Hypoallergenic sheets and bedding?

Hello. Poor kiddo. I'm not a doctor but if there are no pets in the house my guess is he has a dust mite allergy. Dust mites love to live in mattresses/bedding and people are frequently allergic. I would recommend starting with a mattress and pillow protector/encasement. These are designed to reduce allergies and exposure to dust mites in particular.  In each case these go under your existing sheets/pillow cases to create a sort of protective barrier. You can also get him tested for dust mite allergies (among others) at the pediatrician's office. I would also make sure your vacuum has a clean bag and HEPA filter. Finally certain duvets/comforters/blankets are better than others for reducing allergens so you may consider swapping those out, depending on what you have. Good luck!    

Sounds like your child might be allergic to dust mites. In which case vacuuming the mattress is about the worst thing you can do (because it brings both the dust mites and their food to the top of the mattress). Try using a waterproof mattress topper (to starve them) and washing all bedding and anything else that is in bed with them regularly. Vacuum the room regularly (if carpeted). Also wash stuffed toys and the likes regularly.

Worked when I was diagnosed with an allergy to dust mites forty years ago.

This happened to our son too at about the same age.  We got allergy testing done and it was a severe allergy to dust mites, which I suspect is going on with your kid too.  It's usually a combo of the bedding and other things like stuffies, carpet, etc. Bedding = make sure you start with a mattress cover that fully zips up and encompasses the mattress made for dust mite allergies.  Same with the pillows.  This will also eliminate the need for a new mattress and pillows because they will be totally covered. No need to change the sheet but you do have to be diligent about washing them at least once a week.  We got an awesome comforter off the Mission Allergy website, which was highly recommended to us by our Allergist.  It was expensive but so worth it!  It made such a big difference and our son still has it and he is 10 now.  Also, investing in a good air purifier is also an important piece. It's usually not just the bedding but a whole set of things that need to be changed.  It is well worth it though.  My son doesn't have the chronic runny nose and stuffiness anymore.  Also the weird cough that comes and goes is much less frequent now. Good luck!

My daughter had this issue as well and the culprit was the shades in her room. Be sure to check the shades and everywhere else to be sure there is no mold in the room!

As someone with allergies, I highly recommend an air purifier for his room. Made a huge difference for me.

In the meantime (prior to replacing the mattress) you can find inexpensive pillow and mattress covers that zip around completely and form an allergen barrier - look for these on Amazon, just search "allergen pillow protector" or something like that. There are many. You didn't mention what detergent you're using, but make sure it's something without dyes or perfumes. Our son's dermatologist endorsed ALL Free &Clear as a good option, or the Kirkland (Costco) brand of the same type. And NO OxyClean added into the laundry, as that can absolutely trigger allergies. Have you put an air filter /purifier into his room as well? That's another idea. 

Hi,

I have severe dust allergies and I would recommend a good HEPA air purifier (usually honeywell offers some that aren’t too expensive, but there are others), and a special cover for the mattress and the pillow (search dust mite mattress cover/pillow). Pillows are a huge source for dust mites, and I replace mine every couple of years. You just can’t vacuum or wash the sheets enough, so these three things should help. I know allergy companies also sell special washing detergent for dust mites; I haven’t used these as I put bedding in the dryer and figure the heat will kill anything. It may be helpful for stuffed animals though. Finally, a basic nasal saline spray can help with stuffy nasal passages (but kids may not want to do this). Children’s zyrtec can be helpful, especially if you notice symptoms increasing or decreasing at different times of the year. He may have seasonal allergies that are making it worse. 

I'm not sure if this is easier or harder, but one time when I was having a hard time sleeping I put the air purifier in my bedroom just for the white noise, and I woke up without a stuffy nose for the first time in my entire life. I didn't even realize that I was stuffy every morning! I have a very clean bedroom but that's been a game changer I didn't even know to seek out. Thanks, insomnia! Maybe he's way worse than me, but maybe that'll save you the cost of a new mattress? 

Good luck!

My whole family has this, and it has been largely relieved by 1) replacing pillows with new down-alternative ones 2) completely encasing the pillows in allergy covers (we use Aller-Ease brand) and 3) encasing the mattresses in a similar cover.  We've switched to down alternative duvets, and cotton covers. We wash everything in hot water once a week. Best to get rid of carpets and old stuffed animals or at least don't have them near the beds. Flo-Nase (or generic equivalent) also works wonders but takes a few days to take effect.  Then there is always Zyrtec and Claritin, best at night because it can cause drowsiness. Good luck!

Not sure if this is what is going on with your kiddo, but about 10 years ago, I discovered that I am allergic to dust mites, and that bedding was my primary source of exposure. Might be worth asking your pediatrician about some allergy testing before shelling out a ton of money on new bedding? 

Fwiw, the allergy doc i saw at the time recommended getting encasements for mattress, pillows, duvet/comforter from Mission Allergy, and frequent (weekly) washing of sheets, pillowcases. Slightly less frequent washing for duvet cover seemed to be fine. And a yearly washing of the encasements. I did not replace mattress, pillows, or other bedding. It's made a huge difference in my sleep and symptoms. An air purifier in the room also helps me (i'm a big fan of the new BlueAir AllergenBlock filters)

Fair warning to anyone in need of encasements for this: the Mission Allergy encasements are not cheap. You can find cheaper encasements at other shops and on amazon. BUT, I will say that I bought the most highly reviewed encasements on Amazon under duress in 2021 because I needed them quickly for another bed I use when visiting my parents and they are considerably less effective, IMO. I spend a lot of time there, and I can tell the difference even with an air purifier in both rooms (BlueAir here in CA and a Coway that I also like where my parents live). The Amazon ones are fine, but the ones I got from MissionAllergy work much better for me.