I had David ask how proactive we should be regarding the sunflower seed allergy and daycare/preschool. Though he broke out in hives from contact with Sunbutter when he was 18 months his test score is extremely low. As parents are now trained to use Sunbutter instead of peanut butter I wondered what I should do about preschool. Our Dr. said Sunbutter should be banned from the classroom as well.
I'm not sure if I should take this hard line. We want other parents to be empathetic to our children's health needs however when is it crying wolf? With low scores (we're talking .37), no history of anaphylaxis from or even ingestion of sunflower seed, do I really need to have it banned from his classroom? Am I going to ban milk then? His RAST for that is 8.32. Or egg, for which he has needed a previous epi? Is this really fair?
If it was just a preschool where he was going two hours a day for a couple days a week I could see drawing a hard line because this wouldn't be too much of a hardship to go without for a couple of hours. Kids would go home and have whatever they wanted for lunch. But Owen will be at the school where I will also be interning next year. He will be in another classroom until 1 and then with the nappers until 3 when I get him.
What is fair to Owen? What is fair to the other children?
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
I Really Can't Be In Two Places At Once
"We'll see you tomorrow at the Mother's Day Tea!" is what Max's teacher said to me that triggered the "Oh crap! I screwed up!" Owen's allergy appointment had been scheduled for months. It was too late to change it and I could not be at Mother's Day Tea and at the allergist at the same time. So, I did it. I sent the husband who was so kind to rearrange his schedule to go. I sent him with pages of notes and questions and....he came back with notes which elicited more questions from me.
I really just wanted to confirm if he is really allergic to sesame and how serious his sunflower seed allergy is. Going into daycare this summer (while I'm in school) I just want to have a good read on what his true allergies are. At this particular appointment he skin tested positive to milk, egg, peanut, mustard seed, soy, strawberry, trees, grass, dog and dust mites. David told her he eats strawberry and soy without problem and she said they were probably false positives. The peanut is new (he had a previous negative RAST). David told the doctor Owen didn't like mustard which me being the Mom knows Owen eats mustard in baked beans all the time and doesn't have a problem with it. Also the wheal for peanut and mustard seed was the same size as the strawberry and soy, so couldn't they be false positives? The only thing he skin tested negative for was sesame...
"So we are clear for sesame?" I ask my husband. "I don't know, she didn't say" was his reply. "She didn't skin test sunflower seed?" "No, she didn't" So instead of clearing up my questions about sesame and sunflower seed we have new allergies to worry about.
I took him for the blood test yesterday. Owen was great, Max was a pain (and he wasn't the one getting anything done.) I'll wait for the results and try to sort things out with the doctor.
I really just wanted to confirm if he is really allergic to sesame and how serious his sunflower seed allergy is. Going into daycare this summer (while I'm in school) I just want to have a good read on what his true allergies are. At this particular appointment he skin tested positive to milk, egg, peanut, mustard seed, soy, strawberry, trees, grass, dog and dust mites. David told her he eats strawberry and soy without problem and she said they were probably false positives. The peanut is new (he had a previous negative RAST). David told the doctor Owen didn't like mustard which me being the Mom knows Owen eats mustard in baked beans all the time and doesn't have a problem with it. Also the wheal for peanut and mustard seed was the same size as the strawberry and soy, so couldn't they be false positives? The only thing he skin tested negative for was sesame...
"So we are clear for sesame?" I ask my husband. "I don't know, she didn't say" was his reply. "She didn't skin test sunflower seed?" "No, she didn't" So instead of clearing up my questions about sesame and sunflower seed we have new allergies to worry about.
I took him for the blood test yesterday. Owen was great, Max was a pain (and he wasn't the one getting anything done.) I'll wait for the results and try to sort things out with the doctor.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Diary of an At-Home-Food-Challenge
Note: There are two to three actual "days" between each day recorded as I decided to start out giving him something every two to three days.
Day 1 - After soliciting advice from other parents I settled on starting our challenge with Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bars which contain non-fat dry milk. I broke off a piece and asked him to have a bite. Much drama and face making. He finally puts it in his mouth the whole time making yuck faces. I only get one bite in him. He says "Watch me closely Mom. In case I get sick." Yeah, like I didn't want to just sit and stare at him with the Epi in my hand. After a while I asked if he was itchy. Yes, he said. I little spot on my knee here and on the back of my hand....
"Are you itchy in your mouth, throat or lips?" "No." No hives or vomiting followed. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Day 2 - I try a Nutri-Grain bar again. I can't get more than one bite in him. No reactions.
Day 3 - I decided to switch tactics in order to get him to eat more. I make Bisquick biscuits using 2% cow's milk. He eats the entire biscuit and asks for another. I laugh and tell him we will need to build up to 2 biscuits. No outward reactions.
Day 4 - I do biscuits again. They seem to have already lost their appeal. He only eats half of one. No reaction.
In between Day 4 and 5 the weather heats up, the pollen starts to fly and Max spends most of the weekend outdoors. The windows are wide open and everything in the house is coated in a fine green dust. Saturday I notice Max's face looks puffy.
Day 5 - Already tired of making biscuits I buy some plain Goldfish Crackers. Max looks terrified at the thought of eating Goldfish Crackers. Have I really instilled this much fear in him. I explain I can't always make biscuits. These aren't the cheese kind they just have milk baked in them. He eats two, thinks about eating a third but doesn't. His face looks horrible.
By Monday (yesterday) morning his face is so puffy his eyes are becoming slits. His cheeks are red and rough. I call the allergist. Though it is probably pollen related she asked that we postpone the challenge as we cannot tell right now what he is reacting to. So there ends the food challenge and thus began the frantic me, closing up the house yesterday, turning on the air, vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and changing bed clothes. I'm exhausted.
I gave him Claritin and Nasonex last night. He already looks better.
Day 1 - After soliciting advice from other parents I settled on starting our challenge with Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bars which contain non-fat dry milk. I broke off a piece and asked him to have a bite. Much drama and face making. He finally puts it in his mouth the whole time making yuck faces. I only get one bite in him. He says "Watch me closely Mom. In case I get sick." Yeah, like I didn't want to just sit and stare at him with the Epi in my hand. After a while I asked if he was itchy. Yes, he said. I little spot on my knee here and on the back of my hand....
"Are you itchy in your mouth, throat or lips?" "No." No hives or vomiting followed. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Day 2 - I try a Nutri-Grain bar again. I can't get more than one bite in him. No reactions.
Day 3 - I decided to switch tactics in order to get him to eat more. I make Bisquick biscuits using 2% cow's milk. He eats the entire biscuit and asks for another. I laugh and tell him we will need to build up to 2 biscuits. No outward reactions.
Day 4 - I do biscuits again. They seem to have already lost their appeal. He only eats half of one. No reaction.
In between Day 4 and 5 the weather heats up, the pollen starts to fly and Max spends most of the weekend outdoors. The windows are wide open and everything in the house is coated in a fine green dust. Saturday I notice Max's face looks puffy.
Day 5 - Already tired of making biscuits I buy some plain Goldfish Crackers. Max looks terrified at the thought of eating Goldfish Crackers. Have I really instilled this much fear in him. I explain I can't always make biscuits. These aren't the cheese kind they just have milk baked in them. He eats two, thinks about eating a third but doesn't. His face looks horrible.
By Monday (yesterday) morning his face is so puffy his eyes are becoming slits. His cheeks are red and rough. I call the allergist. Though it is probably pollen related she asked that we postpone the challenge as we cannot tell right now what he is reacting to. So there ends the food challenge and thus began the frantic me, closing up the house yesterday, turning on the air, vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and changing bed clothes. I'm exhausted.
I gave him Claritin and Nasonex last night. He already looks better.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Ace of Cakes
Today Max requested a Bakugon shaped cake for his Bakugon themed birthday party. I pondered how this would be possible and thought of Ace of Cakes (awesome TV show) and fondant. Then wondered if fondant was allergen free. Apparently it is just sugar and water. Then I found this recipe for fondant. And now I am pondering if I can really make a Bakugon cake ala Ace of Cakes. Hmmm. What a challenge. Problem is I will be coming off of 5 1/2 weeks of an intense teacher training course. Will I be up for a challenge the end of July?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Milk Challenge
To begin with challenge days are hard because we have to get Max up at 5:30am to eat breakfast because he can't eat for three hours before the challenge. So by the time we got to the doctor's office at 9:00 am he was hungry and cranky already.
After the first dose (approx. a teaspoon) he immediately started complaining that his tongue itched, his throat hurt, he felt sick. But...there were no hives, his tongue and throat were not red and irritated. There were no visible signs of a reaction. So the question became whether this was anxiety. It is partly my fault. I did not prepare him well for this. I asked a couple times if he would be disappointed if he didn't pass the challenge and I can imagine, for a six year old, telling him to avoid something his whole life and then asking him to eat it can be anxiety inducing.
In any case, he didn't want to continue with the challenge. We let him make that call. The doctor gave him Benedryl and about an hour and a half after arriving we left. However, because his numbers are so low we are going to approach the challenge a different way. A couple times a week I am to give him baked goods that contain milk product. Milk baked into things breaks down the proteins. We will do this for three months and re-do the blood test. If the RAST number spikes he will need to go back to strict avoidance.
Bad news? Good news? I don't know. I do know that no matter how much I prepare MYSELF for the disappointment I always still am. I feel like hanging my head and sobbing. Even though I went in soooooo pessimistic I still wished deep deep down that it would work. That I would have one less allergy to worry about.
After the first dose (approx. a teaspoon) he immediately started complaining that his tongue itched, his throat hurt, he felt sick. But...there were no hives, his tongue and throat were not red and irritated. There were no visible signs of a reaction. So the question became whether this was anxiety. It is partly my fault. I did not prepare him well for this. I asked a couple times if he would be disappointed if he didn't pass the challenge and I can imagine, for a six year old, telling him to avoid something his whole life and then asking him to eat it can be anxiety inducing.
In any case, he didn't want to continue with the challenge. We let him make that call. The doctor gave him Benedryl and about an hour and a half after arriving we left. However, because his numbers are so low we are going to approach the challenge a different way. A couple times a week I am to give him baked goods that contain milk product. Milk baked into things breaks down the proteins. We will do this for three months and re-do the blood test. If the RAST number spikes he will need to go back to strict avoidance.
Bad news? Good news? I don't know. I do know that no matter how much I prepare MYSELF for the disappointment I always still am. I feel like hanging my head and sobbing. Even though I went in soooooo pessimistic I still wished deep deep down that it would work. That I would have one less allergy to worry about.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Birthday Planning
Max is always planning his birthday party. He switches themes on a weekly basis. After a viewing of Toy Story he suggested a space theme and said we could serve the special cheeseless pizza I make for Max and Owen. I laughed and wondered out loud if other children would like cheeseless pizza. Max said "Why wouldn't they?" I replied that most kids were used to only eating their pizza with cheese and I wondered what they would think of pizza without cheese. Max simply said "Well, if they don't like it they can just bring their own." There was no malice or sarcasm in what he said, just a statement. Because this is what he knows; when you go to a party you bring your own food! Makes me ponder what he has learned about hospitality.
Puts a whole new face on BYOB or should I say BYOP!
PS. Speaking of cheese, wish us luck. Milk challenge tomorrow!
Puts a whole new face on BYOB or should I say BYOP!
PS. Speaking of cheese, wish us luck. Milk challenge tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The Numbers
We got the numbers late last week and then I misplaced them so I had to call the allergist back yesterday to get them again. So here's my little chart from when we first started blood tests to now.
2004 Egg 1.45 Milk 2.71 Peanut 1.61
2005 Egg 1.10 Milk 2.36 Peanut 1.80
2006 Egg 1.34 Milk 0.90 Peanut 1.09 Cashew 2.67 Pistachio 3.40
2008 Egg 1.59 Milk >.35 Peanut 0.51 Cashew 1.40 Pistachio 2.08
2009 Egg 2.86 Milk 0.17 Peanut 0.49 Cashew 1.63 Pistachio 1.55
Dr. B. started off saying that the results were a little disappointing but after getting the news I didn't think it was all that disappointing. Maybe she was hoping for more negatives than I was. She did say it was unfortunate that we had to switch labs as different labs run different types of RAST tests. One runs the ImmunoCap and the other the CAP FEIA (I don't remember which runs which). But as we have moved over the years, switched allergists, etc, I couldn't tell you which year or what lab used which type of test. All I have is the numbers. Dr. B. said the numbers could vary though from one test to another.
Looking at the numbers there is a definite downward trend with all Max's allergens except one. Egg. I asked if that was an indication he wouldn't outgrow egg and Dr. B. responded that his body just seemed to be a little stubborn (possibly like his whole little being.)
I think Dr. B. was most disappointed with the milk as though it is less than .35 it is still there. She rescinded the at home challenge but did say if we wanted we could do an office oral challenge if I didn't think it would be psychologically hard on Max if he didn't pass as we wouldn't challenge than again for another year. I got the feeling with a positive (no matter how small) blood test and a still fairly large skin test positive, the doctor is thinking he won't pass a challenge.
So I told Max I had his blood test results back. He very adult like turned to me and said "So, what do they say." I said milk was low but still positive and he could challenge again but would he be disappointed if he didn't pass? He said "No, I'd be okay. " "So do you want to do it?" I questioned. "Yes" was his reply.
I made the appointment yesterday for March 31st. Though I sometimes question whether I like this doctor, I have to say it is great not having to wait too long for appointments.
2004 Egg 1.45 Milk 2.71 Peanut 1.61
2005 Egg 1.10 Milk 2.36 Peanut 1.80
2006 Egg 1.34 Milk 0.90 Peanut 1.09 Cashew 2.67 Pistachio 3.40
2008 Egg 1.59 Milk >.35 Peanut 0.51 Cashew 1.40 Pistachio 2.08
2009 Egg 2.86 Milk 0.17 Peanut 0.49 Cashew 1.63 Pistachio 1.55
Dr. B. started off saying that the results were a little disappointing but after getting the news I didn't think it was all that disappointing. Maybe she was hoping for more negatives than I was. She did say it was unfortunate that we had to switch labs as different labs run different types of RAST tests. One runs the ImmunoCap and the other the CAP FEIA (I don't remember which runs which). But as we have moved over the years, switched allergists, etc, I couldn't tell you which year or what lab used which type of test. All I have is the numbers. Dr. B. said the numbers could vary though from one test to another.
Looking at the numbers there is a definite downward trend with all Max's allergens except one. Egg. I asked if that was an indication he wouldn't outgrow egg and Dr. B. responded that his body just seemed to be a little stubborn (possibly like his whole little being.)
I think Dr. B. was most disappointed with the milk as though it is less than .35 it is still there. She rescinded the at home challenge but did say if we wanted we could do an office oral challenge if I didn't think it would be psychologically hard on Max if he didn't pass as we wouldn't challenge than again for another year. I got the feeling with a positive (no matter how small) blood test and a still fairly large skin test positive, the doctor is thinking he won't pass a challenge.
So I told Max I had his blood test results back. He very adult like turned to me and said "So, what do they say." I said milk was low but still positive and he could challenge again but would he be disappointed if he didn't pass? He said "No, I'd be okay. " "So do you want to do it?" I questioned. "Yes" was his reply.
I made the appointment yesterday for March 31st. Though I sometimes question whether I like this doctor, I have to say it is great not having to wait too long for appointments.
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