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Food Allergy
shopgirl78
member
My 7 year old DD is being referred to an allergist.
shopgirl78
member
in Food Allergy
After suffering from eczema since she was a small baby, the pedi finally agreed to a allergist & derm referral. What can we expect at the allergist? I am afraid it is going to be many shots?!?! She hates needles. What can I prepare her for?
TIA.
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Re: My 7 year old DD is being referred to an allergist.
Hello! I just popped on here after a year, so surprised to see someone I recognize over here.
Seems like a lot of people here have kids diagnosed as infants, thought I'd offer my experience since mine was 5 at the time. We were referred after a positive RAST (blood) test for cow milk.
The allergist wasn't scary--I filled out a LOT of paperwork beforehand. When we got the exam room, we talked a lot about what her signs and symptoms were, when they were most active, steps we've taken to minimize, etc. Then we had the skin test, which wasn't bad at all. They had her lie on her back and they pressed what they called combs in her back, and said it would feel like a hairbrush pushed onto her back (she said that's what it felt like too). They press it on the back, then take it off. The serum sits for 1 minute and they wipe it off. You wait for 15 minutes, then they come back to see if there are any positives (which look and feel like bug bites). She had 4 sets of 8 done.
They will have a control serum on her back which is a positive for everyone. It'll itch like a bug bite.
Then they talk with you about the results. My DD actually tested negative on the skin test and they advised me to begin milk again. I did that, and she started reacting again. Long story short--follow your gut.
I remember you too. I don't post all that often anymore. Thanks for your experience. It doesn't sound as scary as I was afraid it would.
In all honesty, if you call the allergist and ask them what to expect, it will help ease your (and her) fears. If your DD is like mine, she will feel better knowing what to expect before she goes.
Also, I doubt the allergist would suggest shots right off the bat-- I think they prefer to try meds first. I had shots starting when I was about 12 (after failed rounds of meds, and only because I also had bad asthma) and they helped SO much. I was terrified at first (also hated needles) but they really just felt like I was being pinched on the back of the arm. The worst part was waiting the 30 minutes afterward to make sure I didn't have a bad reaction.
My DD was diagnosed at 5. She had a reaction to peanut butter, which she had had a small amount of one time as a baby and had avoided ever since. She must've known! Anyway, our appt. w/the allergist wasn't too scary for her. :-)
Prior to the allergist, we had seen the pedi after the initial reaction, and he ordered a blood test. That is what prompted the allergist visit - the blood test came back showing more than just a peanut allergy. At the allergist, we first sat and talked with him. He asked a ton of detailed questions, wanting a thorough history on DD from birth to the present time. Then he did the skin testing on her, to confirm the blood test results as well as to test for a few other things. She said the skin tests (they pressed these pen-like things on her back) did not hurt, but they were itchy/uncomfortable. We brought coloring supplies / books (which the allergist ended up supplying as well!) to distract her and she did fine.
We have since been back several times, and she does not mind going (which tells me her experience wasn't bad. If it was, she'd balk at going. That's how she is)