My seven year old son has suffered from severe migraines since he was three. This last summer they increased in both frequency and severity. I finally convinced his doctor to refer him for allergy testing. As I had suspected, he has allergies that include: Russian Olive Trees, Box Elder Trees, Ragweed, and many other trees and weeds that are common in our area. The doctor said that he will be most heavily affected from early summer through harvest. This doesn't surprise me really as this is when he has the most migraines. He has never had a runny nose and the doctor said that this is probably the reason he gets migraines because instead of draining, the pressure builds up. My son is already on Adderall for ADHD so the doc didn't want to put him on any more pills. Instead, he put him on Nasonex. I was wondering if any of you have had experience with Nasonex use in children. The paperwork I got said that headaches are a possible side affect. Needless to say, this is somewhat of a concern for me. The other thing that concerned me was the possibility of it slowing his growth. The Adderall already has this possibility so doubling it worries me. He is barely in the average range for height and weight as is. I would appreciate any input you could give. Thank you in advance.
Nasonex gave me an instant headache when put on it, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It was awful. My daughter uses Rhinocort Aqua, and has been for about 6 years-she does just fine with it.
L.
nasonex is pretty hard on the nasal passages... esp in this dry climate... keep an eye out for nose-bleeds.
since your son is willing to use a nasal spray have you considered using a nasal saline rinse first? t neil med makes one that is pretty easy to use (and comes in jr size). since your sons allergies are seemingly pollen based, using the rinse twice a day might help. plus it will keep his nose irrigated and moist.
a hepa-filter/air filter in his room at night will probably help too. there are also a ton of products to help, like slip covers for his mattress, pillows, dust-free comforters... getting rid of stuffed animals, carpet (in his room) etc... all can help reduce airborne irritants.
also, if you are looking for a drug free route... you might try accupuncture... it can be quite effective for allergy and migraine treatment.
also, a friend got her migraine-suffering daughter in to yoga & meditation... when she feels a migraine coming on she knows to go find a quiet place to lay down and kind of meditatess herself to sleep... plus the yoga has really helped her learn to relax and increased body awareness. she is better able to tell a migraine is coming and head it off before it becomes totally over-whelming.
My advice is a bit different. I suffer from migraines - used to be to the point I would lock myself in my closet where it was dark and quiet. This was happening at least a month and I would be out of work for at least 2 days each time. I hate taking medication if I don't have to, so I started looking for an alternative that would get me out of the closet. It might sound strange, especially since people have a pre-conceived notion about it, but I started going to the chiropractor 3 times a week for about 6 month (I only go once a week now). My migraines have become seriously less frequent - about once every 3 or 4 months on average - and less severe when they do strike. I would recommend looking for a chiropractor in your area that uses drop tables. You shouldn't be charged to just go in for a consultation, or if you are is should be minimal. I even take my 2 yr old to get adjusted once a week - helps make sure everything in that little body is still on the right track after all the tumbles they get into on a daily basis. I hope this helps, even if it just gives you something else to think about. Good luck! Feel free to contact me if you would like more info.
I actually used Nasonex during my second pregnancy. My daughter was born huge and healthy and today is in a gifted program (maybe it was the Nasonex! ha ha) She has allergies and has used Nasonex in the past although now uses Flonase. They both have been great help for her congestion and when I was pregnant they alleviated many headaches for me.
I cannot recommend a Chiropracter enough. Seeing a really good, the best are holistic, one can really save money in the long run. I have been seeing mine 3 times a week for nearly 3 months. My asthma is nearly gone, my severe hearburn is rarely a problem anymore and my sleeping problems are gone. I started going because my sister used Chiropractic for her son's allergies and he can now eat all but two foods when before he could only eat 3 total. It has also helped with his bed wetting. Chiropractic is amazing once you learn how it works.
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Definitely check out the chiropractor or a doctor of osteopathy if that works better for your insurance. We also do Neilmed Sinus Rinses. Our 5yo loved them so much I got one for myself and it's been almost a year since I took any allergy meds. Both our 5yo and 2yo are on Nasonex with no problems. The Nasonex and sinus rinses have helped our older son tremendously. GL! I hope you find some relief.
You have very valid concerns about steroids stunting growth and causing headaches. However, when a steroid is used in the nose, as Nasonex is, the amount that gets into the rest of the body is undetectable. That means that Nasonex will not slow your son's growth. About 4% of people who use Nasonex get headaches, compared to about 17-22% who use the same drug inhaled for asthma. I would say a nasal steroid (i.e. Nasonex) is definitely worth a try--anything to prevent a migraine!
Hi there,
My four year old son has a lot of seasonal allergies during fall and spring. He didn't have the classic runny nose either but was congested when he slept every night. They put him on Nasonex two months ago. It has helped him tons at night. He doesn't have headaches but was seriously congested every night.
I do the saline first, have him blow so his nose is moist then put in the Nasonex. They cannot blow their nose for I think an hour after putting it in. We do saline again in the morning.
So far no nose bleeds or problems.
The ENT also said he has a larger then norm not even sure what it is called but in his nasal passage so if he has allergy stuff it swells and causes nighttime congestion for him when he lays down. We do Nasonex every night before bed.
I do have a call into the ENT to see if I can stop it to see if it is okay to stop for winter time now.
So far he has not any of the side effects and has been on it two months. It takes a good week for it to truly work well too.
I don't like continual medicating my kids either so I totally understand your concern. If it is seasonal maybe you don't have to be on it continually?
From everything I have read Nasonex is very safe. Even ongoing. I am sure your Dr already knows about the Adderall and if there are any interactions with the medicines.
It is a steroid but not like the muscle building steroids. It helps relieve the swelling in the nasal cavity due to allergies.
My own Dr is considering putting me on it as I have all of a sudden shown signs of allergies during the fall this year. I too get the build up and the pressure due to allergies! :) Good luck
My 9 year old take Nasonex for the same reason. She has alot of pressure in her sinus. The Ear Nose and Throat Doctor also suggested having her use a Sinus Rinse. She uses Neilmed Sinus Rinse. The first time she used it I couldnt believe the difference. She could breath. Alot of snot came out and it was real gross that first time but it is not so bad now. She has been doing this for the last 3 weeks and we have had no head aches. It is alot doing this 2 times a day plus the Nasonex. Good luck.
I would be careful with Nasonex and I am glad you opted not to increase your son's Adderall! My girlfriend found an alternative to meds with Jus for her children. Visit www.myjus23.com/susanlamar and read the "Testimonials."
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J., my thoughts run along the same lines as Shannon's (a couple of responses below). I do wonder if it might be wise to try a chiropractor before adding another drug to the repertoire. Little ones can get out of adjustment due to the birthing process and the constant falls they make while learning to get around. If the nerves are hampered due to the spine being out of adjustment, it can cause all kinds of problems. ADHD may even be a symptom of that. It's worth giving a shot, anyway. A chiropractor should be able to tell if he's out of adjustment pretty quickly.
Hi J.,
I have lots of info on some all natural technologies that can help your son with everything from migraines, allergies, and ADHD. Please email me and let me know an offline email address I can send some info to. I will be out of town till the end of the month, but I've helped people with those conditions and have seen over 80 amazing things in the past 15 months.
Take care,
S.
My nephew had migraines and after tons of tests, he has Celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder stemming from his inability to metabolize gluten) The allergies he has turned out to be unrelated... He too, was on the small side for his age. You should check into it. Celiac is very underdiagnosed in our country.
Hi J.,
Have you spoken with a Chiropractor about the Migraines, ADHD and allergies? I know my Chiropractor treats all those things. Our whole family goes. My kids are 3 and 5. Here is his name and number if you'd like to call and find out more.
Dr. Joseph Arvay
###-###-####
My husband gets migranes. He also has allergies which cause headaches. The doctor said that the two aren't related. I have no idea if my husbands situation is anything like your son's, but it wouldn't hurt to verify with the doc. (My understanding is that migranes are vascular - blood vessels in the head contracting or something like that - and totally different from congestion/sinus/pressure type headaches. But I'm not a specialist).
If you are concerned about drug interactions or side effects, talk to the doctor. Also talk to the pharmacists - they are a great source we often overlook. I know a lot of people are very suspicious of medication and prefer to go a more 'natural' route. If you decide to do that, make sure you talk to your doctor and pharmacists as well. Even though some of these things are natural, they may still react with the medications he's already on. And kids metabolize things differently than adults, so you'll want to be sure things are safe for kids, and that you have the right dose, before you start him on ANYTHING, natural or 'drug'
