Food Allergy
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New to Food Allergies- Need some advice

Hi ladies.  So my 1 year old is allergic to egg and peanut and I feel like I am becoming a crazy person.  I was hoping for some words of wisdom from someone who been dealing with this for awhile.  When he was about 9 months I let him try some peanut butter thinned out in breast milk. He vomitted within minutes.  He seemed fine other wise but we went to the ER where he got the all clear.  I made an appointment for allergy testing.  He was positive for egg (1.98 blood test) and peanut (1.18 blood test).  These numbers seemed so low and I was feeling pretty confident he would pass a baked egg challenge and outgrow the allergy in a few years - power of positive thinking right?  I know he's less likely to outgrow the peanut one but I'm still hopeful.  A few weeks ago we went in for a baked egg challenge. He got through about 1/4 of the muffin before developing hives on his face and belly.  They gave him Zyrtec and when that didn't clear him up used the Epi.   Last night at dinner he developed a few hives around his mouth.  He only had peas, carrots and mandarin oranges so I'm guessing we may have somehow gotten egg on his tray?  The skillet from that morning was still by the sink.... We gave him Zyrtec, hives cleared and he was fine.   

Here's the thing, I'm a nervous wreck.  I was up all night after the egg challenge and all night last night watching him for a biphasic reaction.  He didn't sleep well because I was shining light on his face every 15 minutes or so looking for new hives.  He loves to eat but I'm terrified to feed him much of anything for fear he'll have some sort of reaction.  I worry all day while he's in daycare about what he may come in contact with.  We have an action plan, daycare is well aware of his allergies, everyone has epi's and knows how to use them but none of that gives me much comfort.  In my head, I know a lot of kids have allergies, especially egg, and that not all reactions are going to be life threatening. But I can't help but feel this sense of dread everytime he puts something in his mouth.  Everytime he coughs, makes a funny face, gets the hiccups I panic.  The doctors are great in preparing us for what to do in the event of an emergency but all of that has resulted in me feeling like everything is an emergency, like every reaction he may have is a life or death situation

Can anyone give me any advice on how to cope?  There is a support group in my area, I've reached out but haven't heard back, they may not be very active and I don't think they have in person meeting.   
Pregnancy Ticker

Re: New to Food Allergies- Need some advice

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    I don’t have much advice, my kids allergies are drastically different than your sons (fpies).  But, my nephew has severe food allergies, peanut being one of many allergens for him, so I have some experience. Peas and peanuts are both legumes.  It isn’t common, but some kids with peanut allergies can not have peas.

    I know how terrifying food allergies can be.  You have to be vigilant about reading labels and checking in to cross contamination and line use.  It May be best to not let others prepare food for your child.

    also, there can be error in skin testing, I have heard too many stories of people being told allergens were outgrown that weren’t.
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    See a therapist! 

    We found my little one had a peanut allergy with his throat closing up after giving him some peanut butter at 12mo. We started down the road of medications, scratch tests, asthma etc. I wasn't able to sleep and was starting to have trouble with my marriage. My husband finally convinced us to go to couples therapy. The therapist wanted me to do individual therapy and said I had anxiety. It's been over a year of therapy 1 time a month but it's helped so much. I'm learning to calm my over reactivate mind and I'm sleeping better. 

    Now we're expecting #2. Good luck, I wish you the best. Allergies are difficult. 

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