We had taken Sully for a blood test last Thursday to find out what he's allergic to and had been waiting for the results. Let's back track a little...........at Christmas time he had started itching really badly (at one point his face was weeping) so we took him to the doctor and they told us that he had Eczema probably due to the dryness in the air from the heat etc), we were given allergy meds to take twice a day. Sully didn't get any better with the allergy meds so I took him back and they pretty much said there was nothing else we could do but lather the kid in Vaseline all day (which we also tried).
Last month (about the time I lost the baby) Sully was really sick with a vomiting bug and didn't eat for 5 days. During that time we noticed how beautiful and clear his skin was and how he hadn't been scratching at ALL!! The day he started back on food, he was a mess.....his eyes swelled up, he was scratching like crazy and had a rash (I had been worried enough to almost take him to the ER) we took him to the doctor and was told that it was "going around".........
THEN we found out he had asthma and about 2 weeks ago had a bad asthma attack. I took him back to the doctor again and asked if this could be food allergies (I have no idea why I didn't think of this sooner!!) Sully was sent for blood tests and now we were getting the call with the results (on the eve of our vacation)..............in the doctor's words, Sully is "severely, extremely allergic to PEANUTS, soy and shrimp"...they called in for an EpiPen right away and we went and got it 10 minutes later!
To be honest, I'm kind of sitting here in shock - I had convinced myself a few weeks ago that he was allergic to dairy and eggs and had taken him off those things (and haven't had to give him an allergy med since)....unfortunately as a substitute for milk, I had been giving him SOY MILK!!!!!!! I feel terrible!!! I am also praising God that nothing serious has happened to my baby boy because a few times in the last few months, both Mike and I have made him a peanut butter sandwich and each time, he has pushed the plate away and wouldn't even try it - Thanks you Lord for protecting him!!!
Right now, I'm not really sure what I can feed Sully - looking at labels, a LOT of what we have in our house either contains soy or a soy product or was made in a factory that also has peanuts!! If any of you have some good suggestions or website for me, I'm open to hearing them............of course I've had a million thoughts running through my head like "how can I keep my baby safe" to "that means he can never eat candy" and "how can he ever go to a friend's house to eat" and "he'll never get invited to play at a friends house"......ugh - I know God loves him and will help us navigate through this new curve.......I'm a little scared though to be honest.
To top it all off - the fix that the dentist did on my tooth today fell out - looks like I"m headed back there first thing tomorrow! Apart from all of that, we're leaving for vacation tomorrow!!! YAY!! Off to visit my brother and his family in NC. I won't have my computer with me so I hope you all have a FANTASTIC Easter. When we get back, I'll be posting a superhero unit that I've been working on, so look our for it :-)
24 comments:
Sorry that there are no paragraphs in this - for some reason I put them in and then they don't show up in the post! I've tried to fix it a few times now! Oh well :-)
Aww...poor little guy! Prayers are being sent your way!
Gladys
Once Upon a Time in First Grade
Is he allergic to peanuts too (or did I just miss that?) Wow! That is just crazy. Hopefully you will get hooked up with an allergist (sp?) who can help direct you more on what to do. People life with these allergies every day so there has to be way to make it work (not making light of it all - just thinking out loud!) I have friends with kids with allergies like this and it does become "life" . .. I'll be praying for you!
I just sent you an email (through your contact link) with some very healthy and yummy alternatives for your son. If you need more information, let me know.
/Anne
Shell! Try this site, and I'll think of more later! We have a bunch of stuff because of Anders' intolerances! love ya! Donlata xxx
http://www.whatcanieat.com.au/
Wow that is a lot to handle in the last few months. Enjoy your vacation and try to relax. My niece can't have anything with flax. You would be amazed how many things have flax! she went to a dietician who helped meal plan for her. It helped with snack ideas as well
p.s. that's crazy about your tooth. Did the dentist know why that happened?
try almond milk... its really good! hugs!! food allergies are tough, it gets easier as they get older and know whats safe to eat... other than that, my friend (whose daughter is the allergic one i know) brings her own food everywhere they go...
Yes, He's allergic to peanuts more than the other ones.......I guess I missed writing that in (how, I don't know).....Thanks for your care and concern - Anne, your email is AWESOME - I will start looking for those things today!!!
I always see Almond butter at Walmart. I think this is supposed to be a good substitute for peanut butter.
Poor thing!!! My eldest daughter is allergic to peanuts and egg whites ... she was epi-penned at an urgent care facility .. which is when we were told for sure she had a severe allergy to something ... did the testing etc ... now we carry an epi-pen everywhere. Have done for 3 years and have never had to use it as we check everything she eats first ... but we keep it low key so not to make her anxious but she knows no nuts and no eggs :P
Wow. It will be an adjustment, but you'll have it figured out soon enough...isn't the internet wonderful?
I cannot believe how similar your story is to mine. We went through the same thing, ecsema, cream not working, high dose of cream still not working. Finally realizing a possible food allergy, I thought it was milk. We just received our test results also, he's allergic to all forms of nuts and soy. Soy is in everything!! I was horrified to realize that our "vegetable" oil was 100% soy!! As I find soy friendly recipes I will be posting on my blog http://www.bliss-jennifer.blogspot.com/
I hope you are able to find what works best for your family.
Hi Michelle - I am so sorry to hear about your son. I know that allergies are scary - especially Peanuts. I got diagnosed with having a severe allergy to nuts about 2 years ago, although I suspected I had one before. As a teacher, it is always difficult to make sure that the kids don't bring food that will harm me. It is possible to get through :-) I have 2 EpiPens, 1 in my desk drawer and 1 in my purse. All the teachers around me know where these are if I need it.
In regards to reading labels, I have learned that every label says that it was produced in a factory where it may have come in contact with peanuts. I make sure that I read the actual ingredient list. Also, I always ask restaurants for their ingredient list. Especially if it is someplace that I have never visited before. I have also found Benadryl as my best friend. I found that if I begin to feel itchy then I take some Benadryl and that seems to subside the reaction. I feel horrible afterwards, but it is easier than letting the reaction get out of hand, using the EpiPen and then going to the ER.
I hope that this helps a bit. If you have any other questions, you can always email me. Enjoy your vacation!!
Debbie
Wow that's a lot going on! Hope you have a great vacation..love your blog by the way! :)
i know what you're feeling - we have had the same issues w/our son (now 10) - when he was 2 found he had severe allergies to peanuts, shrimp & soy. we also carried an epipen and equipped his school w/benadryl and a pen and crazed-mom directions to call me the MOMENT his face was itchy and/or swollen. to comfort you, we have found he's much more careful than we expected and always asks about ingredients before accepting treat and/or just doesn't eat them. also, he's growing out of the severity. he literally could not be in the classroom if other children had pb when he was 5 and younger. gradually got more tolerant and can inhale it and even touch it, but refuses to taste it so we could see if he reacts anymore! shrimp he still can't even be near. but - this is so prevalent now, and people are so aware of these allergies, they're easier than you think to live with. here's a fun way to let folks know you've got food allergies: http://www.allergyapparel.com/Allergy-Alert-Jewelry_c17.htm
JDaniel has lots of outdoor related allergies. When he turned down peanuts, I was grateful. He could have allergies to them too.
No fun at all! :(
Two sites that have helped us are:
http://www.foodallergymama.com/
and
http://milkallergymom.blogspot.com
The first is more likely to help you, but I figured I'd share both links.
Oh, and sunbutter (which I've seen at Meijer and other grocery stores) is a pretty good alternative to peanut butter.
Alex is allergic to peanuts. We, too, have an Epipen that goes wherever we go. He's never had a major reaction, so we do let him have items that are made in plants that also process peanuts. It's still tricky, though, because peanuts are in everything!
Alex has a mini backpack that goes with us just about everywhere, and we keep a few snacks in it. That way he can have his own snack if something in children's church or at someone's house contains peanuts. It's still hard reminding people to be *very careful* in what they give him.
I"m sorry you had bad news to start of a vacation. Hopefully you're able to manage his allergies well as you're away from home. Enjoy your time celebrating Easter and travelling!
One thing you also might look at is gluten. My daughter had terrible bumpy dry skin which we found out was eczema. Then I took her off milk and peanuts. Nothing. She also had very loose stools for like a year. (i thought due to amount of fruit she ate) Anyway someone said try no wheat or gluten and we did. Within 3 days her poops were normal and within 2 weeks her skin was soft as butter. You think soy is in everyhting, try gluten. But it is worth it to know she is feeling better. I can't imagine how much her stomach must have been hurting all that time and she was too little to tell me.
Just something to think about. I put her back on peanut butter and milk with no problem.
www.bandedup.blogspot.com
My niece is allergic to soy too. It is hard to work with that one. Although we have all learned what she can eat. I couldn't imagine also having the peanut allergy too. Praying for you all.
My thoughts are with you. My son is anaphylactic to peanuts and we have an epi-pen for him. He stopped breathing on one occasion... I have noted that some people suggested eliminating foods to test for allergy. Our paediatrician warned against doing this as it can cause incorrect readings when blood is tested. Especially with gluten! { coeliac disease} Unless it is different in the US to Australia...{I have two children with coeliac disease.}
Praise GOD for His protection!!! Hope you have a restful and wonderful vacation together. :)
Don't worry about him not being invited anywhere because of food, so long as you warn people first and provide food with him wherever he goes it shouldn't cause a problem (one family member with a gluten allergy and one with a diary allergy here!) It takes a while but once you get over the shell shock (and the learning curve of what to actually cook) it causes surprisingly little problems!
I hope Sully is doing well. We have a little guy with asthma and nephew with a peanut allergy. It can be tricky at times and a bit scarey, but when others are aware of his allergy we all work together to make sure his environment is peanut free. Hang in there!
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