Basically this is the time every year where we go get Ashton's back pricked and wait for the magic to happen. Besides looking at his reactions, we get a blood test done and then a week later, get the lab results. Last year I was so hopeful as our allergist said he looked like he was going to be a candidate for the egg challenge at the appointment, but his bloodwork said otherwise. One more year of avoiding eggs, sesame, peanuts and treenuts...so what is the latest now that he is 3.5?
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As everyone knows I love comparison pictures so here they are side by side.
A few notes. First, they didn't even bother to do sesame this year. They knew it would just blow up and cause him discomfort. That is likely going to be a lifelong allergy. Second, egg was even bigger this time around. Last year the wheal measured at a 4, this year it was a 20 :(
They also threw in some environmental tests - the upper right quadrant of his back for 2015 was dust mites, pollen, etc. which were all negative, but you'll see dog got a small reaction as well as all the tree nuts.
Here are the bloodwork results (again, mainly for me!):
02/18/2015 11:20
Hemoglobin 12.4 g/dL 11.0 - 12.8
Pb (Lead) <2 mcg/dL 0 - 5
02/18/2015 11:22
IgE 240 units/mL H 0 - 200
Allergen, Almond 1.13 kU/L NA
Allergen, Brazilnut 0.83 kU/L NA
Allergen, Cashew 0.82 kU/L NA
Allergen, Hazelnut 1.32 kU/L NA
Allergen, Pecan <0.35 kU/L NA
Allergen, Pistachio 1.29 kU/L NA
Allergen, Pine Nut <0.35 kU/L NA
Allergen, Walnut 0.40 kU/L NA
Allergen, Egg White 5.31 kU/L NA
Allergen, Ovomucoid <0.35 kU/L NA
Allergen, Peanut 1.40 kU/L NA
The note the doctor sent me along with this was "Peanut, tree nuts, and egg were positive. He should continue to avoid whole and uncooked forms of egg. He is a candidate for challenges to peanuts and tree nuts. There is a moderate risk of reaction therefore these challenges need to be done under monitored settings. Let me know if you have questions about this and if you are interested in going forward. He would need to eat about 2 TBSP of peanut butter in these challenges."
YAY! Last year he was not a candidate for food challenges and this year he IS! This is a very scary thought but of course we are going to do it. Allergy therapy these days is very big on exposure and in extreme cases, allergies can be controlled as long as the individual has daily intake. Seems counterintuitive but it's true. And to that end, Dr. Lee advised me I should absolutely be giving Alex eggs and peanut butter, and that I'm doing him a disservice by not introducing these foods at an early age. I'm so conditioned to avoid that I made Jason do the eggs one morning while I was at work. I couldn't watch! But Alex did fine besides spitting them out. No reaction - phew!
Let me tell you, Ashton knows he can't have eggs or sesame. So when it was time for his appointment, we talked about it on the car ride there and how we were going to see if it was time for him to be able to eat these things.
After the first round of pricks, he asked if he could eat eggs now.
After his flu shot (which thankfully they went ahead with), he asked again.
After they took blood, he asked again. Can I eat eggs now? Like Daddy?
I found different ways of explaining to him: no, not yet honey. As we were leaving he told one of the doctor's assistants that he looked like a dentist. The style of his glasses, maybe? I laughed and said, "Sorry, I don't know where that came from!" and he laughed back and said, "That's actually not the first time a kid has told me that."
On the way home Ashton was still going on about the eggs and said, "After my long nap I want you to make me some eggs for brequist so I can eat them." [pause] "And taste them. I want to eat them and taste them!"
Unfortunately he won't get his wish this year, but I'll definitely keep you posted on his peanut/tree nut food challenges. Hopefully we can cross those off his allergy list!
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