On Blood-Taking and a Peanut Allergy

Last week I took my son in for blood work aka blood taking. I started a blog post but didn't finish it in the hub-bub of a very busy week and getting ready to go out of town for a family wedding. Not to mention the car accident I was in as I was rear-ended leaving the KOHL's parking lot [I was looking for a dress to wear to said wedding].

At the kids well visit, the doctor requested we go in for some routine bloodwork and of course to look at some levels in his blood [you know.. toxic metals that shouldn't be in kids blood but happen to be almost commonplace] as well as running a RAST panel for nuts, tree nuts, dogs, cats and few other suspected allergens. So, we go to the blood lab at 7am before school and my Alex was beyond brave and well behaved. It took 4 jabs and it wasn't until that last jab and 5th vial that he got even the slightest bit agitated and started to cry. Wall-E went with us to the blood lab and was a good friend to Alex helping him get through it.

I was expecting the phone call either yesterday or today from my son's pediatrician office with the results. The call came today.

I knew something was up when it was actually the doctor on the other line and not the nurse who traditionally calls with any bloodwork result. She told me that he has a low allergy to dogs - our allergy bomb of a dog passed a few months ago and the Shih-tzu we have now is "safe" for him but this would definitely play into the selection of any future pets. Cats were not an allergy nor were tree nuts. Since his dad is allergic to tree nuts this surprised me since we honestly thought treenuts were a problem for him. Tree nuts are OK. That is good news. The slight reaction to dogs, also stomachable.

But.. she then dropped the bomb that he is allergic to Peanuts and not just in a low amount. He is testing between a Class 2 and 3. Its significant.

No more peanuts.
No more peanut butter.

And could this be the cause of the strange rash that has been coming and going around my son's mouth for the past year? Quite probably.

We are lucky he has been eating peanut butter without a severe reaction for the past 9 years.

But for now, we say good bye to peanut butter.

And I begin a search for an autism friendly allergist who can get to the bottom of things and conduct further testing.

I'm exhausted already.

Did you know?

May 9-15 is Food Allergy Awareness Week.

Did you know?
- Three to five million children in the U.S. have food allergies
- There is no cure for food allergies.
- Strict avoidance to a food to which a child is allergic is the only way to prevent a reaction.