***UPDATE*** - Possible Food Allergy Causing Frequent Sinus Infections?

[momto2boys]

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post. I spoke with one of the docs and he doesn't feel the frequent sinus infections are due to a food allergy. He is leaning more towards an environmental allergy. So, I'll be making an appointment with the allergist to have him tested. I'd like to find the cause of them so he's not on antibiotics four or five times a year.

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My 4-year old DS was diagnosed with another sinus infection yesterday. He had previous sinus infections in mid-December and mid-October (I think). At the December appointment, the nurse practitioner suggested I have DS tested for allergies because she felt it could be the cause of his frequent infections. I opted not to have him tested at that time, but, at yesterday's appointment, she brought it up with DH. Now I'm struggling with having him tested or not. My previous pediatrician (in Illinois) told me they don't recommend testing children under age 5 or 6. I'm hesitant to put DS through the trauma of the prick test since I'm not convinced that a food allergy is the under-lying cause. I feel it may have something to do with his holding his nose when he sneezes but I'm no doctor.

So, if you were in my shoes, would you have your DC allergy tested at this age? Should I talk to one of the pediatricians for their opinion?

I am at a loss so any info would be appreciated. DH is also skeptical that these are being caused by a food allergy.

TIA,
Kathy

DS 1 - 12/05
DS 2 - 11/03
DS 3 - edd 7/06

[chlobo]

If you have questions I would definitely call and talk to one of the pediatricians. Obviously you don't want your child to go through unnecessary tests but you also don't want them to be sick unnecessarily if its something you can control.

[Elilly]

Graham's immunologist believes that there is more of a connection with sinusitis and reflux. That said, food allergies can cause reflux as well. Maybe try some prevacid and see if the sinusitis goes away for a while?

[kristine_elen]

I don't know what you mean by a prick test. The skin test doesn't hurt. My son had the skin test and blood test at age 8 months at the top hospital in the country, so I think doing it young is fine.

My friend's son had his adnoids removed at age 3 b/c they were causing sinus infections.

[brittone2]

Skin testing in young kids is notoriously unreliable from what I understand. I'd be more inclined to try an elimination diet (yes, a PITB for sure, but I think it would give you a better idea...) to see if that makes any difference.

Maybe also look into healing the gut w/ probiotics and/or xylitol, which is being shown to help w/ sinus and ear infections (eliminating the bacteria that cause it). It also helps prevent tooth decay.

[kath68]

Are they saying food allergies or environmental allergies? DH has a chronic sinus infection, and was told that the underlying problem was likely either a pet allergy or really bad hayfever. So that connection seems to be legitimate in some instances. I wouldn't assume food is the only/most likely culprit.

I would talk to the peds more about it, and if my insurance permitted, go to an allergist to see what they say.

Honestly, I'd probably go through with the test -- it doesn't take very long (I've had them myself twice), and while not perfectly reliable could yield some important information. I'd rather put my kid through a little discomfort if it meant there was a good (admittedly not 100%) chance of ridding him of longer-term discomfort down the line. Not to mention my own peace of mind knowing I have exhausted my search for the cause of the problem.

BTW, I would want to know more about how they are unreliable -- false positives? false negatives? Both? Can a blood test be done that is more reliable that the skin prick? There could be a way to mitigate how unreliable the information is.

[caheinz]

Have you been to an ENT yet? (Are there pediatric ENT's?)

I had chronic bronchitis through college. Finally, in grad school, I got referred out to an ENT. He took one look in my nose and saw a deviated septum, which no one else had ever noticed. It's the piece that runs down the center of the nose, and mine blocked off one side of my sinuses, trapping everything inside. I had to have sinus surgery to clean out the sinuses, which were full of nasty stuff of the likes the doc had never seen before. (Septum was fixed at the same time.) I haven't had bronchitis since, and though I'm still prone to sinus infections, I now know it and can be more proactive to prevent secondary infections.

Moral of the story: there are things that can be wrong that even the best ped may not be looking for. (I mean, I saw 20-some years worth of doctors before this was found!)

Are you sure they want to do a prick test? Not a food challenge? And, like another poster said, the prick tests aren't that bad.

[ethansmom]

Yes! See a ped ENT!

I suffered w/sinus infections and migraines for years. No doctor thought they were connected. I saw dr after dr but nothing fixed the problem. I finally ended up at a sinus clinic at a top-rated hospital and they found a deviated septum and bone spur. Not only was it blocking the drainage, it pressed on a pressure point in my face if there was any swelling (causing the migraines). I had the surgery about 5 yrs ago and haven't had an infection since!

BTW, since I'd heard all types of diagnoses and didn't want to jump into surgery, I asked if there was some type of medicine we could first try to see if the headaches were being caused by the spur pressing on the pressure point. I don't remember the name of the med, but it was a nasal spray...my mom said it was a drug used for asthma. Maybe something like that could help as well.

[barbarhow]

My DS was finally diagnosed by skin testing with a dairy allergy. He had frequent ear infections up until the time he was diagnosed with the allergy. Since that time-2 years ago-he has only had 1 ear infection. He goes yearly for skin testing. At his first he was found to be egg and milk allergic. Last year at 27 months he was no longer egg allergic. He will go back in June for retesting. Hopefully he has outgrown the milk allergy.
I think your NP is totally correct in recommending skin testing. It is more reliable than the RAST test (Blood test).
A food allergy can cause inflammation in the upper respiratory tract which can cause fluid buildup leading to an ear infection or in older children who have developed sinuses-a sinus infection. I would absolutely heed her advice and get to the allergist as soon as possible. The longer he is exposed to a potential allergen the more stress to his immune system.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
and Anna 5/12/05, my little Yankee fan!

[Tondi G]

A friend of mines son has allergies and the environmental ones don't cause him as much trouble as his dairy sensitivity. She can always tell if her son has had dairy (at preschool sometimes) cause he develops a cough... and in a week or so of no milk/dairy the cough disappears! She put him on soy milk initially and the cough he had had for months went away and didn't resurface till she tried cows milk again! My neighbor had a similar situation with her son. When she started cows milk after he turned a year he had EI's and bronchitis over and over... she switched him to rice milk and he was suddenly healthy!

Good Luck with the allergist!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05