January 2008 v.s. August 2009
Egg: Was: > 100 Now: >100 (Still high, the highest)
Casein: January 2008: 45.3
Milk: August 2009: 10.9
Peanut: Was 37.6 Now: 24.5 (Improved)
Wheat: Was: 52.4 Now: 24.6 (Improved)
The good news is: Milk, Wheat, Peanut numbers went down.
The bad news is: Egg white and yoke has stayed the same.
To do a food challenge the allergist wants the numbers to be < .35
The test he just did he only did the milk protein not casein but it baffles me that milk is that low -I mean, come on - remember the bad reaction to milk at dayare back in March? There is no way his milk is that low.
How were we going to do a food challenge for wheat back in April at another doctor's office when wheat is higher then milk and he was just recently exposed to wheat with no reaction.
No food challenge with this doctor in the near future, off to find another doctor or go back to the one who tried to do the wheat challenge in April.
I am confused and frustrated that two different doctor's and two different opinion. So when you go to get a second opinion and it is different, which is correct?
5 comments:
Jeanette- Sorry about the disappointing results. We have had very similar experiences in the last year, resulting in the same frustration you are feeling. Our RAST results don't match up with our anecdotal information, and 2 allergists disagree on food trials or not. I am trying to accept that there is a lot they 'know' in this arena of life, but MORE they don't know. Our son is 2 1/2 and we wonder if we will have to wait until he is able to verbalize what he is actually feeling. If you find an allergist with any different info, I would love to know. It gets very tiring some days, so I hope we all find some answers for our children someday. Good luck!
Hey Jeanette, I know you are disappointed but I want to remind you and encourage you that Nathan is still young. How many times have we heard that the numbers actually get worse (only because the child is growing up) before they get better? It is not common to see a child outgrow a food allergy in the early years of life. Only about 80% outgrow milk or peanut by age 5. I am curious as to why you would want to switch doctors again. Are you anxious to keep testing or just looking for different treatment? We have seen Dr. Melissa Chudnow (ProHealthcare) from the onset. She has been wonderful. She only tests Beau every 12 months and will not conduct a food trial until the RAST is <2. Period. I guess I don't question it. I just do my best to avoid the foods and make sure I am giving Beau the best nutrition possible. What's more important - a happy, healthy child or the luxury of eating a particular food? As long as Nathan is happy, you are doing a great job. Hang in there!!
Amy, thanks for the comment. I am with you on maybe "more they don't know". What allergies does your sone have?
Tara, I guess what I am saying is the test results are all over the board and I feel they are NOT accurate. He doesn't have a reaction from the wheat but yet that is higher then milk which he had a really bad reaction too. I feel that maybe all these tests are false positives. Maybe we are staying away from foods we really don't need too and this is why some many kids have so many allergies. Maybe the only true tests are food challenges. Thanks for your comment.
Jeanette- My son is allergic to wheat, oat, barley, rye, peanut, dairy, egg...barley and rye are new this year which was very disappointing. Our allergist has said (& I have read independently) that the sensitivity of the RAST can be impacted by 1 or more allergy. For example if there is 1 really intense allergy, it may be 'tripping' the other levels. Will's levels are incredibly high, however, anectodally he has had trials or accidental exposures with no visible reaction. 2 allergists are confused, but recommend no trials due to the RAST levels. I have been to CHW and Prohealth care and actually liked both MDs; I just think they don't have answers.
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