Twenty three tests! Just skin tests though, not shots or anything. The allergy appt. was this morning. So we have some answers. Finally!
Jacob is allergic to: soy, peanut, cataloupe, trees, grass, ragweed, weed, and dust mites. There could possibly be more, they only tested for some of the more comon allergens.
Lots of info to process. Every day I must bathe Jacob for 15 mintues in lukewarms water with mild or no soap, patting the skin dry and IMEDIATELY applying Eucerin or Auqaphor to his entire body. (Plus twice daily) In the AM he gets Zyrtec and in PM he gets Atarax. At night I have to do a "wet wrap" which means I put wet pjs, socks, and gloves on with a pair of dry pjs and socks overtop. Once a week we have to do a bleach bath ( 1/2 cup bleach in 1/2 tub warm water for 20 minutes).
We now have to carry an Epi pen just in case. Most likely won't be an issue but wow. They gave us a bunch of info and a few websites. I now have to join the careful label reading club.
We will have to get allergy covers for beds.
(I think Jamie may be my new best friend for a while, LOL, I might need some advice!)
We go back in six weeks and then hopefully we can go to minimal standards to keep his skin ok. Which means the drugs are (hopefully) temperary. And bleach baths and wet wraps, etc. I am GREATLY relieved to know a cause and to know there is a lot I can do to help him. It is amazing what a happy boy he is considering how miserable his skin's made him!!
6 comments:
You will have your hands full with the whole thing in a nut shell. You have to make sure there is no food that he is allergic to touching any surface he will touch. You, your kids, Tom and anyone else will have to brush teeth and wash their hands before touching or kissing Jacob. That is the tough part to remember to do.
Your house is supposed to be a safe haven, like Jamie makes her house. So, talk to Jamie and she can tell you the piticulars of what she has to do.
I tested positive to allergy to dust mites, but the alergist said that is a common allergy in people.
Dust mites is a hard allergy to get rid of. NO carpeting in his bedroom or in the house. You have to dust everyday and vacuum everyday, and that is hard to live by. You have to cover his mattress and pillows with vinlyn covers and they are hot to lay on. So, I don't do that. I use a mattress cloth mattress cover, so I'm sure the dust mites are there. Dust mites live everywhere that there is dust, furniture, bedding, floors, curtains, even outdoors. You will have to change your whole life around to keep the dust mites and food allergies at bay.
Good Luck!
My apologies first for contradicting you, but our situation is different. Actually they did not tell us to do those things. Jacob's main problem isn't food. But because he's somewhat allergic to them we'd do best to avoid them. The doctor wasn't worried about surfaces or brushing teeth or the other kids. Yes, the doctor said dust mites are an extremely common allergy and but they did not say to remove carpeting. They gave conflicting advice on vacumming so I will call and check on that, but mainly they just recommended trying to keep dust levels at a minimum, and if he has contact with things likely to have dust mites (like stuffed animals)to wash them and him.
i would love to be your food allergy bff! =)
yeah i have to be on the extreme side of avoidance/contact b/c of jonathan's type of reaction...he's probably had at least contact with those foods before, right? skin is so tricky, i'm dealing with stuff right now with mine. i was strictly avoiding dairy and wheat for a month and it was fine, now i'm eating some of both and my skin is bad again...but i don't know which one is the issue!!
how did he do with the skin testing? it is hard to hug them to make them feel better after the skin pricks and not rub off the serum!
I was so glad I got Tom to come with. It took both of us and the doctor holding Jacob to even look in his ears, nose, and mouth! My kids are all freakishly strong and don't like strangers touching them.
I don't know if this is the same way they did it for Jonathan, but they had us lay Jacob on his belly on the table, and I sat in a chair in front of him and held his arms and head. Tom sat on the back of the table holding his lower body down. We had to stay like that for the 15 minutes til the test was over and the marks were measured. The whole experience was difficult for him. Poor kid!
no! that sounds kind of torturous! they pricked his back and then i held him in my arms until they came back to measure any welts! poor kid indeed!
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