunnygirl]

Well Claritin was a major fail, he peed through 2 diapers AND coughed all night :( I gave him a Triaminic cough strip at 1 and he finally was able to fall asleep at 2. I guess for now I am going to have to stick with those, they work, just not great for overnight because they are only 4-6 hours.

Carrie, we were going to look at Target today for the Allgeren Block and then order it online if they didn't have it. Someone told me they thought they saw it there. It's this, right?

http://a1468.g.akamai.net/f/1468/580/1d/pics.Drugstore.com/prodimg/192920/300.JPG

[Bootysaurus]

Aww poor guy!! Allergies suck. Dylan would get the biggest bags under her eyes and looked so miserable. I hope he gets through the Spring ok!!

[Cali Mama]

I give Sierra Claritin and it seems to work well.

[lilbunnygirl]

Well we got the last tube of the Allgeren Block in Target yesterday & I put it on him before we went out last night. After about 45 minutes his coughing had diminished some. When we got home, I gave him a Triaminic cough & runny nose strip & put more Allgeren Block on him after his bath. He slept all night, 10 hours, without coughing once! And peeing is back to normal too. So I think we have this licked!

Thanks again for the recommendation Carrie!

[dixielanddelight]

We switched Dylan over to Claritin Friday and it seems to work great!