to the parents that recently moved here.... (home, move)

[leighbhe]

I was just talking to a mom at my daughter's school and she was saying the same thing. Everyone in the family has been sick constantly since they first moved here about 2 months ago. I think you just encounter new things, and some people do end up with allergies though!


Leigh

[MAtoNC!]

My youngest seems to have a reaction to pine. She has a runny nose a lot. My husband and I have allergies and take Claritin and Allegra. My other two children are no worse for the wear since moving here.

[PDXmom]

My kids have been pretty cold free but I've been more sick in the last 2.5 months than I've been in years before. Ear infection, sinus infection, strep throat, sinus colds w/ fevers. I finally got into an ENT... he thinks I'm allergic to ragweed. But I need to be here for a whole year before we know for sure what I'm allergic to. I'm not looking forward to my body's response to spring time here!

[mamaof2]

my son is allergic to ragweed, but i didn't think allergies could cause colds and strep throat!?!? the only way to get those illnesses is from someone else who is carrying those germs. or is it that having allergies weakens the immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses? perhaps this is why he has been getting sick so often?!? anyone in the medical field on the board??

[saturnfan]

Try Flonase it works where Claritin fails. Now generic but does require prescription.

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by mamaof2

my son is allergic to ragweed, but i didn't think allergies could cause colds and strep throat!?!? the only way to get those illnesses is from someone else who is carrying those germs. or is it that having allergies weakens the immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses? perhaps this is why he has been getting sick so often?!? anyone in the medical field on the board??

I'm not in the medical field... but would love to hear input on your question.
However, the ENT told me that the allergies could be weakening my immune system which is making me more susceptible to viruses. He also said Ragweed can travel up to 50 miles and that it will be around until frost. Not sure when frost is. I'm using Veramyst which has helped. But I don't know if it can be prescribed for kids.

[findingmesomeday]

I agree about the Flonase. Miracle drug!

First frost means first HARD frost--a few nights of below freezing weather. And it's probably both the ragweed and mold spores that are doing you in.

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by mamaof2

have your children been sick a lot since moving to the area? not that i am blaming the area, but just curious to see if anyone else is in the same coincidental boat. we moved here at the end of april, and since june, my children have had one thing after another. croup, strep, multiple colds, etc. they are not in day care, i wash their hands and they take vitamins. WTH?

Nope....she's rarely sick...the occassional mild cold same as before we moved. Her allergies stayed about the same.

I don't think you can blame an area for kids getting sick.

[NYC2RDU]

This might be the healthiest three month stretch my family has had since we reached our current head-count in 2000. I've had a touch of allergies very recently but that's nothing unusual this time of year.

[VaNC]

On this same point, my pediatrician said they usually see a big blip in new viruses run through the kids in town after the State Fair. I guess people from all over the state come in to town, touch rides, etc. and then, voila, lots of new strains of viruses in Raleigh!