The Hyena Chat thread: Everyone's welcome!

[Alex2kMommy]

If they DO end up doing the full on allergy testing, make sure you bring someone with you to help. Have you stopped giving him peanut stuff?? Has he cleared up any?

Well, since Saturday yes...

The boy was nearly cleared up, and one tiny bit of peanut butter and he's got it on his arms and legs really bad, plus on his buttcheeks, and the tops of his hands and feet, weird! It seems to clear up on his cheeks and hands/feet first, but I don't think I've ever had his legs and arms totally cleared. Maybe now that I know to avoid the peanut butter I can finally get it under control. Then she said to just use Vaseline and spot-treat small breakouts as they occur. You know, I went the longest time not letting him eat peanuts and strawberries, known allergens. I don't know when I first gave him peanut butter, but now I'm wondering if that's when the eczema began.

 

[staley7580]

Well, since Saturday yes...

The boy was nearly cleared up, and one tiny bit of peanut butter and he's got it on his arms and legs really bad, plus on his buttcheeks, and the tops of his hands and feet, weird! It seems to clear up on his cheeks and hands/feet first, but I don't think I've ever had his legs and arms totally cleared. Maybe now that I know to avoid the peanut butter I can finally get it under control. Then she said to just use Vaseline and spot-treat small breakouts as they occur. You know, I went the longest time not letting him eat peanuts and strawberries, known allergens. I don't know when I first gave him peanut butter, but now I'm wondering if that's when the eczema began.

Yeesh! Thats sounds awful! Poor kid.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I'm trying to remember what tests my nephew had .. I know they tried to do the skin test, but he smeared it (forearm) -- not sure if that was tesing food or other allergens.
She did an elimination diet protocol to determine the gluten and then another for casein allergies. It's not an easy way, hard to explain to a young chilkd why they are eating plain rice while everyone else is eating a full meal.

Blood tests are getting more common now.

And challenge/provoked testing-- but that would be dangerous for a peanut allergy.

Years ago I saw a photo of someone who was being tested for common allergens. They had marked a grid on their back, and poked each square of the grid with an allergen, then watched to see what the person reacted to. No reaction, no allergy. Some of the spots got really nasty, obviously a strong reaction.

Is that what your friend's child had done, Staley?

 

[funnygarcia]

Yeahhh. The boy sure loves his peanut butter, though, so it's gonna be tough. This summer he begged me almost every day for a PBJ sandwich. Once I suspected peanuts, I wouldn't give him one, and his skin gradually got better. Last weekend he begged, and I caved; I barely scraped some peanut butter on one side of the sandwich, and the next day he looked horrific! Lots of red bumps, and some of them he'd scratched raw. DOH! Boneheaded thing to do, I know...

Wow, It does sound like a peanut allergy. Gotta watch the small amounts in products too-- candy, cereals, flours processed on the same line as peanuts, etc. Allergens can effect behavior too.. journalling will help you figure that out.


At least manufacturers are better at listing possible allergens on labels now.

 

[staley7580]

Years ago I saw a photo of someone who was being tested for common allergens. They had marked a grid on their back, and poked each square of the grid with an allergen, then watched to see what the person reacted to. No reaction, no allergy. Some of the spots got really nasty, obviously a strong reaction.

Is that what your friend's child had done, Staley?

Yep.. and the poor kid was only 2.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Try a different type of nut butter. They have all kinds.

I think I'll wait until after the allergy testing; I know peanut is a common nut allergy, but I don't know if it means he's more likely to be allergic to other nuts.

I also don't know if the skin reaction is IT for a histamine response, or if it means he might develop a more severe allergic response... I guess I should start writing these questions down.

 

[funnygarcia]

aww, that must have been scary for the lil one. Forearm tesing might be easier.. they can see what is happening, not as scary. Probabaly not as sensitive skin too.

 

[staley7580]

I think I'll wait until after the allergy testing; I know peanut is a common nut allergy, but I don't know if it means he's more likely to be allergic to other nuts.

I also don't know if the skin reaction is IT for a histamine response, or if it means he might develop a more severe allergic response... I guess I should start writing these questions down.

http://www.peanutallergy.com/


Check this site out..

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Yep.. and the poor kid was only 2.

Poor baby, they'd have no clue why.

If the eczema is the worst it can do, I won't be too worried about it. I mean, I won't be feeding him peanuts, but I won't freak out about labels saying a product might accidently contain a peanut, you know? In the scheme of things, this isn't a terrible thing, IF that's all it can do. Just something to live with, and hopefully find something he likes besides peanut butter.

He still begs for it, even though I tell him I think it makes his eczema worse. He practically cries when I tell him no, which is why I caved on Saturday, thinking he was in pretty good shape, "how bad could it get?" Ahhhh well, now we know, pretty quickly got real bad skin.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

http://www.peanutallergy.com/

Oh interesting! Some kids outgrow their peanut allergy! I didn't know that.

 

[staley7580]

Poor baby, they'd have no clue why.

If the eczema is the worst it can do, I won't be too worried about it. I mean, I won't be feeding him peanuts, but I won't freak out about labels saying a product might accidently contain a peanut, you know? In the scheme of things, this isn't a terrible thing, IF that's all it can do. Just something to live with, and hopefully find something he likes besides peanut butter.

He still begs for it, even though I tell him I think it makes his eczema worse. He practically cries when I tell him no, which is why I caved on Saturday, thinking he was in pretty good shape, "how bad could it get?" Ahhhh well, now we know, pretty quickly got real bad skin.

Yeah.. Ill bet that if it is a mild peanut allergy, you should be good. Also, because peanuts are legumes, and not actual nuts... people who are allergic to one, arent always allergic to the other. So hopefully, he can still have something like cashew butter.. almond butter.. I really like sesame butter. It is tasty!

 

[staley7580]

Oh interesting! Some kids outgrow their peanut allergy! I didn't know that.

Oh yeah! You can totally outgrow allergies! I used to be allergic to perfume. Not any more.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Yeah.. Ill bet that if it is a mild peanut allergy, you should be good. Also, because peanuts are legumes, and not actual nuts... people who are allergic to one, arent always allergic to the other. So hopefully, he can still have something like cashew butter.. almond butter.. I really like sesame butter. It is tasty!

Oh wow, I hadn't thought of that. I love cashews, I wonder if he'd like cashew butter. (I wonder if I'd like cashew butter!)

 

[staley7580]

Oh wow, I hadn't thought of that. I love cashews, I wonder if he'd like cashew butter. (I wonder if I'd like cashew butter!)

mmmmm... tasty stuff. Fattening, and expensive... but tasty. I know they sell it at Trader Joes, but im not sure about the regular grocery store.

 

[staley7580]

Where have I been???? Holly and Hef broke up???

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Where have I been???? Holly and Hef broke up???

OMG, they didn't call you?

 

[staley7580]

OMG, they didn't call you?

I KNOW!! HOW RUDE!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Well, goodness. It's after 11, and Ds4 is still up. He has refused to go to bed several times, wanting to wait until i'm going to bed (since Daddy is sleeping in the spare room while he's sick.) So I/we need to get to bed.

Good night, Staley!
Good night, G!

 

[staley7580]

Night! I guess I should head off as well.

 

[Mkgaapril]

Alex, can he have other nuts? or is it just the peanuts that cause the problem...If he can have other nuts try almond-butter....many of the schools use it..its not to bad..and he may feel like he isn't being cheated..