Archive for the ‘Our Life With Food Allergies’ Category
Our Life With Food Allergies
How do we discovered food allergies our son?
Food allergies have entered our lives in mid-October 1996 while the second of my three boys were aged 19 months. Until I do not know much about the food allergies and all I knew, I had learned from a friend whose son is allergic to peanuts. One evening, returning from the grocery store, I offer a biscuit peanut butter to my son who rejects him after taking a tiny bite. A few minutes later, he began to cough and her condition quickly deteriorates to the point where he can barely breathe. I think right now it is an allergic reaction to peanuts and I rush to bring him to the hospital. But suddenly, while I put on my shoes, he began to breathe quite normally. Not knowing quite what to think call Info and a nurse told me that my baby was probably just choked.
We continue our routine, but two hours later, when my son is asleep for the night, I hear vomit. By going to her bedside, I find he sleeps even when ill. I changed his bed, I undressed him to put a clean pajamas and I go back to bed without it opens the eye. I am concerned about the depth of his sleep and call Info again to see if this event could be linked to respiratory problems earlier. The same nurse is reassuring and explained that these symptoms are not consistent with an allergic reaction. Now I know it was wrong and I suspect that my baby was unconscious rather than asleep. I can not believe that we have not gone to the hospital for him to receive urgent treatment he needed. We’re lucky he is still with us.
A few days later, I share these events in my son’s pediatrician. Even if it advises us to avoid giving peanuts, he did not recommend allergy tests and did not prescribe auto-injector. We changed doctors since then.
Only three months later, when my son was a major asthma attack that requires several days of hospitalization, doctors hypothesize that in addition to asthma, he may be allergic to peanuts. They refer to an allergist and adopt a very cautious in prescribing an EpiPen pending the results of allergy tests are known.
The allergist we meet a few weeks later blood tests. The results that we send by mail two months later showed a very strong allergy to peanuts and a moderate allergy to nuts, fish and crustaceans.
How did I react upon learning the diagnosis of food allergy?
I cashed the hard blow and I went into a thick fog which I left 6 months later. I was both worried for my son’s life and sad to imagine the challenges that should be overcome. At the same time, I tried to get as much information as possible on food allergies. I was fortunate to receive assistance from parents of allergic children who have generously shared their knowledge and tips.
Has he had other allergic reactions?
One year after the initial reaction, my son was possibly a second allergic reaction. We are not sure what happened because we did not find the food culprit. However, I have given him the Epipen and we went to the hospital by ambulance. Was it a sudden asthma attack or an allergic reaction? What is certain is that this was a good opportunity to make friends with me the Epipen. From that day I have never afraid to administer the medication and I began to appreciate his presence reassuring.
Two years ago, our son became a teenager had 2 allergic reactions to the smell of peanuts that have caused severe breathing difficulties. The first took place in a bus while all passengers had eaten peanut snacks before boarding. The second occurred a few weeks later when more people have eaten toast with peanut butter in his presence.
How have we adapted to food allergies?
At the beginning of our life with food allergies, we attended at some restaurants. However, we have increased our vigilance few years later after the allergist we have warned that the severity of allergies and our son that he is predisposed to asthma have allergic reactions fast and significant. From that time, restaurant meals have become less attractive because their risks are not worth the pleasure they provide. We have almost ceased to attend.
Despite our avoidance of restaurants, we conducted a most normal life possible. My philosophy has always been to integrate the events of life but by finding ways to do so safely. In the years son and challenges to overcome, I acquired a collection of coolers of different sizes that reflect a genuine desire to continue to enjoy the pleasures of life. I do it partly because I know that my son has a good chance to imitate my behavior.
What are food allergies our son?
Currently, he is allergic to peanuts, nuts and legumes (including soybeans). The son of the year, new allergies have appeared and disappeared. There was a time where nuts, milk, fish and seafood were part of the list of foods to avoid.