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Forum -> Children's Health -> Allergies
DD Allergic to scents & chemicals- can anyone relate?



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Do your allergies impact your day to day life?
No allergies  
 43%  [ 26 ]
I have allergies but they do not impact my life very much  
 25%  [ 15 ]
I have allergies that mean I need to be careful (about what I eat or similar) but they don't majorly impact my life  
 6%  [ 4 ]
My allergies mean I avoid certain situations but not too often  
 10%  [ 6 ]
I frequently change my plans/make different plans because of my allergies  
 3%  [ 2 ]
My allergies impact my life every day  
 8%  [ 5 ]
Other  
 3%  [ 2 ]
Total Votes : 60



amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 12:33 pm
My DD (age 14) is allergic to almost all scents (even most essential oils) and a bunch of chemicals that are found in lots of everyday products.

Soap, shampoo, deodorant, lotion, etc are a real struggle & when we find one that works, more often than not, within a few weeks (of if we're lucky months) she starts reacting to that too.

School wasn't an issue until this year. High School girls use alot more products than elementary school girls and there are way more teachers, too. She basically can't go into the room when the whole school is together. She davens in the hallway and misses any other group activities.

The school is trying very hard to make it work for her, we all agree that you can't tell all the girls not to wear scented products (they did ask if we would want that- my daughter was adamant that it should not be done). Her class is pretty good about minimizing the scents although there is one teacher whose class she can't be in.

Additionally, because she's exposed so much more at school, she is now having issues in other situations that hadn't bothered her in the past (simchas, etc)

She is amazingly good about all of it but she has asked if I could find any other people who have similar allergies and could commiserate or offer tips. I'd love to do that.

If you or anyone you know has similar allergies and would like to meet others please email

chemicalallergies@gmail.com

If anyone has any suggestions feel free to post here!

Thanks!
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amother
Royalblue


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 3:42 pm
Some cleaning products make me very dizzy and I get a headache.
My mil's perfume! I don't think it's just hers but she's the only lady I'm in close contact with that wear perfume everyday! I work from home. When I'm in a car with her I open the window!
I'm doing allergy shots right now and it's really helping. It took me a while to start because it's a huge commitment but I'm happy I did!
I'm also allergic to dust, mold, weed and grass...
Does she take allergy medicine everyday? I think that would help when going to school!
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amother
Taupe


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 3:51 pm
Is she diagnosed wh MCS?
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 3:54 pm
amother [ Taupe ] wrote:
Is she diagnosed wh MCS?


What is MCS?
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amother
Taupe


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 3:57 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
What is MCS?


Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

See this link

https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/.....ty%20(MCS)%20is,toxic%20effects%20and%20neurobiologic%20sensitization.
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 4:03 pm
amother [ Taupe ] wrote:
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

See this link

https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/.....ty%20(MCS)%20is,toxic%20effects%20and%20neurobiologic%20sensitization.


This is not her situation. She has always had eczema and asthma that the doctors believed were linked to allergies, but we couldn't find the trigger(s).

A year or two ago we took her to a new allergist who, in addition to doing a regular allergy series did a special chemical allergy skin test. It was a 4 day process with 3 appointments. The list of chemicals she is allergic to came from that test.
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amother
Ginger


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 4:34 pm
Totally relate. My cousin got asthma attacks from fragrances. I thought she was being creative using potted foliage plants as the centerpieces at her ds bar mitzvah and never realized that was because she can't be near most flowers. Once I learned about her situation I stopped wearing scented products.

I've also received a couple of simcha invitations with inserts asking people to refrain from wearing scented products.
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anonymrs




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 5:05 pm
Have you had your home tested for mold? Ever had water damage to your house? Old carpets?
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notshanarishona




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 5:15 pm
I have a close relative who has something similar but would she be comfortable getting chizuk from an 80 year old man?
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 5:35 pm
notshanarishona wrote:
I have a close relative who has something similar but would she be comfortable getting chizuk from an 80 year old man?


I doubt it, but I will ask her. Thanks!
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 6:16 pm
amother [ Royalblue ] wrote:
Some cleaning products make me very dizzy and I get a headache.
My mil's perfume! I don't think it's just hers but she's the only lady I'm in close contact with that wear perfume everyday! I work from home. When I'm in a car with her I open the window!
I'm doing allergy shots right now and it's really helping. It took me a while to start because it's a huge commitment but I'm happy I did!
I'm also allergic to dust, mold, weed and grass...
Does she take allergy medicine everyday? I think that would help when going to school!


She does take allergy meds (and we have tried a few different ones with her doctor to see which work best), they help a little. Allergy shots do not help for the chemical/scent allergies, only the environmental ones.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 6:53 pm
My daughter and I both have multiple chemical sensitivities.

We always get yelled at in the drugstore, because we have to smell things before we can buy them, and the stores don't want us to test anything. Rolling Eyes

I can't go to certain indoor shopping malls if they have large perfume departments right at the front of the stores. Victoria's Secret is my nemesis. I can't get within 50 feet of that store!

DD had a major asthma attack once, because the girls in her class were trying out all of their perfumes on each other, and spraying in the air as well. She had to leave the room, and the teachers yelled at her, threatened her, and told her she was lying about needing fresh air. B'H, she held her ground and got sent to the principal's office. I gave them a piece of my mind when they called!

You know what the school said? "We can't control what the girls do. DD just needs to get used to it." I told them that if they can't control the girls, then they can put DD's desk in the hall outside the door. Banging head

For house cleaning, I use vinegar, baking soda, and organic enzyme cleaners. I use a product called Biocidin to spray on any mold if it pops up, and I have moisture control crystals under the kitchen sink and in the bathroom. (The downside of a basement apartment.)

I use unscented laundry soap, and dry everything in the sun as much as possible for the antibacterial properties.
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amother
Salmon


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 7:34 pm
I'm allergic to trees, grass, dust, dust mites and ragweed. My allergies affect me every day of my life. I cannot escape my allergies even in a clean, carpet free home. I live with chronic sinus infections, a post nasal drip that causes a lot of inflammation and pain and chronic bad breath.
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amother
Cobalt


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 9:03 pm
I’m allergic to dust and chemicals, but not in a debilitating way bh.

I do know someone who is allergic to facial hair. Exclamation shock
She only found out right after she got married, and it definitely affects her life!
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amother
Silver


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 10:45 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
This is not her situation. She has always had eczema and asthma that the doctors believed were linked to allergies, but we couldn't find the trigger(s).

A year or two ago we took her to a new allergist who, in addition to doing a regular allergy series did a special chemical allergy skin test. It was a 4 day process with 3 appointments. The list of chemicals she is allergic to came from that test.
could you please share the allergist info. My dc is allergic to half the foods my pediatrician tested for (10 of 20 foods) every allergist I talk to just tries to convince me challenge some of her allergies without even finding out what else she is allergic to. I know she is allergic to something else, but I don't know what. I feel so lost. TIA.
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amother
Lemon


 

Post Thu, Nov 19 2020, 11:54 pm
Reminds me of my sister-in-law. She has really bad asthma and it gets triggered by perfumes. She has ended up in the hospital after being near people who wore heavy perfume at simchos, and once needed the ICU. The family now includes a strong request in our simcha invitations for guests not to wear perfume or cologne, but not everyone listens.

SIL avoids all but the closest family simchos for this reason. In her community most women do not wear much perfume otherwise. Also, she once switched her daughter from a really good speech therapist whose scent came home on her daughter's hair and clothes. When she sat shiva recently (right before Corona) there was a note on the door and in all shiva information that people could not come wearing scents. A few people either didn't realize or didn't listen so she had to stay in a bedroom until the air cleared each time.

I just asked her about high school. She says school was actually fine. No one wore much scent to school 30 years ago. Simchos and older women in shul were a bigger issue then. Her dh's deoderant wasn't a problem when they were dating but he had to switch after they got married. Some flowers on the the table are fine while others can't even stay in the house.

She takes allergy and asthma medicine every day and had years of allergy shots, but only for pollens, molds, and dust. She's truly allergic to only some perfumes, but any really strong scent could be an irritant and cause her asthma to get bad.

What did I miss asking her?

Would your dd want to email with someone whose kids are older than she is?
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amother
Seashell


 

Post Fri, Nov 20 2020, 12:06 am
If you build up her immune system slowly and with the right stuff her body will tolerate these things other better. Although we are ALL allergic to these chemicals our bodies dont react because it can deal with it.
Good luck
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Nov 22 2020, 1:54 pm
amother [ Silver ] wrote:
could you please share the allergist info. My dc is allergic to half the foods my pediatrician tested for (10 of 20 foods) every allergist I talk to just tries to convince me challenge some of her allergies without even finding out what else she is allergic to. I know she is allergic to something else, but I don't know what. I feel so lost. TIA.


We are in Lakewood.

Our allergist is Dr. Georgy at Dr. Decoitis' office. We go to the brick office but I think they have a few.

She is youngish, and did really well with both of my girls, making them comfortable and getting them to trust her & cooperate. She took the time to answer all of their questions (one of my girls is extremely curious and will ask about everything) and encouraged their curiosity. Most of the nurses are also great (we did have one less than positive experience), friendly and gentle. We did try allergy shots for a while (mostly with my other DD and the shot nurse was great! If my dd brought a doll or (stuffed) animal along, she always gave them their shots too.
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