Another New Allergist

I am on this mission to find an allergy doctor that I can relate too, that I feel I trust and will really help us. We love our pediatrician, wish we could clone her to an allergist too.

I have heard about this allergist in the area and had also seen him on a news story so I thought we could try him and see what he has to say, he had been an allergist for more then 15 years so I thought he would be experienced. I made an appointment and today was that day.

When we got to the office it, was very basic, nothing fancy or high tech - I am not sure they used computers, everything was hand written and I think they used a book for appointments. The receptionist was also the nurse. She weighed Nathan, checked his height and then took us into the exam room.

The doctor came in and asked about Nathan's history and I told him. Then he examined Nathan and listened t his lungs and said Nathan was wheezing which didn't surprise me since he has Asthma and has had a cold. He gave us an RX for a liquid steroid. I told the doctor that we already know he has allergies to Dairy, Eggs, Wheat and Nuts. He then said "Wheat" I said yes. Then he asked what happened when/if Nathan ever had wheat and I told him I have never noticed a reaction but I also maybe given him wheat a few times. He then tells me "that in the 20 years of being an allergist he has only seen 1 wheat allergy and that patient was so allergic that he couldn't even be in the same room as wheat products." What?? is what I was thinking, so my child has been told that he has a wheat allergy for all these years and really isn't. He then tells me that the only way to tell if there is a wheat allergy is to be exposed and see if there is a reaction. The tests are usually not accurate. This I can agree with but as he is telling me that there are really no wheat allergies out there I am thinking and naming about 5 people in my head that I think have wheat allergies.

He tells me that we could do a wheat challenge now in his office, he told me to run to the grocery store and get a few food items with wheat and come back. I rush out of the office with Nathan to the grocery store. I have a million thoughts going through my head. What if this is it and we can finally give him wheat, this will open a new door of foods he can eat. I was excited but also nervous at the same time.

At the store I picked out 3 things, I got a loaf of wheat bread, a bag of pretzel sticks and some Ritz crackers. Checked the ingredients and the only ingredients that they had that he was allergic too is the wheat.

When we got back to the office the doctor came in and told me to start feeding him the food and he will be back. Ok, so I gave Nathan a Ritz cracker and he was fine. Then I tried the wheat bread but because it was soft and mushy (he usually eats toasted bread) he wouldn't try it. Then I tried the pretzel stick which had tons of salt and Nathan usually doesn't like salt. He started crying a bit and saying it was salty (not a choice of product on my part), so he didn't eat it. I didn't notice any reactions and we waited for the doctor to return.

The doctor came back and asked if there were any problems or reactions and I said no, just the pretzel with salt he didn't like and he agreed most kids don't like salt. He then tells us that Nathan is fine we can start feeding him wheat and see him in 6 months and we were on our way.

I didn't know what to think. I mean could Nathan really eat wheat now. I was shocked that the doctor didn't even check Nathan out after eating the wheat. He didn't check for hives, or his breathing or anything. He could just look at him and say, he is fine. Fed him wheat. I wasn't comfortable and the rest of the afternoon I was uneasy. I was afraid of a reaction later in the day or something.

Nathan and I went out to lunch and I ordered his food the same as I always to, wheat free - out of habit.

I never noticed a reaction later in the day.