Allergy Update

We took Matthew to see an allergist yesterday so they could review his blood work and give us more insight into what we should and shouldn't feed him. They also tested him for some more nuts and foods. The skin prick test was so much better than getting his blood drawn. For one Josh was there to hold him and I could be in his face and let him know everything was ok. They pricked his back 11 times, but each one was short and looked like it would feel like a pinch from somebody. He didn't have to be held down, and he didn't freak out like when his blood was taken. He did cry and squirm, but the nurse could catch the moments that he held still. He did a great job and in a few minutes was asking to play a game on daddy's cell phone.

We already know he's allergic to cashews, so they didn't test him on that, but peanuts are a danger, and egg whites are a slight concern. Pistachios are very close to cashews, and we were advised to stay away from those. The doctor told us that when it comes to others taking care of him, it's safer to tell them across the board to not give him any nuts. As he gets older and he gets more responsible, we can allow the safe nuts into his diet. And he said to stay away from omelets and mayonnaise. He'll go back every 6 months and then every year to get retested to see if he's outgrown some allergies.

So just so ya'll know, no nuts, no peanut butter period. And as for boxes that say "may contain nuts" or "processed in a plant with nuts," the doc told us to find an alternative on the shelf. But he also said the chances of him getting sick with those types of foods is very slim. Again, being on the extra safe side.

He was a very nice doctor that spoke honestly with us and let us ask any question we had. Josh and I are making sure we don't talk about Matthew missing out on stuff in front of him, cause we don't want him to feel bad. Essentially he's not missing out on much. What's a few nuts deleted from your diet anyway, right? And he's not big on eggs for breakfast. We're also not big nut eaters to begin with. Now I will miss pb 'n' j's, and Matthew does love peanut butter cups, but again, trying not to highlight what he's missing out on.

We were also prescribed the epi-pen jr. with a DVD instructional for us to watch. They even give you a training epi-pen, so you can practice with it. I'm glad I have a peace of mind now that I have more knowledge of the do's and don'ts of what Matthew can eat. And I feel more comfortable that I have the epi-pen to take of him in an emergency.