2013 Patch Testing

Just a little over a year ago, we patch tested for the first time.  I don't think we really had much purpose at the time - CHOP suggested it, so we did it.  This time around, we're really specifically looking for something to trial.  Anything that is negative here will be followed up with an IgE blood test - and if that's negative too - we'll proceed to oral challenge, and then trial.

Back then, we tested for milk, eggs, wheat, rice, corn, oat, barley, potato, beef, chicken, ham, turkey, green beans, carrots, peaches, and apple.  The results weren't awesome.  He reacted positively to milk, egg, wheat, corn, barley, potato, beef, green bean, carrot, peach, apple, rice, and oat.  That left just chicken, ham, and turkey for trial.  We chose ham, and trialed it as pork.  We never talked much about it, but it didn't work out.  It really didn't work out.  He pooped blood for days.  It was so awful. 

This year, we tested for milk, eggs, soy, broccoli, wheat, potato, corn, oat, rice, apple, beef, chicken, turkey, ham, sweet potato, banana, peach, pear, strawberry, and carrot.  So we're taking away barley (I don't know why) and green beans (too close to his IgE allergy to peas).  And we're adding soy (I have no idea why - we would not trial this since he's IgE allergic, I believe it was added in error), broccoli, sweet potato, banana, pear, and strawberry.  Broccoli because it's uber healthy, and sweet potato, banana, pear, and strawberry because they are sweet and he'd probably like them.

A1 - Milk, Egg, Soy, Broccoli, Wheat.  A2 - Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Ham, Sweet Potato.  B1 - Potato, Corn, Oat, Rice, Apple.  B2 - Banana, Peach, Pear, Strawberry, Carrot

After the ultra-fun flare behavior we got last week from his skin prick testing, I can only imagine what's in store for us this week.  Here's to hoping we make it through the next 48 hours!

Night 1.  Love how the samples are oozing out.  This will smell great by Thursday night.

Brand New Allergist & Skin Testing Fun

We've been without an Allergist for some time now, since Allergy & Asthma stopped taking our insurance and CPED is just so far and so inconvenient and sloooooooooow.

When we were at APFED this summer, we spoke to several families that use one particular allergist right in King of Prussia.  Looking back at old notes from our fabulous Nutritionist, it seems she has recommended her before, we just never pulled the trigger on making the switch.

As of this week - consider the trigger pulled.  Aidan has officially screamed it up in Dr. Beausoleil's office.

So far, I like her - she understands my fears and my hesitation - and at the same time, she recognizes that we do want and need to trial something.  So our goal is to do everything we can to find the safest options for trial.

Step 1: New round of Skin Testing

Step 2: Blood testing

Step 3: New round of Patch Testing


We kicked off Step 1 this week, and Aidan was none too pleased. But we got some results, so I consider it a success.

Skin testing tells us the IgE part of the picture.  The IgE allergies are the ones that keep mothers awake at night hoping they'll be able to administer that Epi Pen and praying they'll never have to.

At this point, Aidan's IgE allergies are Peanut, Tree Nut, Soy, Peas, Melons, Squash, and Zucchini.  We're told that all gourds should be avoided - so I guess we aren't going to be a pumpkin kind of family.  Who needs them, anyway?

Steps 2 and 3 are soon to follow.  Stay tuned :)

PS - Do my eyes deceive me?  When did my toddler get a hairy back!?

Allergy Friendly Snacks and Treats - Divvies

At this year's Kids With Food Allergies Expo, I had the chance to try a bunch of different allergy-friendly snacks and treats.  Aidan can't eat any of them now, but I think it's my motherly duty to try them all.  For later.  And for deliciousness.

The first sample that I tried was Divvies Sugar Cookies.

The Company: Divvies sells allergy friendly cookies, cupcakes, gourmet flavored popcorn, and chocolates.  There's even a cookbook!

The Website: http://www.divvies.com/

The Allergy Factor: The entire facility is free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and dairy.  The Sugar Cookies I tried noted that they contained wheat and may contain soy.  "May Contain Soy" in this case means that there is possible cross-contamination with soy lecithin and/or highly refined soybean oil.  This makes it probably okay for most soy-allergic people, but please ask your doctor, not your blogger.

The Look: They look totally normal!  Just like you'd expect a sugar cookie to look.  There's even a dusting of sugar granules.  I caught myself thinking that it looked just like a real cookie.  Duh.  It is a real cookie.  A really safe one.

The Smell: It smelled great.  Sweet and vanilla-y.  This was exciting - a lot of allergy-friendly and specialty prepackaged foods don't smell like anything, and I find this really disappointing.

The Texture: This is probably the second most important part to me.  A cookie needs the right texture.  Too soft, and you've got mush.  Too hard, and you've got dessicated charcoal.  Only Chips Ahoy can get away with serving me a jawbreaker and keep me coming back for more.  Divvies really got it right.  Just the right amount of crunch, while still keeping enough of a moist, chewy cookie texture.  Not too hard or dry.  I think I'm in love.

The Taste: Drumroll Please?  They're delicious!  Seriously, they're really good.  And I've heard the other flavors are even better.  They really do taste like a sugar cookie - maybe a little bit less sweet than most prepackaged sugar cookies, but still very, very good.  No weird aftertaste either, which I'm always half-expecting from "specialty" foods. 

The Final Verdict: I do not have peanut, egg, or dairy allergies - and I'd definitely still choose these over other cookies.  In fact, it's a new goal of mine to try EVERYTHING Divvies has to offer!  Those cupcakes are calling my name :)