Allergies maybe?

The boys finally had their appointment with the allergist.  I was really encouraged.  He was very thorough and LISTENED to everything I had to say.  Their whole history.  Starting off as wimpy white boys, having to be pulled out of daycare for being so sick, being pretty much fine while out, and then being so sick again when we had to put them back in.  He listened to the whole struggle that we have had with them and the constant cycle that we can never get out of with them.  The runny nose and cough that never goes away and turns into ear infections, sinus infections and bronchitis.  The constant stream of antibiotics that is just not good for them.  He was the first one to even mention that it might be a weakened immune system and that we can do some test to determine that. He said that there was a process he wanted to follow first and he very thoroughly explained the process to me and made sure I understood it.

He wants to first start with a nasal spray, which I was pretty sure they would do.  He also gave us inhalers for both boys to try first when their coughs get really bad.  We may be able to head off the bronchitis if they can clear their lungs better before it gets to that point.  Or if they start to have a really bad coughing episode then to give them the inhalers to see if it will help settle it down.  He also wants to do some indoor allergy testing.  He said since they are still too young for the full spectrum allergy test and since they really started to have problems "indoors" being at daycare that he wanted to start there.  He said that they may have some outdoor allergies, but at this point it would not change his treatment plan and he didn't want them to have to go through that test.  The indoor allergy test is pretty easy - there are only 6, instead of the almost 30 they do on the full test.  But since they aren't 3 it could change for the outdoor allergies.  

We go back on Monday for the allergy tests.

I also started treating them with some essential oils.  Our friend Devin tuned me onto them (check out his blog here).  He said that The thieves oil blend is thought to be used back during the black plaque era.  That there seemed to be "thieves" that didn't seem to be getting the plaque.  When caught and asked they finally fessed up to using these essential oils.  He has used it and others on his children and had some good results in fighting off illnesses.  He suggested I try the Thieves and Mrtyle first.  So I started them on that yesterday.  Between the oils and the viramist nasal spray there was a noticeable difference in their coughs and runny noses.  I'm very encouraged and hopeful that we might be FINALLY heading in the right direction.