OK so my kid gets diagnosed w/wheat allergy

[pied]

Looooooonnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggg story fast forwarded over.

Kid had to be tested for environmental allergies, so Mrs. pied asks the doctor to test the blood for food allergies as well. She was diagnosed when she was two or three w/peanut/shellfish allergies. In any case that's been kind of a pain, but not so much.

So the doctor tells the wife on Friday over the phone that she still tested positive for peanuts and other nuts in addition to wheat/soy/eggs. We are scheduled to see the doctor next Monday and figures that we would cut back, but no real shake-up until we talked to him. This is largely based on the fact she has never really shown any issues. Thinking back, we may be able to attribute some problems to this, but may be over thinking.

A good friend of ours has celiac(sp?) disease(allergy to gluten), and we spoke to her. She said that my wife or I have to be carriers and the best thing is to just eliminate it from our diets. We have never suspected that we had any allergy.

So, I have a lot of questions, most of which will be answered by the doctor, but want to see if anyone else here has had to deal with this.

Thanks in advance.

[pied]

No one? That's kind of surprising.

[Firebird]

Sorry, I got nothing. I have an allergy to penicillin, but I know nothing about anything else.

[slorch]

peanuts, tree nuts, and coconut are not allowed in our house because of our youngest. i miss me some PB&J, but he is just a little more important.

He demonstrated a reaction to peanuts around age 2 and we took him to get tested. off the chart on those items above.

at gee 3 or 4, we were at Christmas dinner and he was eating sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. Only problem was, it had pecans in there too. he started gasping for breath and turning red. we poured about a gallon;) of benedryl down his throat and got him to the doctor.

we carry the epi-pens and benedryl pretty much everywhere. Thankfully, we have not had an episode like that since.

It's just an adjustment you're going to have to make in your life. you'll get used to it.

[Favpack]

sorry - nothing here. Dragonsdaddy might have 2 cents with some medical letters behind it - but I think his specialty is more wounds and tv type stuff.

[pied]

peanuts, tree nuts, and coconut are not allowed in our house because of our youngest. i miss me some PB&J, but he is just a little more important.

He demonstrated a reaction to peanuts around age 2 and we took him to get tested. off the chart on those items above.


Thanks-similar to my daughter, but no so severe. Peanuts have not been so bad. Spagehtti/Mac and Cheese/Birthday Cake/pizza, now you're talking difficult.

Throw in eggs, and I don't know what we'll be eating.

[Firebird]

Steak and potatoes. Chinese stir-fry. Sounds like a diet for me.

[pied]

Steak and potatoes. Chinese stir-fry. Sounds like a diet for me.

I hear ya. Like I said I'm used to asking parents if cookies have nuts at parties and after soccer games. This basically puts an end to that. I see it now.

"Um, no it's not that I don't like your food, but I have to bring our own birthday cake to your kids party because my kid is allergic to wheat."

Going to a sleepover, "yeah no pizza for my kid, or mac-n-cheese. Oh you're doing sandwiches or hot dogs? Well my kid will only be eating the meat. For breakfast, no cereal, or pancakes, or muffins thanks a lot".

Most will understand, but I hate to impose and my great little kid will be thought of a little different.

I know sometime, I'll realize it's about her and not them, and that we should be absolutely truly grateful and feel blessed to have learned this now, instead of when she is 30, but today I'm not there.

[HUM398]

I hear ya. Like I said I'm used to asking parents if cookies have nuts at parties and after soccer games. This basically puts an end to that. I see it now.

"Um, no it's not that I don't like your food, but I have to bring our own birthday cake to your kids party because my kid is allergic to wheat."

Going to a sleepover, "yeah no pizza for my kid, or mac-n-cheese. Oh you're doing sandwiches or hot dogs? Well my kid will only be eating the meat. For breakfast, no cereal, or pancakes, or muffins thanks a lot".

Most will understand, but I hate to impose and my great little kid will be thought of a little different.

I know sometime, I'll realize it's about her and not them, and that we should be absolutely truly grateful and feel blessed to have learned this now, instead of when she is 30, but today I'm not there.

I'd Get a second opinion just to double check. I had a friend that was supposedly allergic to Dairy products along with nuts...10 years later, he found out that he wasn't actually allergic to Dairy...

[pied]

So last week he missed out on birthday cupcakes at school.

Today the church had lunch served to everyone. Spaghetti/garlic bread and salad along w/a variety of cakes and cookies she can't eat. Had to run across the street to Taco Bell. NO big deal, but I feel bad for her. Luckily Grandma brought some wheat free cupcakes.

Also I'm sure some think she's just picky. That's my problem though.

Tomorrow we see the doc and get more info.

[pied]

Sooooo here we are a year later. Very limited wheat eaten. We've purchase expensive wheat-free bread/pizza crust/cookies/cakes/etc. For the most part no pizza, sometimes she'll eat the toppings but no crust, no birthday cake at parties(we've brought wheat-free cupcakes in a container to some events). Basically a pain in the ***.

Go to a checkup with the allergist. He says, "Has she eaten any wheat?", "um yes" is the answer, "had part of a hot dog bun Friday?". He responds, "any issues?" , mrs. pied, "not that I noticed". "Well she is good to go. Just watch and unless she has some coughing within an hour, no worries. "


Don't know what to say. I'm happy, but a bit pissed as well. Still wants to food challenge for the eggs and soy, but I imagin she'll be cleared for those as well. Says she's a great candidate for the peanut sensitivity challenge where she'll get a little bit each day over time and likely beat it.

Good news, but also frustrating.

[SV61]

I was allergic to EVERYTHING on a hamburger, (minues the veggies) when I was younger. Throw in yeasts (brewers AND bakers (??)), and growin up was an aggravation. Get to give yourself shots and all that happy crap.

As you get older, the allergies become less, im my experience. I don't know if exposure to known allergens helps the process. Obviously, a HEAVY allergy prohibits eating. My friend swells up like a poison toad when he eats pecans.

Keep the Benodryl handy.

[dragonsdaddy]

celiac sprue is not a typical wheat allergy. most people with food allergies never get tested and learn to live with the symptoms, assuming they are normal. some people with simple food allergies can rotate their diet and eliminate their symptoms altogether after a relatively short period off the allergens. others have had success with digestive enzymes as the food is accepted when completely digested. others have been able to tolerate organically grown products(they were reacting to the chemicals). i have friends and patients who have more allergies making diet choices much more restricted. i wish i had more answers.

[pied]

We are close to some people w/Celiac and mrs. pied likely a bit sensitive to the issue. A lot of confliciting info about what to do in regards to the allergy, that's part of the frustration. Kid handled it great and did what she was supposed to. it's a beating to ask people what they're serving when going over, and basically avoiding Italian food.

FYI-Dr. said that it's ok to eat foods cooked in peanut oil(like Chik-fil-A), because the protiens that trigger the allergy are killed in the cooking process.

My life got a lot easier in many ways, but still a bit pissed about the confusion(some of it on my wife and my parts).

[GoOwls]

Pied, I know that certain allergies, like peanut and shellfish, can kill you, but that type not withstanding, I don't see much help for people with the allergy treatment thing. I see a bunch of people, and the subject comes up from time to time, and most say that the shots didn't help them as much as they cost.....the whole diagnosis and treatment were not cost effective for the amount of relief that they got.....general consensus, but there are people I know who swear by them.

I had a full allergy test battery back in 1971 when I was 13...now I'm sure that was the dark ages in treatment compared to now, but it was the full deal.....up both arms, chest, and back......food, allergens, and pollen.

I was allergic to dang near everything....milk, eggs, a couple of fruits, about 10 allergens including dust, mite droppings, etc., and almost every pollen that exists.

I started the weekly shots and regulated the diet for almost two school years.....I didn't miss one single day of school less....but my mom spent a fortune in testing, shots, and gas.

I guess I'm still allergic to these things, but If I am, I can't tell it and I'm rarely sick anymoe, so I may have outgrown it.

I'm not saying to not persue it, but don't be surprised if it doesn't help if it is just milk/pollen allergies and the such.

[Firebird]

celiac sprue is not a typical wheat allergy. most people with food allergies never get tested and learn to live with the symptoms, assuming they are normal. some people with simple food allergies can rotate their diet and eliminate their symptoms altogether after a relatively short period off the allergens. others have had success with digestive enzymes as the food is accepted when completely digested. others have been able to tolerate organically grown products(they were reacting to the chemicals). i have friends and patients who have more allergies making diet choices much more restricted. i wish i had more answers.

DD, why do you think cases of food allergies are skyrocketing? Is it just that it's been underdiagnosed in the past, or something else?

[pied]

DD, why do you think cases of food allergies are skyrocketing? Is it just that it's been underdiagnosed in the past, or something else?

I am curious as well. Underdiagnosed would seem to eb the case with many. I am sure many of us aer allergic to wheat/etc. and simply don't see or aren't in tune with the symptoms.

The one that I don't get are the peanut allergies. You do see those reactions and they can be very serious. erhaps anecdotal, but I didn't know of any kids with them as a kid, and now there appear to be a lot. At least one or two in every grade my kuids has been in not including her.




************************************************** ********
FYI
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THis thread started about a year ago.

Timeline= we found out a year ago she was allergic to wheat/eggs/soy. It's been a pain in the *** since then, but whatever. Now the allergist, says basically, "It's ok to eat wheat and we'll check the others".

Great, but we cuold have been doing this for a year, and a ton less money on wheat free bread(that tastes like crap).

[GoOwls]

The spread of crappy genetics.

More and more people who would have died of childhood diseases and such are living to the age of procreation and are spreading their crappy genes on to that generation ect., ect.....hence, more people with crappy genes and medical problems.

I've posted long and hard on this subject over the years.....I have strong feelings on the subject.

[dragonsdaddy]

DD, why do you think cases of food allergies are skyrocketing? Is it just that it's been underdiagnosed in the past, or something else?

media attention has been grabbed by one school of thought or the other for several years. this has the effect of increasing publicity and thus public awareness and thus allergy testing. all this and the fear-factor plus a high standard of living has led to an increase in total numbers of people testing, which of course leads to an increase in positive testers.

if you want my opinion that i can't prove, but is seemingly intuitively obvious, the generalized worsening of allergens, both in number and seriousness is also a factor. our immune systems are designed to react to and protect us from non-self allergens. since the increasing chemicalization of our environment has exposed us to an ever increasing number of unrecognizable, and thus non-self allergens, we are seeing an increase in allergic people. we are protected from many, old school allergens with the ability to digest/restrict access to the repiratory tract/blood stream/cellular interior. these systems have evolved thru the eons and can't react to the daily changes seen thru chemicals/hormones/etc.

there is a phenomenon in play too, that follows the straw that broke the camel's back. this explains why many allergic sufferers improve when they get to a cleaner environment. interestingly enough, once enough people move to this "clean" environment, it converts to where they came. the phoenix area was always seen as the best place to move if allergies were an issue. now with the planting of all the grasses and trees and the molds that are found with irrigation, it is one of the worst places for enviro-allergies.

[dragonsdaddy]

I am curious as well. Underdiagnosed would seem to eb the case with many. I am sure many of us aer allergic to wheat/etc. and simply don't see or aren't in tune with the symptoms.

The one that I don't get are the peanut allergies. You do see those reactions and they can be very serious. erhaps anecdotal, but I didn't know of any kids with them as a kid, and now there appear to be a lot. At least one or two in every grade my kuids has been in not including her.




************************************************** ********
FYI
************************************************** ********

THis thread started about a year ago.

Timeline= we found out a year ago she was allergic to wheat/eggs/soy. It's been a pain in the *** since then, but whatever. Now the allergist, says basically, "It's ok to eat wheat and we'll check the others".

Great, but we cuold have been doing this for a year, and a ton less money on wheat free bread(that tastes like crap).
"some people with simple food allergies can rotate their diet and eliminate their symptoms altogether after a relatively short period off the allergens". if she goes back to her old diet, she may start having symptoms again.

[GoOwls]

"some people with simple food allergies can rotate their diet and eliminate their symptoms altogether after a relatively short period off the allergens". if she goes back to her old diet, she may start having symptoms again.

d-daddy, does my idea about the spread of inferior genetics have any merit, in your opinion, in respect to the increase in birth defects, allergies, etc.?

[dragonsdaddy]

d-daddy, does my idea about the spread of inferior genetics have any merit, in your opinion, in respect to the increase in birth defects, allergies, etc.?

genetic engineering is an undeniable by-product of the public health and surgical advances of the last century. you can look at the explosion of several types of cancer, strokes, alzheimers and heart disease and some of the credit/blame has to be given to the ability to keep more people alive longer. whereas premies, who often are the product of some genetic mal-function. usually maternal, used to all die, they are now able to procreate, and keep the gene alive. is that a good thing? maybe with obama care, we'll turn back the clock.

[pied]

"some people with simple food allergies can rotate their diet and eliminate their symptoms altogether after a relatively short period off the allergens". if she goes back to her old diet, she may start having symptoms again.

The rub is she never had any noticable symptoms, aside from the peanut ones. Well, not exactly true, but it's hard to tell what may have been a stomach ache due to eating bread a couple of months back, or was it just a stomach ache.

[Pinion]

I feel your pain. My little girl (not little anymore) was allergic to almost everything when she was a baby. It was horrible to try and figure it all out.

Most of the stuff she outgrew, but some of it has come back. Like the citrus allergy. and the chocolate allergy. The milk allergy. The red dye allergy. and on and on.

[dragonsdaddy]

The rub is she never had any noticable symptoms, aside from the peanut ones. Well, not exactly true, but it's hard to tell what may have been a stomach ache due to eating bread a couple of months back, or was it just a stomach ache.
symptoms that went away with the diet change were likely due to the allergies. symptoms, even psychological ones that return are also likely allergy driven.

[GoOwls]

genetic engineering is an undeniable by-product of the public health and surgical advances of the last century. you can look at the explosion of several types of cancer, strokes, alzheimers and heart disease and some of the credit/blame has to be given to the ability to keep more people alive longer. whereas premies, who often are the product of some genetic mal-function. usually maternal, used to all die, they are now able to procreate, and keep the gene alive. is that a good thing? maybe with obama care, we'll turn back the clock.

Just like back in the old west days when we thinned out the crop and inproved the genetics and only the strong survived the rides across American in the covered wagons....I personally believe that the generation that fought and won WWII is a direct by-product of the westward advance of the 1800's....their superior genetics and agressive traits enabled them to overcome in that war, IMHO.

So many of the strong ones died then, and in Korea, WWI, and Vietnam, that I think the losses of people in those wars, plus the saving of the lives of the inferior genetics through medical advances, are the main reason why we are where we are in the medical crisis....moreso than insurance, hospitals, doctors being scared of malpractice suits, etc.

[pied]

symptoms that went away with the diet change were likely due to the allergies. symptoms, even psychological ones that return are also likely allergy driven.

Here's the deal, and I am not certain if I've been real clear. We really did not know of any symptoms prior to the diagnosis, except the peanuts that we have known about for years. After the diagnosis, we could think of times that perhaps there were symptoms, but not certain. FYI-I was less convinced than mom. In the end the new diet was decided some by the Dr. some by friends(see celiac discussion above) and us. Hard to say if there were improvements or not to be honest.

A year later we are good to go. Hard to think we would not have been ok a year ago and many headaches ago.

[CyCreekDiverMom]

Here's the deal, and I am not certain if I've been real clear. We really did not know of any symptoms prior to the diagnosis, except the peanuts that we have known about for years. After the diagnosis, we could think of times that perhaps there were symptoms, but not certain. FYI-I was less convinced than mom. In the end the new diet was decided some by the Dr. some by friends(see celiac discussion above) and us. Hard to say if there were improvements or not to be honest.

A year later we are good to go. Hard to think we would not have been ok a year ago and many headaches ago.

There is a specific blood test for celiac disease. A certain antibody is present (when the patient is eating gluten) that is produced by the immune system. Celiac disease isn't an allergy. It's an immune system disease where the body attacks the small intestine (or sometimes the skin causing a rash) as a reaction to gluten which is seen by the body as almost a poison. Wheat allergies can often be managed and maybe some eaten without problems.

I don't know what her symptoms were, but I would have thought the doc would have done the tests and made sure it wasn't celiac. Sounds like there was some confusion as between celiac and wheat allergy. Just watch her and hopefully everything will be fine. My hubby just had pizza for the first time in 15 year a few weeks ago and he was certainly happy. He has celiac, but there's now a pizza place in Houston that makes good gluten free crust. YAY!!!

[dragonsdaddy]

Here's the deal, and I am not certain if I've been real clear. We really did not know of any symptoms prior to the diagnosis, except the peanuts that we have known about for years. After the diagnosis, we could think of times that perhaps there were symptoms, but not certain. FYI-I was less convinced than mom. In the end the new diet was decided some by the Dr. some by friends(see celiac discussion above) and us. Hard to say if there were improvements or not to be honest.

A year later we are good to go. Hard to think we would not have been ok a year ago and many headaches ago.

allergy doctors practice a very inexact science. only in the classic cases are they "sure" of the cause, and sometimes the treatment. most are nebulous with global/vague symptoms which may or may not be caused by one allergy, or another, or something else entirely. the old joke about allergists is that they only need 100 patients, as they never get any of them well.

[pied]

She doesn't have celiac. Due a complete and utter F-up by several doctors/Nurse Practitioners, she was having a blood test done for environmental issues. Since she had been diagnosed w/peanut allergy, my wife asked if they could run it against foods as well.

They did and determined he was allergic to wheat/egg/soy, in aditions to dogs/grasss and about a million other things. Prior to this diagnosis, she showed no symptoms to foods other than peanuts.

That being said, when someone diagnoses you, or your kid in this situation, you look back at what thwe symptoms are and convince yourself that you had them.

[GoOwls]

allergy doctors practice a very inexact science. only in the classic cases are they "sure" of the cause, and sometimes the treatment. most are nebulous with global/vague symptoms which may or may not be caused by one allergy, or another, or something else entirely. the old joke about allergists is that they only need 100 patients, as they never get any of them well.

I think that pretty much jives with my post on the subject earlier about my experiences with allergy doctors.