When we first got the diagnosis of Perry's peanut allergy at 8 months old, I was burdened, sure, but I didn't really comprehend the full impact having a food allergy would have on his life until a year or so later. I guess I really felt burdened...I mean, I can't eat peanut butter anymore? Not even sneak it? What about Chick-fil-A? So many labels to check at the grocery store! Maybe it was a type of coping mechanism or something...maybe experiencing a bit of the five stages of grief as I "let go" of my good friend, PB&J.
After a few months, I finally got the hang of having a child with a peanut allergy: asking for a peanut-free play dates, finding brands with dedicated peanut-free facilities, cleaning tables with wet ones at parks, etc. As I started to cope with the allergy, the gravity of the situation set in. I started thinking of school lunches at peanut covered tables with peanut covered children, sleepovers where a good intentioned mother forgets and puts peanut butter M&M's in the popcorn and a deadly first kiss. My anxiety kicked into overload.
I can't remember where the Mr. and I first heard of peanut desensitization, but we were thrilled to see a chance for Perry to escape from the fear of living with a peanut allergy. The relief for us, to know if someone forgets he has allergies and slips him a Reese Cup, he will still be with us. After a brief google search, I found a center that provides OIT (oral immunotherapy) for peanut allergies, but with a heavy price tag for a family of 5 on one income and rigorous treatment plan, we feared we couldn't do this for him.
As kindergarten approaches this fall, I've been on a manhunt for further testing for Perry. Our allergist mentioned the uKnow Peanut Test and we were thrilled to have this test done for him. It would give us a little more warning, a little more information for teachers, coaches and we'll know, for sure, exactly what type of a reaction he would have if he ingested a peanut. We just completed the test Saturday and are awaiting the results along with his current RAST test (last year, his peanut allergy was a 6 - the highest on the scale).
Falling into a Facebook worm hole (you know, when you're clicking link to link to link and can't remember where you started, I came along No Nuts Moms Group (a supportive and informational environment. So lucky to have found them). To Maddy's story to Peanut Anaphylaxis Cure where I found moms with children undergoing OIT and an open forum for questions, support and friendship. There, I discovered that some doctors were performing OIT as an in-office treatment! This is huge! Not only could we afford, with the help of our insurance, to see if Perry would be a good candidate for this treatment, but maybe there would be a doctor in our area who would provide the treatment!!
After a few hours on the phone, a lot of cheers and tears, I found a doctor 3 hours and 45 min away who will perform the treatment and one more office to call tomorrow (who closes on a Wednesday?). Today is a good day. I called my mom to tell her the good news and the only words that would come out were "These are happy tears."
That is so awesome!!!! I know that as a parent of school agers I'm extra careful of what I send to school with my kids, but I never think to check and see if what i'm sending could have come in contact with peanuts. Would that put Perry (or others with peanut allergies) at risk? I mean if say J brought a granola bar to school, and although it didn't have nuts it, if the label says it was made in a place that peanuts are, could Perry have a reaction from touching the food? Does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteIt does make sense! It depends on the level of allergy. For some people, inhaling peanut protein can cause a reaction. For Perry, it would be fine. Early on, my husband ate a PB cup at work and, 6 hours later, gave Perry a kiss. Perry developed kiss-shaped hives on his cheek! I would suspect, that if there was a mom of a child with a peanut allergy that severe, you would definitely know!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being so concerned, Angie! I think that is wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! Crazy that 6 hours later and there was still enough Peanut oil left to give him hives!! Poor kiddo! See I think those are things we don't really think about. I'm going to start being more aware of what I send with my kids! Even what they have when we go to the store and they touch the carts and things. Really if one of my kids had a food allergy I would hope that other parents would take it seriously. I think we could all do to be more aware of the seriousness of food allergies for so many kids! There is a child in one of J's classes that has a tree nut allergy, J and I have talked about how sick bringing anything that has nuts in it to lunch or snack could make the other child and how very dangerous for his classmate. He checks now to make sure he's not taking something that could make the other child sick. It really IMHO is about educating not only the child with the allergy, but his/her classmates, teachers and parents.
ReplyDeleteSorry kind of went on and on ;) Love that you're sharing!! Thank you
Thank YOU for sharing. I'm so happy to know that when Perry goes to kindergarten this year, there are moms like you who will be looking out for him, too. That's adorable that J keeps an eye out for allergens as well. I think talk about food allergies is going to become more prevalent in schools in the next few years and so on...the number of kids with food allergies is out of control!
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