Introduce Yourself - We're Glad You Found Us!

[hezzier]

Hi and Welcome!  Be sure to check out the section that is Adults with Food Allergies.

How did you come to realize you had food allergies?  By testing or reaction?  There are lots of people here with environmental allergies too.  This is a great place to ask questions, lots of information here.

[aprudente]

Hi everyone.  I'm new to the support group.  I have a 5 year old daugter that is allergic to peanuts.  We recently had component testing done for the first time and she is allergic to ara h2 protein with a level of .45.  She's never eaten peanuts but had an skin reaction to peanut butter at her old daycare so we don't know what kind of reaction she would have.

She is currently in a private Kindergarten that is peanut free but we plan to send her to public school next year, which allows peanuts.  We will be waiting to do the oral challenge until next summer. 

I guess my question is, is anyone is a similar situation with a lower level of h2 protein?  I'm wondering if a oral challenge is worth it.  Just trying to weigh pros and cons.

Thanks in advance!

[ajasfolks2]

Hi aprudente!

Oral challenge in office is likely going to be allergist-specific . . . some are more willing than others, we've found.

But if the pnut component is low, the SPT and RAST are fairly low or nil, AND no history of anaphylaxis . . . then I would think you have good shot at getting challenge done, based on how *our* allergist would handle.

For my own family, the oral challenge would be worth it -- especially if this were my only child with PA.  It might change how child is accommodated (or need no accommodations) at school . . . but not necessarily change things at home if there were still another family member with peanut allergy and the home was a "NO peanut" zone.

Everything is individual, but if this improves quality of life for some in the family, then would be worth it in my opinion.

[CMdeux]

It might also be worth it to get information just prior to the start of school-- just so that you know one way or the other.  Obviously, you'd like to learn that the allergy has been outgrown, or is not severe.  But even if you learn that isn't so-- at least you'll be armed with very fresh, expert-backed evidence to provide to the school where your child will be enrolled.  There will be fewer questions about how necessary accommodations like a nut-free classroom are.

[2ndGenAllergyMom]

Hi!

I'm not new to food allergies, but have decided to join the online community.  I was diagnosed with a tree nut allergy at the age of 4 which is still active to this day.  Both of my sons inherited my flawed genes:  DS1 (age 6) is allergic to egg, peanut, and Brazil nut, and DS2 (age 3) is allergic to peanut.  Kindergarten's going well for DS1, and we're mostly happy with the way things are going in regard to his allergies.

So hi, just making myself known!

[SilverLining]

Hi 2ndGen and welcome to the forum.

Not surprisingly, you will discover you are not a lone wolf.

Look around, join in any conversations.

[CMdeux]

   2ndGen!   Nope, definitely not a lone wolf around here.  My spouse, my child, and myself-- all of us have multiple atopic conditions, and all of us have food allergies.  Amongst the three of us, we've had a home free of all nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, and sesame seeds (though we don't have quite such a long list now, and as our DD has grown older, we do keep some allergens in the house and segregated). 

    We joke that there's no need for more than one of us to actually share a food allergy, though.  Our coverage is best that way.     _{(Yes, I'm being completely tongue-in-cheek.)}

The hardest thing about this, I've found, is that once you exceed a SINGLE life-threatening food allergy, people's eyes tend to glaze and they instantly assume that you're one of those people... self-diagnosed and with way too much time on your hands, YK?   It's incredibly frustrating, and it's led DH and I to prioritize things so that we ONLY mention things that are anaphylaxis triggers when in the hands of others around us.  (That is, regardless of how careful we are as individuals-- risk remains high through unwitting contamination on the part of others, and that's obviously out of our control).

That list is simpler-- shellfish, eggs, and nuts, at least for my household.  Split DD and I up and it gets better still, since mine only includes shellfish and hers only nuts and eggs.  (Though to be fair, egg probably isn't something that we mention much anymore either given that we've done years of baked egg dosing and she recently passed an in-office-challenge... though maybe/maybe not, too).

Anyway.  A very warm welcome to you from the family here at FAS!   

[2ndGenAllergyMom]

Thanks for the welcome, guys!  Sometimes I feel like a lone wolf... not so much in the presence of allergies but in the way I view them... but anyway...

CMdeux, I totally hear you on allergen coverage!  I often remark that my kids couldn't be allergic to the same things I am--that would just make life a little too convenient.  Although I have to count myself lucky that I don't have to worry about as many foods as you do!  You truly are a superhero!

Thanks again, everybody!

[GoingNuts]

Welcome 2ndGen!  I'm sure you'll have valuable perspective to add to our discussions. 

[daisy4given]

Hi! I'm so glad to have found this forum! I have been dealing with my kids' food allergies (gluten, peanuts, dairy) and migraine triggers for seven years now, and have those pretty well under control and taken care of. My husband's sensitivities (nitrates) are mostly under control, too. But it seems to be my own adult-onset issues with sulfites that are causing me the most frustrations!! I will think I've got it covered and then BAM one day my throat will swell up and be painful for 24 hours and I can't for the life of me figure out WHAT i ate that did it! So glad to find a place where others have experience with and tips for this sort of thing!

[rebekahc]

  Welcome!

[SilverLining]

Hi Daisy4. Welcome to the forum.

[2ndGenAllergyMom]

Welcome from another newbie!

[azzolina1022]

Hi,

My name is Angela. My son (4 yrs) has a peanut and developing tree nut allergy. We new about the peanuts at about 1.5 yrs when he was misdiagnosed with an amoxicillin allergy (pediatrician said the head to toe hives could not be from his first taste of peanut butter that day because "you need to develop a sensitivity to it first", and said his reaction was to amoxicillin he finished up a few days prior). We quickly learned that to be untrue. a quick visit to the allergist and a very thorough scratch test revealed a severe peanut allergy. Anyway, never had a need to use the epipen, and hope to never have to.

Angela!

[rebekahc]

Hi Angela!  Welcome!