| Overcoming food allergies |
The other day on the Old BabyCenter Food Allergy Board we had a discussion on why there are so many food challenges lately compared to when most of us joined the board (2004/2005) where they were almost unheard of. I think the video above illustrates the reason perfectly. Now this is just my opinion, but I think that in previous years, the skin and blood tests were considered fact. If it said positive then it was. But I think recently we've found out that it may not be the case. I think false positives are higher than once thought. At least with my Allergist, the foods that we've challenged have had low RAST numbers, they just haven't been "0". I think the deciding factor has been that we hadn't seen a reaction in quite a while (years for milk) or we never saw a reaction, just avoided to due test results (peanuts). Every doctor and every child is different so I don't think you can't paint this issue with broad sweeping strokes, but my Allergist says "The only true indicator if someone is allergic/still allergic is a food challenge". We did an at home challenge with my son when he was 20 months old for egg. His test result via RAST was a "2" but we'd never seen a reaction so the doctor thought it could be a false positive. It wasn't. We used the EPI and went to the ER. So not all challenges go well. And I'll say two things: 1. My comfort zone due to our experience is to not do challenges on children who are not old enough to speak. I need the child to be able to tell me how he feels. and 2. No more "at home" challenges. I'm just not that brave anymore.
But overall I'm glad that doctors seem more willing to do challenges. My sons quality of life as increased dramatically since we've added milk and peanuts back into his diet (more the milk than the peanuts - with peanuts we lost more fear than gained more food). Imagine what gaining wheat could do!! I keep praying for that every day...
6 comments:
I hope he outgrows the wheat too!
I can't remember if you mentioned this, but Little Man's RAST wasn't negative for peanuts, correct? Did your allergist do a skin test before the food challenge?
I had several food allergies when I was younger but as I grew they changed. My reactions are so mild now and compared to what your little one goes through. I do not envy you trying to keep up with everything.
Gabbi,
He did not skin test before doing the challenge. Our one and only skin test was at 10 months old and it was positive.
Rast scores were:
5-2005- 1.28 2
5-2006- .64 1
5/2007- 1.10 2
5/2008- .70 1
5/2009 - MIA due to house construction but I *think* they were .86 (but don't quote me on that)
Thank you for the idea to not do a challenge until a child can speak. That's a great benchmark. Our son is almost 2, and he can express some feelings now, but not quite enough for me to be comfortable with a challenge. Our allergist has suggested a wheat challenge, and I'm waffling. The idea of eating wheat again would be AMAZING. But, he still tests positive on skin and RAST, and in fact numbers went up (but different lab). Tonight, my son had some hives on his face, and I taught him to say the word "itchy" and to point and how to tell mom and dad if he was ever itchy.
- son allergic to wheat, eggs, milk, 4 tree nuts, and sesame.
The title - "overcoming food allergies are life changing" made me cry. I can't even imagine...
How wonderful that your son regained some foods! My son has milk, egg, peanut and mustard allergies. He has only had reactions to milk and mustard -- the egg and peanut are based on skin and RAST. He's only 2, so we aren't food challenging yet but it would be absolutely amazing to get some foods back!
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