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3rd Trimester
allergies and athsma in infants?
My DH has pretty bad food and pet allergies, as well as asthma. He was in and out of the hospital frequently when he was a little one. His Dad has similar problems, so we're thinking it is likely to be genetic.
I went to a pediatrician interview this morning, and we discussed my husband's history and our concerns that the baby is likely to inherit similar issues. Basically she said there is not much we can do, even after the baby is born, as far as testing goes, and that we have to adopt a "wait-and-see" attitude. So the baby will NOT be immediately tested for allergies, which makes me really nervous.
Has anyone already gone through this with a previous LO? Or going through it now? I just feel like "wait and see" leaves a lot of room for error (and new-mommy terror!), and I am just not comfortable with it. But this pediatrician comes highly reccommended (and I really liked her), so I assume she's probably right... I just wondered if anyone had anything to add or contribute? Thanks so much for your input!
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Re: allergies and athsma in infants?
I have allergies and a atopic body type which I got from my dad's side... So I'm expecting the same thing, but I'd say at least you kinda know what to look for. A lot of parents are discovering allergies just like you are, even if neither of them had it in the first place. Just keep an eye on LO and make sure to keep things clean around the house, use less chemicals and perfumes, things like that. And when he starts to eat solids keep an eye after feedings. My dad always had a little air filter in his room during allergy season which he swore by. Lovely name by the way
(My name is Rachel too)
I've never heard of an infant having a severe allergic reaction to something. Allergies have to build up over time. My son was diagnosed with allergies to milk, egg, peanut, latex, dogs and cats, and also several environmental allergies when he was 10 months old. The only thing that suggested his allergies was that he had moderate eczema all over his body. And this developed over time. It started in his cheeks and behind his knees. He didn't develop the asthma until he was 3 yo. Some infants show a milk allergy with gasiness or general irritability. This is something you can discuss with your pediatrician at your baby's first appointment, as far as what to look for in terms of a potential food allergy. The most common infant allergy is milk, another common one is soy. But those are also the most common for them to grow out of.
I don't think you have to worry too much about having to eliminate things from your diet, or buying special formula, right away. Your baby could very well not have any allergies.
Good luck. Allergies in children are not fun, but they are manageable. At 3 we found out our son had outgrown his milk allergy. We're hoping he'll outgrow the egg someday as well.
Im lurking from another board...
I have asthma/allergies and DS (he is 9) has eczema, severe asthma and allergies
We "lived" in the asthma/allergy dr office for quite a while..DS's lung capacity is 80% of what"normal" projected values are and we have been on a very conservative allergy shot build up (DS has oxygen saturation levels during an asthma attack that most people would need to be tubed for because they couldnt breathe with those numb ers)
That being said...DS got eczema at around 4-6 months, had multiple ear infections, etc...If you see those signs then talk to your dr
They do not do allergy tests that early for a few reasons....blood allergy tests can be hyper sensitive, meaning you might get a higher level that indicates allergy but it might not truly be an allergy. DS tested positive for peanuts, eggs on blood but not on skin and he eats peanut butter with no reaction at all
The allergy skin test is the most accurate because it shows a measured response..but you cant do a skin allergy test on a baby...well, i am sure it could be done but i dont know any allergy docs who do test that early
Our dr says he doesnt like to test until 3 and he does not diagnose a child with asthma before age 3....most kids can sound like an asthmatic if listening to their chest (their bronchi are so small) but until they can do a spirometry test to measure lung function they should not be diagnosed (trust me you do not want asthma in your medical records because your insurance company will harass you...DS's monthly meds run $500)
IMO...if you have concerns (eczema, reaction to food, ear infections) at age 3 take your child to an allergy/asthma specialist
My DS has severe asthma, allergies (environmental and food), and eczema. All 3 of those are related to one another and all are more likely to occur if they run in the family. DH and I both had asthma growing up - although, not nearly as bad as DS's asthma, and I have a whole host of food allergies and environmental as well.
They will not test your DC for allergies as an infant just because they fun in the family. You can request testing around 1 year for things like peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and any other things that you are curious about prior to trying them if you fear a reaction and have reason to believe DC might be allergic (but keep in mind, that involves either a blood draw and/or scratch testing which is not pleasant for the kiddo).
As far as asthma, there really is no way to test for it at such a young age - but if it is present, you will quickly know. DS was first hospitalized when he was 8 weeks old and has had numerous hospitalizations, including the PICU since then for asthma related issues (as well as 20+ ER visits for asthma we couldn't control at home - all of those were day-long adventures where he was close to admission pretty much every time.) He takes numerous controller meds every day, and has for years, and we are able to manage it better now than we were in the past as we experiement with different meds, so there is hope if kiddo has asthma.
However, just because you or your DH has allergies/asthma, does not guarantee that your DC will, so hope for the best!
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