A couple of months ago we decided to give Caroline a little taste of peanut butter. Alan had convinced me that there was nothing to worry about. There is no family history of a peanut allergy on either side and she has done wonderfully with trying new foods. I agreed, so I went for it. I gave her a little on a piece of bread and when I turned back around with her cup she had several hives around her mouth. As the minutes progressed she got one or two on her abdomen and a few on her right hand. She was otherwise fine. I called the doctor to find out if they would want to see me or if I could give her some antihistamines. Her usual doctor was not in, but we were to be seen that afternoon. By that time, the hives had disappeared. We saw her regular doctor the following week for her 15 month check up. He did a blood test and the results showed a moderate allergy to peanuts and a low allergy to egg whites. The egg whites were news to us since she's never displayed any symptoms from them. The good news was it did not show she was allergic to tree nuts.
We scheduled an appointment with an allergist and waited. We did some reading, but found that there were no real answers and there is no real cure. So, we decided to wait and see what the allergist said. We had our appointment last week and the allergist performed a skin test on Caroline. He checked for peanuts, dog and cat reactions, and dust mites. Everything came up negative, except for that glaring hive on her back from peanuts :(
What does this mean? Well, the doctor said that he wasn't so sure about the egg white allergy. It could have popped up because the blood test was done too soon. For the time being, we're going to focus on the peanut allergy and not worry about the egg whites since she shows no signs. We wont give her plain egg whites, but we wont go crazy limiting other intakes, like baked goods, pasta etc. He thinks that once we remove all traces of peanuts from her life the excema that she has had since infancy will disappear. If it doesn't, then we'll focus on egg whites. We will have to be aware of her surroundings even more so and be very diligent when we eat out. That will be tough since she loves to eat out! We are also armed with an EPI pen and have to carry that, along with antihistamines, with us at all times. Typically, the future reactions are much worse than the initial reaction.
So, our lives will change significtantly. When you hear someone has a peanut allergy, you think of peanut butter, peanuts, cookies etc. What you don't realize is that there are peanut oils in lotions, diaper creams, chocolate, oils etc. You think, "Oh, we can't use peanut oil." In reality, you can't use vegetable or canola oils either. You can't have candy or granola bars because they are all produced in the same factories. Luckily, manufacturers are labeling their products now, but it doesn't get rid of the fact that there is a lot you can't have "just in case." Another thing we are told to worry about is landscapers using peanut hulls as mulch. Oh, and don't forget dog foods and treats!
When Caroline and I go to South Carolina in a week, we have to alert the airline and have them make a peanut free zone. A buffer of a few rows that will be wiped down before we arrive. Passengers will be told not to eat peanuts. I am not a big fan of attention, but who wants to take the risk when your stuck in an airplane? You have 20 minutes to get to a hospital after the EPI pen is used. I don't know anyone who can get out of a landed plane in 20 minutes!
While we realize that a peanut allergy isn't on the same level as a disease or injury, it still worries and saddens us. I don't want my little peanut to have to fear foods. I want her to enjoy and love food as much as I do. I want her to be able to try new things without having to ask a million questions. I want her to love Mexican and Chinese food as much as I do (since Alan doesn't!) Those two cuisines are totally off the table now. There are so many things to worry about when you are a parent, but I try to make sure I allow Caroline to explore on her own. Now, I am forced to become a "helicopter" parent.
Also, I happen to love peanut butter. Anyone who knows me knows I eat it daily. I start to worry did I eat too much while I was pregnant? Was that what was bothering her while I breastfed? There are no results that show that either of these two cause or increase the risk, but I'll always wonder. They say the biggest factor is a family history. Well, we don't have that. They also say that future siblings are at an increased risk of an allergy.
They say that 1/5 kids will outgrow an allergy, but that most allergies are life long. There is no cure, but there are some injections that may come out in the future that will lessen the effect. Say, 1 peanut wont send someone into anaphylactic shock. It would take 44. While that sounds much better, I'm hoping we beat the odds and sometime between the age of 3-5 she does outgrow it.
This was long, but I hope this has educated our friends and family to what we'll be dealing with. You'll understand why I have to wipe things down with a vinegar/water solution to denature possible proteins and why ordering out will take us a little longer. Also, it will educate everyone about allergies. Every time I heard stories on the news I didn't realize just how many things are involved. Peanuts are everywhere!
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