Melissa 03/30/2010
Question:
My daughter is 3 months old, and she sneezes a lot. I am allergic to long-hair dogs — do you think that she could have the same allergies?
Answer:
Dr. Deirdre Bernard-Pearl responds:
Anytime you suspect an allergy in a child of any age, the best possible test is the “elimination and re-challenge test.” This works with pet allergy, food allergy, grasses — anything. The idea is simple: If you eliminate the “trigger” and the sneezing or other reaction goes away within a few days, then you know that you were probably right. But the important next step is to “re-challenge” to see if you can bring on the same reaction again, and if you do, you have proven that you have correctly identified a true allergy.
It might be hard to do this test if the long-haired dog in question lives in your home. One good way to do it would be to see how your daughter does if you happen to be planning any trips away from home (and away from your dog). If the sneezing is better while you are away and then she starts sneezing again when you return, you’ll have your answer.
One note: Please do not re-challenge your child at home if she has ever had an anaphylactic reaction or any breathing change. In that case, do the re-challenge safely in a medical setting where a severe reaction can be treated immediately.