It's not hayfever after all!

Three weeks ago, Alex started sniffling loudly in the early hours of the morning. He had nose block and unable to breathe through his nose. No temperature and it only happens when the temperature changes in the morning.

I was sure it was hay fever as I recalled the same thing happened around the same time last year and a few dose of Piriton worked for him. This time, it didn't work.

We went to the GP for advise and she thinks it's hay fever as well and prescribed Cetirizine Hydrochloride. The first night was fine and he slept through. The following three nights, the sniffling came back and there's nothing I can do for him. It stinks when I cannot do anything to help make things better. By now, I needed some good nights of uninterrupted sleep.

I made another appointment for Alex to see a different GP this time and asked for a different anti-histamine as Cetirizine doesn't work for me either. I tried everything and only Desloratadine works for me. I asked the same for Alex and perhaps he would respond to this. The GP thought the same. I also asked my friend Tammy, a GP in another county for advise and she told me to try the anti-histamine for a week before I change again. For the next 7 nights, the same happened. I tried going to bed earlier to get some sleep but it's worst as I kept waking to look at the clock. And then, the sniffling begins and it's time to wake up. I was totally knackered by now.

I rang the GP the next morning to ask for a different anti-histamine and after looking at Alex's record, he prescribed Levocetirizine dihydrochloride. According to Tammy, Desloratadine and Levocetirizine are the most expensive anti-histamine and are not prescribe lightly by GP.

We tried this new drug for two days and it didn't work and I called Tammy again and she asked me to give him Calpol (paracetamol) and levocetirizine only at night to see if it works better. True enough, the sniffling went and two days later, Alex had his cough and fever. 

He is now all better minus the sniffling at night. I had a few good night sleep and am happy again.

It's hard to help him when he is in his stubborn mode, he refused to blow his nose and kept saying "I can't blow". All he wanted was a hug and me, by his side. And when he started to cough, I asked him to cover his mouth when he coughs and again he said "I can't cowber". 

Lack of sleep (mother) + a stubborn child = a stern warning voice and he got the message.

Alex covers his mouth every time he coughs and I believe that the stern warning voice made him realised that nicey nicey mummy meant business when she is lack of sleep.