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Last summer, my 12-year-old son, Peter began a journey with intense seasonal allergies, immune-system trouble and other far-reaching physical symptoms that made his sixth grade year one of the most challenging for both of us. 

It began with a patch of eczema on his inner elbow that was resistant to the usual cortisone ointments. We were referred to a pediatric dermatologist who put him on a stronger cortisone ointment. 

A Random Asthma Attack Leads to New Med and New Complication

Shortly after, we were vacationing in an older cottage at a lake. At 2 a.m., Peter knocked on my door. He was short of breath and panicky. Thankfully, we had an albuterol inhaler with us because years earlier, Peter had shown some signs of mild asthma and the doctor prescribed this inhaler for emergency use. (He had used it only a handful of times before, and none in such a significant, emergency situation.) Two rounds with the inhaler helped and we didn’t have any more trouble that week. When we returned home, I dutifully made a follow-up appointment with our pediatrician. She checked his breathing volumes and was concerned that his levels were so low for a normal, healthy boy. 

She started him on Flovent, an inhaled steroid medicine to reduce the assumed inflammation in his airways and hopefully, decrease the likelihood of attacks in the future. At his next appointment, his levels had improved so the doctor kept him on the Flovent because it appeared to be working. 

More Colds, More Rollercoaster Mood Changes Bring Stress to Whole Family

That fall and winter, Peter seemed to get more colds than he had as a toddler and his moods were very unstable. He said he felt his emotions were on a rollercoaster. There were days I kept him home from school because he told me he couldn’t handle the challenge of being around his classmates when he felt so low emotionally. Other days he was perfectly fine and happy at school. But as time wore on, his eczema came back and we never knew which of his moods would greet us every morning. 

The stress of that began to wear on all of us. 

I called the counselor at his school. She assured me his moodiness was normal for a sixth grade boy. She also said she was seeing the mood swings in many middle schoolers. 

But I still felt something wasn’t right. 

Mom Shocked to See Mood Disorder Listed in Side Effects of Allergy Medication

One morning in February, Peter handed me the Flovent box and reminded me he needed a refill. I can’t say why the light dawned on me that morning, but right after I took him to school, I sat down at the computer and googled Flovent. In the list of user-reported side effects on the manufacturer’s Web site were both upper respiratory infections and mood changes. Another Web site was more clear about possible emotional side effects.

I immediately called our pediatrician and suggested Peter come off the Flovent. She was skeptical but supported a gradual tapering-off of the medicine. We began to wean him from the medication over the course of the next month with no ill effects. His follow-up tests showed his breathing was still in the normal range. 

His colds stopped, as did the mood swings. 

Moods Back to Normal, Peter’s Health Not

All was not well in his body, though. A month later, his eczema flared out of control and the skin around his eyes began to redden, swell and flake. He missed several days of school due to his generalized allergic reaction. He was really tired, had trouble concentrating and his seasonal allergies, which he had struggled with for years, were now very severe. In the past, to keep his seasonal allergies under control he had used Allegra for years but now it wasn’t even making a dent in his symptoms.

In addition to seasonal allergies, we had long suspected Peter was allergic to our cat, so we kept the cat out of his room, bought a HEPA air filter and used Benedryl as needed at night. But as the pollen counts rose in Atlanta, so did his discomfort. 

He was frightened. So was I. I wondered whether he had an immune deficiency or some other systemic disease that was causing this to happen? 

Fortunately, that way of thinking was just mommy-overkill. The allergist told us Peter had an overactive allergic response that was spiraling out of control, something that happens when the “total load” of allergens is big. 

The allergist put Peter on a short course of oral prednisone to get him back under control plus a nasal spray to further block his body’s allergic response. The doctor asked us to follow up for allergy testing when the “typical” allergy season was over, specifically telling us he was not permitted to be on any anti-allergy medicine for seven days before the testing. 

Skin Test for Allergies Show Long List of Allergens

That brings us to about a month ago, when we returned to the allergy clinic for skin testing. We learned Peter is allergic to dogs, cats, most trees, all grasses, mold, and dust. Wow! It is a blessing he showed no allergies to food. 

As the physician put it, he’s basically allergic to the world! 

Allergy Shots Recommended 

Since we didn’t want Peter to be a boy in a bubble, the doctor recommended he start subcutaneous immunotherapy, or allergy shots. The theory behind allergy shots is this: by injecting small amounts of allergens just beneath the surface of the skin, it is thought that over time it helps the body develop resistance to allergens. 

Right now, Peter gets his allergy shots once a week. After three to six months he’ll drop to every other week. After that, he’ll go once a month for the next two years or so, depending on how he responds to “test doses” of allergens. 

He has not had any pain or anxiety about the weekly shots, which amazed me. 

I was surprised—and very relieved—the allergist didn’t insist we give away the cat, sterilize his room or keep Peter inside until he’s been on the program longer. I felt the doctor was very reasonable in suggesting that the more we did, the better his symptoms would be. He said over time his body would stop overreacting, and certainly by next spring he should be much more comfortable. 

The allergist is confident of the safety and success rate of immunotherapy. He said roughly 80 percent of allergy patients’ symptoms improve after a three to five year course of immunotherapy. 

Immunotherapy Already Making a Difference In Peter’s Health 

Even though we are at the beginning of the treatment phase of this journey, I’ve already noticed a difference. Peter’s patch of eczema has healed and he is much less sensitive to allergens around the house. 

I am very hopeful now that Peter’s been correctly diagnosed, he is on the road to having a much healthier and happier school year. 

What I Know Now:

--I needed to spend time researching the side effects of all the medicines my kids are on. So that when problems with their health arise, I can make a connection to a possible side effect from the drug (or drugs) sooner.

--An inhaled corticosteroid, though a great and medically necessary drug for many people with asthma, could lead to increased colds, infections, mood changes, and could also slow his physical growth. It was not really necessary for Peter at that time, and I should have questioned him being on it long-term. 

--The eczema we saw in Peter was probably an early sign that his allergic response to everything around him was on the rise. Be sure to be on the look out for early warning signs, like red splotches on the face and reddening on the outer rim of your child’s ears. When a child has allergies, skin conditions like eczema often occur with rhinitis (runny nose) and asthma. If I had fully understood the connection, perhaps we could have found a physician to effectively help us treat all three. Dr. Lisa Kobrynski, pediatric allergist at Emory University talks about the connection here. 

--I am the best advocate for my son and the only one that is seeing the whole picture of his mental and physical health. Because of that, I need to be more forthright with his team of doctors and counselors when there is something that I feel is out of the ordinary in any area of his health.

--Allergy shots are not as big of a deal as I thought they would be and hopefully, the treatment will provide him with significant lifelong relief, as well as decrease his need for other medications like Allegra and prescription nasal sprays.

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