Follow-up on Allergies

Conner had follow-up allergy appointment today. All went well and James was pretty well behaved surprisingly.


One of my concerns is for allergies to fish. I couldn't get Conner tested for fish allergies because we have been giving him Zyrtec for allergies. So I had to schedule another appointment for next week and stop giving him his allergy medication until then.


I asked for a copy of the panels that were already done so I know what he isn't allergic to that he was tested for. I also wanted to know what the severity of allergy was to the stuff he was positive for. What I found out is that he is minimally allergic to dogs and peanuts +2 on a scale of 0-4, and severely allergic to egg whites and cats +4. This is what he ISN'T allergic to that he was tested for milk, cashews, soy, saline, wheat, pecans, rice, penicillium, aspergillus(a type of mold), dust mites, alternaria(a kind of fungi that grows on plants), and cockroaches(that's good since we live in FL).


We go back on Monday for fish testing. He won't be retested until August for his other positive allergies(peanuts, dogs, cats, and eggs).


This weekend we went to a birthday party. I didn't think to ask what was being served so I would know whether or not Conner would be able to eat anything. There wasn't anything that he was able to eat-totally not anyone's fault but my own for not asking what would be served if anything-Live and Learn for next time. Luckily I packed some snacks that I knew he could eat. Attending birthday parties really haven't been a concern of mine because Conner had been on baby food and formula for all of the past parties we attended. I guess once your one year old food allergic child starts to attend birthday parties or playdates at other peoples' houses you need to smarten up a bit.

I hope that he will outgrow his allergies to food. I can see that I am going to be a nervous nellie when he starts school if he doesn't. I want him to have normal experiences but I also want him to be safe too. He is still at an age where he doesn't understand the severity of his food allergies and can't communicate it to others. I also don't want him to be the kid that gets left out because he does have these allergies. It isn't always easy to explain to people that absolutely everything that he touches needs to be free from eggs and peanuts. He is so sensitive that if the oils from eggs even touch his skin he breaks out in a rash and/or hives. The more he is exposed to it the worse the allergy can become. It can even lead to anaphylaxis. This is a life-threatening allergic reaction where the body may shut down completely leading to death if quick appropriate action is not taken.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis develop rapidly, often within seconds or minutes. They may include the following:
Abdominal pain or cramping
Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds
Anxiety
Confusion
Cough
Diarrhea
Difficulty breathing
Fainting, light-headedness, dizziness
Hives, itchiness
Nasal congestion
Nausea, vomiting
Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
Skin redness
Slurred speech
Wheezing


Signs of anaphylaxis include:
Abormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
Fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
Hives
Low blood pressure
Mental confusion
Rapid pulse
Skin that is blue from lack of oxygen or pale from shock
Swelling (angioedema) in the throat that may be severe enough to block the airway
Swelling of the eyes or face
Weakness
Wheezing

What most people don't realize is that eggs can be found in a lot of things. I mean even things you would think not to have eggs like pasta, cakes, pancakes, fluff, mayonaise, salad dressings, breading on meats, cookies, crackers, ice cream, brownies, donuts, candy, sauces, meatballs, meatloaf, sausage, beer(obviously this isn't one I expect him to be consuming anytime soon), rootbeer, ovaltine, eggnog(that one is pretty easy to remember), cappucino, orange julius, and soup just to name a few.

Then add to it the peanut allergy factor and you take all the fun out of being a kid! and just to be on the safe side whenever I read an ingredient label I also avoid foods that say: "may contain egg/peanut ingredients," "made using egg/peanut ingredients," "made in a facility that also processes eggs/peanuts," or "made in a facility that uses shared equipment".

Whenever we leave the house, we always need to make sure that we have his Benadryl and Epi-Pens with us. If we go out and leave him with another care-taker we need to make sure they are aware of his allergies and the emergency care plan should he accidentily ingest eggs or peanuts an dhow to use his Epi-Pens.

In closing, I want our family and friends to take this seriously because they would want the same consideration if the situation was reversed but at the same time I don't want them to feel overwhelmed or anxious to have Conner in their presence either. I am more than happy to make food items that are safe to bring with us. I did get an allergy-free cookbook for Christmas and I am enjoying trying out the recipes. Don't feel you are putting me out by asking me to make something. I have been enjoying trying out and making these new recipes- especially the brownies!