Friday, February 9, 2007

Sleepless nights

Before I became a mother, I listened to many parents joke about not sleeping after you have children. I knew that I would not sleep when my child was an infant, but I assumed I would get a few nights of rest when she became a toddler. This has not happened. At first, I didn't acknowledge that Manther never sleeps through the night. I poo-pooed it as occasional restlessness and I ignored the frequency of her middle of the night wake-ups. However, she is quickly approaching two years of age and, if I were going to be brutally honest, she only sleeps through the night about once a month. I think I know what the problem is. She can't breathe. She is constantly congested and 5 months of the year green goop oozes from her eyes and nose. Daycare told me three times this year she had pink eye. She never had pink eye, but she did have disgusting gunk in her eyes. Many folks (myself included) jave suggested she has allergies. My husband and I have replaced the dryer exhaust and many furnace filters and torn out the carpeting in the house, but it doesn't really seem to improve anything. It is probably time to seek medical attention. I dread this. I will have to make repeated appointments (lost work time) with the primary before she and whatever resident happens to be filling in that day actually believe there is a problem. Then, we move onto a series of all day appointments with specialists(lots o lost work time) while they assess the situation and determine how to treat. Treatment is a hit or miss thing. They may find one that works initially, but the chances are just a good they won't find one that works. So, you go through a few treatments and Manther improves. Most likely, she has just outgrown the allergies, but the docs will have a theory on why this course of treatment is relieving some symptoms. I don't really see the point, but I hate to see Manther shuffling around the house sniffling all the time. Springtime is just around the corner, so I think I can put this off until next winter and maybe she'll outgrow this without 25 doctor's appointments.
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4 comments:

CAIM Treatment said...

I'm from India, but have come across a group called Share Care and Prayer who are living together because they have MCS syndrome (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity). I was asounded by the number of chemicals in the homes which are toxic to certian kinds of sensitive people. Take for example the fabric softner contains alot of solvents which depress the immunity system of a person. When the immunity system gets depressed algergies start. Take for example the pesticide called Dursband one spray of Dursband in the house leads to supression of the D Cells which is the immunity systems main fighting armoury. It supresses the D Cells for almost 9month to 1yr. Toileties, Aersol cans, Parfumes, Fire retandant chemicals all seem to have some effect on our immunity system. There is a good book Alergies by Theron Randolf which you may refer to will tell you all the Alergies that are in the house. And by the way my brothers kid who is 3yrs old, after my brother and his wife started to use all the ecofriendly products.

CAIM Treatment said...

We run a treatment & recovery group in India, and we are trying to get this Allergy thing. Maybe the lady at Share Care & Prayer can send you alot of information.

Omara said...

My son was constantly congested with a runny nose since he was 6 months old. He is now two and a half. For the last 8 months, I cut out dairy products and gave him a spoon of garlic oil (just snip a capsule) with his daily multivite syrup. It helped a huge deal.

Omara said...

...oh I forgot to say, he also had an operation Nov 2006 to remove his adenoids. That helped too.