Food Allergies--Bah!

Here is a photo of seven of the eight most common food allergies. You can breath a sigh of relief that Clara has only been diagnosed with four of them (yes, I know--what a relief--ugh).

We took her to the allergist yesterday, and a scratch test confirmed allergies to eggs, milk, wheat, and peanuts. She had the most severe reactions to eggs and milk, and her reactions to wheat and peanut were mild enough that the doctor is not sure she's allergic. But for now, we are to treat all four as serious allergies and will vigilantly avoid them. We have to carry an epi-pen with us, although that's more of a precaution than anything, as it's possible she could ingest her allergens without that severe of a reaction. Nevertheless, we're feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the diagnoses.

Since the wheat poke produced such a small hive, they want to do what they call an "oral challenge" of wheat, where I'll take Clara and bowl of Cream of Wheat to the doctor's office and she'll eat the Cream of Wheat while they watch her for signs of reaction. We're to avoid all traces of peanuts until she is at least three, and then not until she's been tested again. And for all of the allergies she'll have a yearly scratch test to see if she outgrows any of them.

The good news is that 80 percent of children with wheat, milk, and egg allergies outgrow them between the ages of three and five. Only 20 percent outgrow a peanut allergy, so if she does in fact have one she'll probably hang onto that for life. All said, though, I know it could be worse, and I'm very grateful she's not allergic to soy as well (although everytime her cheeks look rosy at all I think, "Oh my gosh! Maybe she's allergic to soy! Or rice! Or whatever!").

At any rate, I'm giving myself a few days to feel overwhelmed about it, then I'm planning to start being proactive next week. Mark your calendars.