Question

My son, aged eight, has suffered from chronic asthma since he was eight months old, and from a cat and dog allergy since he was two. The asthma has improved - he has not needed a steroid preventer for two years, and only needs his reliever occasionally. As a small boy he was regularly admitted to hospital with severe attacks. He loves dogs, so we are looking after a puppy to see how he copes. After a week, his eyes have become itchy and red three times, but no wheezing or sneezing. Is this 'minor' reaction good news that he will desensitise or is it a warning that his body is not coping? On advice from a nutritionist, I give him quercetin, vitamin C and co-enzyme Q10. Am I over-supplementing? I also give him liquorice.

The asthma specialist

Andrew Bush

If your son has had terrible asthma in the past and a proven allergy to cats and dogs, he is at real risk of them coming back again. Sometimes children do grow out of asthma and allergies, but it's not clear whether reintroducing children to their allergies at a later stage as you are doing actually 'desensitises' them or in fact brings the problem back stronger. With your son's past experiences of asthma, it's not an experiment I would try. I understand your impulse to let him have a dog, but his safety must come first, so unfortunately my advice is to get rid of the dog quickly. Regarding supplements, my personal view is that if your son is eating a balanced diet there is no need for supplements at all. You don't say why you are giving them to him - perhaps he can't eat certain things? If this is the case, my advice is to get a GP referral to a paediatric dietitian who can devise a healthy eating plan for your son based on food rather than pills.

The homeopath

Anton Van Rhijn

It's likely your son is having an allergic reaction to the dog, and in time this exposure could reintroduce the wheezing. Continued exposure may put your son in danger of a severe asthma attack. If you insist on keeping the dog, be vigilant. In terms of treating the allergy, homeopathy can help. Dog hair is an effective remedy (made from dog hair in homeopathic potency) that can help relieve the symptoms of allergy to dogs and other pets. Take 12c every day or 30c once a week. Or try homeopathic histamine in 30c potency as required, which avoids drowsiness. Both can be bought from Helios (01892 537 254) or Ainsworths (01833 340 332). If it persists, he may require an individualised diagnosis and treatments regime - his allergy may be being triggered by another allergen (pollen, dust mites, diet). See a registered homeopath, or be referred via your GP to the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, which provides homeopathic care on the NHS.

The nutritionist

Dr John Briffa

My experience in practice is that allergic reactions to external agents, such as animals, dust mites and pollen, are often related to sensitivities to food. The thought here is that unwanted reactions to specific foodstuffs within the body can 'sensitise' the membranes around the nose and eyes (and possibly the immune system, too), making it more likely that the body will react to external, airborne agents. This may be relevant to your son as he has a tendency to asthma - a condition which I find is almost always related to food sensitivity. The most common culprits are dairy products, such as milk and cheese. Interestingly, his asthma started at eight months. Was this, by any chance, about the same time he was weaned from breast milk to cow's milk-based formula? Whether this is the case or not, I strongly suggest you try your son on a dairy-free diet for two to three weeks. I suggest calcium-fortified rice milk as an alternative to dairy.

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