donna723
Well-Known Member
... my three year old grand-dude, Ethan, I mean. They already knew that he was allergic to peanuts. When he was just little he nibbled one tiny bite of a french fry that had been cooked in peanut oil (the restaurant didn't post anything that said they cooked in peanut oil) and in just a few minutes his whole little face swelled upand he had a trip to the emergency room! They had been very careful not to ever give him any kind of nuts at his age but didn't really think about restaurant foods that might be cooked in peanut oil because most places don't use it any more. Since then, they've had to read every label in the grocery store and ask in every restaurant if any peanut products are used. And ever since he was little, he's had a constant snotty nose all year long.
So a few days ago he went for allergy testing, the full panel including both food and environmental allergies. Allison said he was very brave, didn't even cry! I was surprised at the results, considering that both his mom and his uncle are pretty much allergic to EVERYTHING ... dust mites, mold, pollen, grass, trees, and certain animals, but no food allergies. Turns out that the ONLY things Ethan is allergic to are peanuts and grass, which accounts for the constant snotty nose! He's NOT allergic to any other kids of nuts, just peanuts. He got a huge reaction from the test for the peanut allergy which the doctor says probably means that his allergy is severe. He will have to take Zyrtec for the grass allergy and a nasal spray ... she has to chase him through the house and pin him down to spray it up his nose but it's already helping! The doctor prescribed an epi-pen and they got four of them ... one for her house, one for his daddys house, one for daycare, and another one for her purse or the car. Even with insurance , their co-pay was over $200! But at least they have them now and I feel a little better about it. It will be trickier when he starts school but I think the schools are all very mindful about allergies now, especially peanut allergies.
I know I've posted about this before but it's still so confusing to me. When I was a kid the schools got tons of government surplus peanut butter and we had it for lunch in one form or another almost every day, and nobody was allergic! Allison (my daughter - Ethan's mom) is 36 now and when she and her brother were kids, I never heard of children having peanut allergies. There may have been a few, but nothing like there is today! And now, in just one generation, there are all these little kids running around with severe, even deadly peanut allergies? Very strange!
So a few days ago he went for allergy testing, the full panel including both food and environmental allergies. Allison said he was very brave, didn't even cry! I was surprised at the results, considering that both his mom and his uncle are pretty much allergic to EVERYTHING ... dust mites, mold, pollen, grass, trees, and certain animals, but no food allergies. Turns out that the ONLY things Ethan is allergic to are peanuts and grass, which accounts for the constant snotty nose! He's NOT allergic to any other kids of nuts, just peanuts. He got a huge reaction from the test for the peanut allergy which the doctor says probably means that his allergy is severe. He will have to take Zyrtec for the grass allergy and a nasal spray ... she has to chase him through the house and pin him down to spray it up his nose but it's already helping! The doctor prescribed an epi-pen and they got four of them ... one for her house, one for his daddys house, one for daycare, and another one for her purse or the car. Even with insurance , their co-pay was over $200! But at least they have them now and I feel a little better about it. It will be trickier when he starts school but I think the schools are all very mindful about allergies now, especially peanut allergies.
I know I've posted about this before but it's still so confusing to me. When I was a kid the schools got tons of government surplus peanut butter and we had it for lunch in one form or another almost every day, and nobody was allergic! Allison (my daughter - Ethan's mom) is 36 now and when she and her brother were kids, I never heard of children having peanut allergies. There may have been a few, but nothing like there is today! And now, in just one generation, there are all these little kids running around with severe, even deadly peanut allergies? Very strange!