Allergic to Everything

I always felt there was a possibility that Suri would have food allergies. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), one in thirteen children lives with a food allergy. I know those things tend to be genetic; as a child, I suffered from food and environmental allergies, eczema, and asthma.

Early Signs

When I was breastfeeding Suri, whenever I ate eggs, shrimp, or anything with dairy, she would have eczema flare-ups in the creases of her arms and behind her knees. Even after eliminating those foods, her eczema was still severe. It was heartbreaking to see my child like that; I would have to keep socks on her hands so she wouldn’t scratch herself. I did bring it to her pediatrician's attention, and they said I would have to wait until she was two years old to do allergy testing.

We adhere to a Pescatarian diet and have a lot of vegan meals during the week. I introduced Suri to fish around nine months, and it took a few meals for her to really try it. I paid careful attention to how she reacted when she ate, and there were no issues. Oddly, when we went to Jamaica right after her first birthday, she indulged in the freshest of fish. Whenever I fed her the same fish she was eating prior, a red rash would break out on her neck when we came back home. I am cautious with the fish we purchase, and it’s typically Wild Caught, but that did not make a difference.

Urgent Care Visit

When Suri was just 15 months, she had an allergic reaction to walnuts. Strangely, I had not even given her walnuts, but I did use the same spoon that I shared out a pesto (made with walnuts) to share out her pasta.  As she started eating her lunch, I noticed she began itching, and hives began to form all over her body. After speaking with my girlfriend, whose son has a peanut allergy, I knew it best to take her to Pediatric Urgent Care.  I would rather be safe than sorry. They administered an antihistamine for her and told me to monitor her. It was a very unsettling experience for me. But I am definitely grateful because her allergic reaction could have been more severe.

Navigating Family

The most frustrating part about Suri’s food allergies is everyone thinking they know better. Even my husband would think that I was being a hypochondriac about what she could or couldn’t eat. Then don’t get me started on my Mother, who gave her egg whites thinking she was just allergic to the yoke. Or even after telling her she couldn’t eat fish; she would still give it to her. I had to put my foot down because I am very observant of Suri, and some reactions took longer to show up.

Allergy Testing

A few months after her Second Birthday, I took Suri to Windermere Allergy and Asthma to get officially tested. An Allergist is an immunologist who is specially trained to diagnose, treat and manage allergies, asthma, and immunologic disorders, including primary immunodeficiency disorder. They did a skin test prick on her back in which they tap a small amount of each of the top allergen onto her skin with a plastic needle. Then we had to wait for fifteen minutes to see how she would react to each of the allergens.

The Most Common Food Allergens in the United States are:

·         Peanut

·         Tree Nut

·         Milk

·         Egg

·         Wheat

·         Soy

·         Fish

·         Shellfish

Along with those Allergens, they also tested for:

·         Hazelnut

·         Sesame Seeds

Suri’s Allergens were:

·         Milk

·         Egg Whites

·         Egg Yolk

·         Fish

·         Tree Nuts

·         Soy Intelorance (that means she has difficulty digesting that food)

Ironically Suri didn’t have a shellfish allergy, which can give her some more protein options. She can also have hazelnut, but the number one hazelnut product also has dairy.

The Allergist prescribed AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP), a prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions. When the Nurse was explaining how to administer the Auvi-Q pen, I started tearing up. I was also instructed that she would need to have this pen on her wherever we went. That so scary to think about something Suri could eat could be life-threatening. The allergist also equipped me with how to read food labels better and discussed cross-contact. If I was vigilant before, now armed with this info, how severe these reactions could be, there would be a new sheriff in town.

Blood Work Disaster

We were scheduled to do have some blood work for Suri to see if she was anaphylaxis to Almond, Milk, Egg White, Peanut, and Peanut Components. That visit to Quest Diagnostics was completely traumatic for both of us. I had to hold her down for them to take her blood, and they were ill-equipped and couldn’t find her tiny vein. After trying both arms, I would not allow them to try again. After their failed attempts and a very hysterical Suri, the techs told me that I should go to a Children’s Hospital because they have a machine that can scan her veins. I wish I would have known before this appointment.

I will revisit the bloodwork before her attending school this fall. For now, I will continue to avoid her top allergens, read all food labels and provide delicious and healthy alternatives.

I will be discussing “Living with Food Allergies” in a post coming soon and discussing all of our favorite food brands and how I manage her allergies.

Resources:

https://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/

Photography - RTW Photography