Owen's Food Allergies

Out of Breath

2011-07-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

I feel like Owen gets out of breath very easily. I did this video of Owen playing in the basement, because I feel like he was breathing hard while he was playing. It is very subtle, but it just seems like a bit more heavy than normal.

Here is a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuea7mDLYfo

Last week, my babysitter gave Owen an inhaler twice because of slight shortness of breath and a dry cough.

Today, at the pool, Owen was holding hands with 2 girls, and jumping the in water. My babysitter said that Owen became short of breath, and was coughing a lot. She told him to take a break, but he was still coughing. He said his throat felt funny, and he must be allergic to the water. :) My babysitter asked the girl, who Owen was holding hands with, what she had just ate for lunch (because she had just finished eating), and the girl said she had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Because of everything that was happening, my babysitter gave Owen a drink, and then took the kids home, and Owen improved immediately.

Egg Trial - Day 3

2011-06-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

In January, Owen's doctor told us that we start a baked egg trial. I made 2 dozen cookies using 1 egg. Therefore, 2 cookies equals 1 serving. Thursday evening I gave him a cookie just before bed time (which is a bad idea for many reasons.) He started complaining of nasal congestion, which isn't abnormal for bed time. Since it was at bedtime, I decided to give him Benadryl, just in case. Since we had a babysitter on Friday, I didn't give him any of the cookies. This morning I gave him one cookie. He was itching his head a bit, but it is normal for him in hot and humid weather. T wo hours later, I gave him another cookie without any incident. Woo hoo!

The cookies are from a recipe from The Allergen Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. This cookbook is my favorite, because it avoids all the top allergens. A girl friend had a cookie, and she was very surprised when I told her it was Owen friendly. She couldn't believe how good it was.

Random Labored Breathing

2011-06-11T12:20:00.001-07:00

Owen was quietly playing at the beach house. Everyone just sat down for dinner, but Owen had his dinner 30 minutes earlier. He started coughing and using his accessory muscles to take deep breaths of air. His respiratory rate was normal, and he had no other signs of distress. I gave him his inhaler, and symptoms resolved in a few minutes.

Asthma after a Nap

2011-01-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

We were at Doug's parent's house in California. It was our 4th day there. Owen woke up from a nap, and asked for a drink. I was cooking a lasagna, so I washed my hands, and gave him some soy milk. Soon after I gave him the drink, he started coughing. The dry cough continued. I wanted to listen to his lungs, so I asked him to blow out my finger, and he couldn't. Since I haven't needed the inhaler in months, I didn't bring it on vacation (big mistake!) I called the doctor, and they called the prescription into the pharmacy. When we arrived at the pharmacy to pick up the prescription, Owen said "Mom, I'm breathing better", and he was. I gave him one dose of the inhaler. He hasn't had any breathing issues since that time.

I don't know what triggered the asthma. I am grateful to God that it hasn't happened again.

Anaphylaxis at the Airport on Christmas Eve

2011-01-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

We were at the San Francisco Airport for a 3 hour lay over. We ate lunch at the food court. The table we sat at had some sesame seeds on it, and I used baby wipes to clean the table. Owen ate a Sunbutter and Jelly sandwich on King Arther bread, carrots, pretzels, apple slices, and Burger King french fries.

Owen finished his meal, and was full of energy. I wanted him to run around before we hopped on the next flight. So he and I had a 500 ft race. Owen ran the whole way without any trouble. He laid on the floor, and didn't want to stand up. He asked that I carry him, but I told him he had to walk (the point was to get his energy out.) He continued to lay on the floor, and didn't want to get up. I picked him up, and I realized was he was having trouble catching his breath, coughing, sweating, red, itchy, and one large hive on his cheek. I asked him if he was ok, and he said "I'm hoarse." Owen wanted to curl up, and he seemed stiff (I don't know how else to describe it). We gave him a teaspoon of benadryl, and he threw up. We gave him another teaspoon of benadryl, and called the airport paramedics.

The symptoms were epi pen worthy, but they were mild. In the end, our doctor said to stick to the emergency plan, and don't hesitate to give him the epi pen.

McDonald's Chicken Nuggets and Fries?!?!?!

2010-10-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Someone gave Owen McDonald's chicken nuggets (and removed the breading) and fries. The chicken nuggets have wheat, and the fries have milk and wheat. And Praise God, he had no reaction!!! Not even a hive!!! I can hardly believe it!!!!!

I emailed the doctor to ask him if we can try the McDonald's food again (this is very risky, and I would not have agreed to this). What a blessing it would be to be able to eat at McDonald's. I would not have to pack a lunch every time we are on the road. I am truly beyond excited!

And in other news, our bottle of Benadryl expires this month. I've had epi pens expire, but never a bottle of Benadryl. We went through large Costco sized bottles of Benadryl in the past. I can't believe we didn't finish a normal sized bottle. Owen has improved so much this past 6 months, and I am so excited to see him get better.

What a day!!!!!!!!

PF Chang's- My FAVORITE Restaurant

2010-10-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

The thought of bringing Owen to a restaurant was completely off my radar. I would never trust some random chef to prepare my son a meal.

Tonight I went to PF Chang's with a girlfriend. The waitress' first question was if either of us had food allergies. I immediately thanked her, since I appreciate their attentiveness to this issue. The waitress proceeded to tell me about the special services they offer. I gave her a list of all of Owen's allergies, and she told me that she would print me out an Owen friendly menu. I was so excited to find out the results!

A few minutes later, the manager came to my table. Apologetically, he gave me the menu, and said that all he could offer was rice and steamed vegetables. I asked him about their preparation methods, to see if the staff truly understood the attentiveness it takes to make Owen a meal (you need to use a clean/uncontaminated surface, grill, utensils, etc.) I was very impressed. PF Chang's totally gets it!

I profusely thanked the manager. Even though the manager doesn't think steamed vegetables and rice was that great, it is tremendous that Owen could go to a restaurant, order from the menu (even if it is only one option) and know that he can get a safe meal. I'm so excited to bring Owen to this restaurant. I wish more places understood food allergies, like PF Chang's.

Ice Cream Cone! Bad Chinese Food

2010-09-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Owen had his first ice cream cone tonight!!! I am so grateful for Whole Foods for selling dairy-free ice cream, and gluten-free cones. So they lie about their organic foods. They gave my son the gift of enjoying ice cream the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

Owen refilled his cone 5 times, and then he was disappointed when the cone... broke. I explained to him that he is suppose to eat the cone. I love these basic life lessons.

I also love friends who make their birthday party Owen friendly. The kids table was filled with only Owen friendly food. I'm so blessed to have supportive friends.

We haven't ordered Chinese food in a long time. We ordered Kung Pao Chicken, and it was filled with nuts. I was so upset that I let nuts into my house. I could feel my stress level go from completely calm, to very stressed. I washed down the counters, chairs, and table. I washed my hands and mouth. We immediately threw away the packaging and took the garbage out of the house. Live and learn. In the end, things went perfectly fine.

Owen played with play doh this morning for 45 minutes, and he didn't have any reaction. Praise God!

"I don't really like Ice cream."

2010-08-26T11:29:00.001-07:00

Today Owen and I were food shopping. I found some chocolate soy ice cream, and he was excited. A little bit later, we walked by chocolate soy milk. He begged to buy some. I told him he had to choose between the chocolate soy milk or the ice cream. Owen said "I want chocolate soy milk. I don't really like cream." The comment made me sad. Who doesn't love ice cream? I'm sad that soy ice cream is not as good as the real thing.

In the end, he has the healthiest diet in the world! I refer to his diet as the Daniel diet (from the book of Daniel in the Bible). I am so glad that Owen doesn't complain. I can't wait until he is older, and he can express his thoughts and feelings more. I wonder what is going inside his cute, little head.

Join Us For The Food Allergy Walk on October 2nd!

2010-08-25T18:55:00.001-07:00

Please join us again as we walk for a food allergy cure. Please support Team Cress as we complete a 2 mile walk. There is no cost of join the team. Even if you can't make the walk, you can show your support by being a virtual walker (also free!)

Date: Saturday, October 2, 2010
Time: Check-in begins at 9:00 a.m.; Walk begins at 10:00 a.m.
Location: Meadowbrook Park, 5001 Meadowbrook Lane, Ellicott City, MD 21043
Distance: 2 miles

There is a great, big park and a moon bounce. And after the walk, join us at our house for chili bread bowls!

Join us by registering here:
http://www.foodallergywalk.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Home

1. Click "Sign Me Up."
2. Click "Maryland-Baltimore"
3. Click "Join A Team"
4. For Team Name, type in "Team Cress" and click "Search for a Team".
5. Click on "Team Cress"
6. Scroll down, and in the box that lists the team members names, click "Join Team".

More than 12 million Americans have a food allergy. That’s one in 25, or 4% of the population. Between 1997 and 2007, the prevalence of food allergies among children increased 18%, to reach 3 million U.S. children. Food allergies result in more than 300,000 ambulatory- care visits among children in the U.S. annually. Eight foods account for 90% of all food- allergic reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. Owen is allergic to all of these items, except for fish and shell fish.
There is no cure for food allergy; strict avoidance of the food allergen is the only way to prevent a reaction.

Allergic Reaction- Good Reminder

2010-08-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

I dropped Owen and Caroline at the neighbor's house, while I ran an errand. Owen and Caroline had a great time playing with the kids. When I picked Owen up, he was itching his face. When I got him in the car, I realized he had some hives on his face, and he was sneezing large amounts of snot. It was clear he was having an allergic reaction. Since it was the morning, I didn't want to give him Benadryl. I decided to give him Claritin instead, and he eventually improved. He didn't eat anything, so I don't know if it was an accidental food exposure or if it was an environmental allergy.

This reaction is a timely reminder to me of what a new environment can do to Owen. I am blessed to have a daily, steady routine.

Play Doh Experiment

2010-08-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

Owen played with play doh when he was 2 years old, and broke out in hives. In the past year, Owen did a pasta craft and held a piece of bread while feeding a duck. With these 2 successes, I wanted to try play doh again.

On Thursday, Owen played with play doh for 1 hour without any problems. I was so excited. On Friday, Owen played with play doh for about 45 minutes without any problem. On Saturday, Owen played with play doh for 2 hours. Most of the time was unsupervised because we had a guy giving us a window replacement estimate. After 2 hours, his eyes started getting itchy, red, and swollen. I washed him up, and avoided giving him Benadryl, just to see if he can improve without intervention. But about 1 hour later, it was nap time, and he had hives on his arms and legs, and was uncomfortable, so I gave him Benadryl.

It was very frustrating to see him have a reaction. After Thursday's success, I thought we a breakthrough. I guess it is good news that it took 2 hours to have a reaction. Ugh.

Pasta Craft A Success

2010-06-17T19:00:00.001-07:00

I love Ms. Cheryl, my kid's day care provider. I don't know how we started talking about it, but Ms. Cheryl told me about a craft where the kids paint pasta, and then thread the noodles on the string. Well I don't know how I came to this conclusion, especially after last months asthma attack, but in the end, I decided to let Owen participate in a pasta craft.

The next day, Cheryl did the craft with the kids, and Owen did great! There was no redness, itching, or hives. Although that night, we went to a party, and after the party he did have a runny nose, itching, and a dry cough. I gave him Benadryl, Singular, and Albuterol, and he cleared right up. It could have been from the person's dogs or Owen was playing by a storm drain and maybe could have had mold.

The next day, Owen put the pasta on a thread, and he didn't have any troubles.

I am so grateful for Cheryl, and her willingness to even try this craft with Owen. I am so grateful for her vigilance in monitoring him. She gives Owen such a great care. I was a bit worried about this activity, but I am so confident in the care Cheryl provides, that I didn't stress out. People like Cheryl are impossible to find. We are so so so blessed!

And just for the record, Owen's bald spot is gone. The bald spot appeared in July '09, and it disappeared around February '10.

Pre Boarding Request for Food Allergy Kids

2010-05-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

Below is a note I sent to Southwest Airlines regarding a flight we will taking this summer...

Southwest Airline,

Owen Cress has an allergy to peanuts. Owen has a history to respiratory distress when there is allergen in the air. In other words, he doesn't need to touch or eat a peanut to react. If there is allergens in the air, he can have trouble breathing.

I attended a food allergy conference in March 2010, and they said it is ideal to pre board, so that you can wipe down the area, and make sure there are no nuts in the area that was left over from another flight. I called SWA customer service to see if I can pre board the flight, but they denied my request.

Allowing my family to pre board will improve our flight experience because it will allow us to make sure we have done everything necessary to give Owen a safe trip. This will decrease our stress. Allowing my family to pre board does not cost SWA anything, and will greatly improve our flight experience, and reduces the risk to the airline for an emergency landing.

We love Southwest Airlines. We are grateful that it will provide a peanut free flight. But I plead with the airline to allow families with significant allergies to pre board. Please consider updating your policy to keep families safe.

Very Respectfully,

Joanna Cress
Food Allergy Mom and Advocate Of A Fabulous 3 Year Old Boy

Asthma

2010-04-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Owen had his first asthma attack. :(

Owen had minor, irregular wheezes this week. Tree season has been unprecedented, and it has been getting the best of him. Last night, Owen suddenly had wheezing and coughing. We removed him from the environment and gave him benadryl. He was able to settle down enough to fall asleep. He woke up at 4 am coughing and wheezing.

We visited Dr. Banks, and he said he thinks it was because of an inhilation of a scone mix that included pine nuts. Dr. Banks stated that Owen is extremely sensitive to his allergens because of the tree pollen. He recommended Owen take Singular and Albuterol each night for the rest of the spring. He is hoping that Owen will improve once the allergy season improves.

I Get So Emotional

2010-02-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Nothing strikes my nerves like food allergies. I easily get moved to tears when...
- I arrive at church, and the children's program tells me about an activity that Owen can't do because of his allergies
- When I receive bad RAST scores
- Listening to Owen talk about his food allergies, and explain that certain foods make him sick
- Watching Owen look at food that he knows he can't touch
- When I give Owen a birthday cupcake and he doesn't want it
- When I can't find the ingredients I need for a recipe
- When I finally find the ingredients I need for a recipe
- When I get to the cash register and I realize how much those special ingredients cost (not really :)

I am so grateful that Owen has never needed an epi pen. I am so grateful for Owen's flexible personality, and how he constantly rolls with the punches. I am so grateful for my faith in a sovereign God who has all things in his control. He knows the tears I have cried, and he promises to work all things for good (Rom 8:28)

I Found A Yummy Cake for Owen!!!

2010-02-17T18:03:00.000-08:00

I am writing this post with great joy! All Owen wanted for his birthday was cake. And no matter how hard I try, I could not deliver ... until now.

I found the Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook at my library. It promised a chocolate layer cake that everyone would enjoy. It said that you won't even realize it is missing butter, wheat, and eggs. I didn't believe it.

But, despite my pessimistic attitude, I gave it a try... and it was awesome!!! Owen loves his "chocolate birthday cake." He asks for cake after breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I give him a slice each time. I am just so happy that he enjoys the cake. And Doug (who is a tough cake critic) likes it too.

I am so grateful for my library for having the book available. I am so thankful for the Organic Market for carrying all the uncommon ingredients that I could not find at my grocery store.

http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Foods-Allergy-Cookbook-Homestyle/dp/1890612456

RAST Results

2010-02-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

These are not the numbers I was praying for. I continue to trust God. I know God is in charge, and he always gives me what I need. I don't know why that includes allergies, but I trust his plan.

Milk 77.08 (was 20.52 in 01/09, 11.9 in 07/08 and 3.26 in 01/08)

Egg 21.73 (was 11.7, 8.93, 1.46)

Peanut 22.87 (was 13.32, 9.19, 6.81)

Almond 0.35

Hazelnut 5.16

Pecan 11.1

Cashew 10.3

Pistachio 9.36

Sesame 15.6 (was 15.8)

Garlic 8.21 (was 10.7)

White bean 1.75

Lentil 1.14 (was 2.12)

Chick pea 0.5 (was 0.92)

Barley 29.2 (was 43.3)

Wheat 68.8 (was 86.2)

Negative:

Crab

Shrimp

After talking with Dr. Wood's office, they said I could try crabs & shrimp since Owen is 3 years old. I don't think I will. If I do, and he becomes allergic, then I will blame myself. I will wait until Owen is interested in crabs, and then we will try.

Phone Call From the Babysitter

2010-01-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

When I gave Owen a bath tonight, he had some red bumps (hives?) on this chest. His right eye was slightly swollen. His right cheek has also been irritated for 4 days. I gave Owen benadryl before I left for the night. Owen played in the basement 30 minutes, and then it was time for bed. As the babysitter was getting ready for bed, she noticed that the redness on Owen face was getting worse. My babysitter called me because she was getting concerned.

I asked my neighbor, Diane, to stop by the house and evaluate the situation. Diane reassured me that Owen was improving with Benadryl.

I love my babysitter. She did such a great job evaluating the situation, and called me when she became concerned. That is all I can ever ask for!! And I am so grateful for my neighbor, Diane, who does a great job caring for Owen.

Breaking My Heart

2010-01-16T17:28:00.001-08:00

The great news is that we went to our third birthday in a row, and Owen did not break out in hives!!! There was lots of people and lots of food, but Owen had clean skin the whole time.

As Doug put Owen down to sleep, he said "I don't feel good." Doug asked why, and Owen's response was "I have alleriges, and I can't have cake." :( I did bring a cupcake, but it was not very good, and he certainly sees that it is different from the other kids. I am proud that he doesn't complain at all during the party.

Ugh. Hopefully we will get some good RAST results, and get some hope.

Allergist Appointment- 3 year visit

2010-01-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

What a morning! Owen was such a trooper at the allergist this morning. It was a 2 hour appointment with exams from 2 nurses, 1 doctor (Dr. Woods at Johns Hopkins is the best!!!), 15 skin tests, and a blood test. He was so brave. I thank God for helping Owen through this doctor's appointment. I know many people were praying for him.

The doctor was very happy that Owen does not have asthma. At his 2 year appointment, the doctor told me there was a 100% chance that Owen would get asthma. He was extremely pleased that Owen did not develop asthma this year, and he said now there is only a 50% chance of him developing asthma. Apparently, having asthma is like adding lighter fluid when you have an allergic reation.

Owen's skin tests results were not good. His response to egg, milk, and peanut were off the charts. Wheat was bad. And his reaction to indoor allergens (like dust on carpets) was pretty bad. Nurse Kim (who is an amazing nurse) recommended I get a mat for him to play on, instead of letting him play on the carpet. She said it is bad when he is laying on his belly with his face so close to the carpet. She also told me to pick up covers for his mattresses and box spring.

I will get the RAST test results in 2 weeks. I can hardly wait!!!!

I am so grateful that Owen has gone a whole year without any accidental ingestion exposures to his allergens. With all his allergies, he hasn't eaten any of it!!! He has had contact exposures, but those reactions are nothing compared to an ingestion of an allergen.

It was a great day! He is still very allergic, but we got encouraging news. Woo hoo!

Hives Before Bed

2009-12-21T17:36:00.000-08:00

I was reading Owen a book around 7pm, and I noticed that he had some generalized itching on his face, neck, and back. At 7:30 he continued to have itching, and I noticed hives on his neck and back. I gave him benadryl.

I don't know what started the itching. He ate dinner at 5 pm. He was playing games at the dinner table, so maybe he contacted an allergen that way. I did wipe down the table after dinner. I just don't know.

Hives in the Church Nursery

2009-11-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Owen had a reaction in the church nursery. I think it is because a child brought a pastry into the play area. I asked that the child finish his breakfast in a different place, and the volunteer gave me a cross look. About 30 minutes later, the same volunteer called me out of the service because Owen broke out in hives. I felt so bad for Owen, but I felt justified in my earlier request to have the boy eat his pastry somewhere else. I didn't give Owen benadryl, because it wasn't that bad. His face remained red and itchy for about 5 hours.

Alopecia?

2009-09-30T19:18:00.001-07:00

Owen's bald spot has grown just a little bit- 2.5 cm by 3 cm. There is no sign of hair regrowth. The pediatrician has confirmed that it is not a fungus. She said the next step is to follow up with a pediatric dermatologist.

The spot does not bother Owen. And since there is nothing you can do for Alopecia, why go to a dermatologist?

Egg Allergies and the Flu Vaccine

2009-09-30T18:50:00.001-07:00

Below is a note I received from Dr. Wood's Johns Hopkins Pediatric Food Allergy clinic:

Update on H1N1 flu and regular flu vaccine as of 9/17/09.

The regular flu vaccine is currently available through your child’s primary care provider, local allergy office and Johns Hopkins Allergy Pediatric Clinic. It is anticipated that the H1N1 flu vaccine will be available to local pediatrician offices, local allergy offices and Johns Hopkins Pediatric Allergy Clinic sometime in mid October. As of this date it is still unknown if there will be an H1N1 flu vaccine available that will be safe for children who are strictly avoiding egg.

We do not make recommendations about whether your child should receive either flu vaccine. That decision is between you and your child’s primary care provider. If your child is tolerating any amount of egg in baked products then it is safe to get the regular flu and H1N1 flu vaccine through your child’s primary care provider. If your child is strictly avoiding egg then it is not recommended that the child receive the regular flu or the H1N1 flu vaccine. However, if you and your child’s primary care provider feel your child should have either or both flu vaccines, then your child should be skin tested to the actual vial of vaccine that your child will receive. If the skin test is negative or small positive then the vaccine will be administered and your child monitored for 30 minutes afterwards. If the skin test is moderately or largely positive the vaccine should not be given. The Flu Mist vaccine contains more egg than the regular flu shot vaccine and is also contraindicated in children with an egg allergy.

The skin prick test and flu vaccine administration can be done through your local allergist, or in our Allergy Clinic here at Johns Hopkins. To make an appointment to have the flu shot administered to your egg allergic child here at Johns Hopkins:

Call the main line: 410-955-5883

Push the option for allergy appointments

Schedule your child for a Flu Vaccine Only appointment.

The vaccine costs $18.02 and you will be asked to pay for that at the time of registration. There are other fees associated with this visit. We strongly encourage you to check with your insurance company before you make that appointment to make sure the visit and vaccine administration will be covered if your child has it done at Johns Hopkins. Otherwise, you could incur a large bill you were not expecting. The skin test, vaccine administration and monitoring is done by our certified medical assistant. You will not be seen by a physician or nurse practitioner unless there is a questionable skin test result or if your child experiences any problems after administration of the vaccine.

WE ARE NOT SCHEDULING FOR THE H1N1 FLU VACCINE AT THIS TIME, ONLY FOR THE REGULAR FLU VACCINE. We will update this information when we get the go ahead to start scheduling for the H1N1 flu vaccine. If you call for a flu vaccine only appointment now, your child will only receive the regular flu vaccine.

Please refer to the website CDC.gov and click on updates for the H1N1 flu to learn more about the disease and the vaccine. Many of your other questions, such as Tamiflu and updates when the flu vaccine will actually be available will be at that site and that is the site we use for our updates. We will update our voice mail and e-mail messages when new information becomes available.

The Johns Hopkins Pediatric Allergy Team

Walk for Food Allergy

2009-09-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

More than 12 million Americans have food allergies, and 3 million of them are
children. Food allergy can be deadly. We must find a cure, and we need your help! Join Team Cress on October 10th in Baltimore, MD as we walk toward a cure. Click on this link and join us!

http://www.foodallergywalk.org/site/TR/2009Walk/2009Design?fr_id=1311&pg=entry

Our team name is "Team Cress".

There is no cost to signing up. And if you can't join us in person, show your support by being a "virtual walker."

Hives on his arm, splotchyness around his mouth

2009-08-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Today Owen was playing with a puzzle at the kitchen table. He started itching his left forearm. There were about 30 hives. Then some hives appeared on his right forearm. And then I noticed red splotches around his mouth. I gave him a teaspoon of benadryl, and the hives resolved in 20 minutes.

I don't know what happened. He was not eating. Maybe I didn't clean the table good enough before he played. I just don't know.

Bald Spot

2009-08-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

I cut Owen's hair 5 weeks ago, and there was a quarter size bald spot on the back of his head. I thought I made a mistake with the trimmer, and gave him a bald spot. Well, the bald spot hasn't improved at all. It is still just as bald. There is some hairs, but it is mostly bald. I am starting to wonder if I should see a dermatologist to see if something else is going on.

The bald spot is 2 cm by 2.5 cm.

Messy Face and Neck

2009-08-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

Owen has had a red, irritated face and neck for the past 3-4 days. When the irritation began, I stopped ketchup (which was a dime size amount once a day). I give Benadryl once a day. There seems to be a minor improvement with Benadryl, but not significant.

Today when Doug dropped Owen off at day care, he had one large hive on his cheek. Doug gave him Benadryl. The hive improved, but the red irritation on his face continued.

The only thing Owen ate this morning before day care was chocolate soy milk.

The only new food that Owen has eaten is Dum Dum lollipops and jelly beans. The ingredients labels don't list any of his allergens.

I don't really know what is going on.

Garlic Update

2009-08-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Owen received increased increments of ketchup. It started with a jelly bean size, then a dime size, then a nickel size. There was some increased redness on his face, especially under his eyes. Then he accidentally ate 1 tablespoons of ketchup. It seemed that the redness on his face spiked at that time.

We decided to temporarily stop the garlic trial at that time. There were too many variables in the equation, and we were not positive that the redness was from the garlic. At the time, we were at the beach. Owen was exposed to sunblock, sun, and sand, which could have contributed to the redness. It seemed like his skin improved when we stopped the ketchup (even though he was still exposed to sun, sunblock, sand, etc).

Once we returned from vacation, we started eating ketchup again. I give him penny sized amounts, and he seems to be tolerating it. I gave him a dime sized piece of chicken nugget, and there was no reaction.

So we are still in the midst of a garlic trial. I am taking it extremely slow, because I want it to work so badly.

And by the way, he LOVES garlic. He want it on everything- hot dogs, hamburger, chicken, mandarin oranges, anything!

Garlic Trial

2009-07-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was day 1 of our garlic trial. At lunch time I gave him a pea size drop of ketchup with his hot dog. He really like it! He asked for more, but I told him that the doctor said he can have more next time if he doesn't get itchy. He accepted that response (I love how excepting he is of his allergies).

He made sure that he ate up all the ketchup. He swirled around his hot dogs in it and used his finger to make sure he got everything.

No problems. No itching. No redness.

At dinner time I gave him a dime size of ketchup. No problems. No itching. No redness.

The following morning he woke up with a tennis ball size rash on his neck that was itchy and red. He has had eczema, but this is a new spot. I put on some ointment. And he is doing fine. I will try more ketchup at lunch.

6 Month Research Study Check Up

2009-07-18T05:59:00.001-07:00

Owen is in an observational research study at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The doctors and nurses at JHH are amazing, and have helped us through the food allergy maze. I am so grateful to have Owen be under their medical care.

Yesterday was a 6 month check up that was done via the phone. (they give tremendous phone support). The doctor thinks that Owen increased eczema may have less to do with soy and more to do with the heat. In any case, we are only giving him 2 cups of soy milk a day.

The doctor said he does not believe Owen is growing out of the wheat allergy because of the issue he had with play doh in May. The doctor said we can start trying fish.

I asked the doctor about the likelihood of Owen growing out of his garlic allergy. Garlic is a huge pain. He can't eat ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, marinades, allergy free chicken nuggets, sausages, etc.

The doctor said that if I would like, I can give him a little bit of ketchup and see how he does. If he tolerates it, and can very slowly increase the amount over several days. The tricky thing about ketchup is the acidity of the tomatoes can cause redness and it is difficult to tell an allergy from tomato irritation.

I am going to give the ketchup a try. I am so excited!

Hive on Owen's face

2009-06-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday during small group, Owen got some hives, redness, and itching on his face. There was 5 kids and 1 babysitter in the basement at my house. There was no food. Owen started itching his face. I went to check on him, and I saw some hives on his face. I gave him benadryl, and the itching and hives went away in 20 minutes.

Just a Heat Rash

2009-06-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

Caroline is fine. She woke up this morning with the same bumps she had last night. There is no way that they are hives. It must be a heat rash or something. I don't care, as long as it is not hives.

Yummy, Yummy Fly

2009-06-09T17:42:00.001-07:00

Owen likes to read the book "Yummy, Yummy Fly." In the book, the fly eats pizza. Owen turns to me and says "I allergic to pizza. Pizza makes me sick. I don't eat pizza."

I started to cry.

Hives on Caroline's back?

2009-06-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am sad. I think Caroline had hives after dinner.

Caroline has had red dots on her back before, but I just thought they were pimples. The spots are always on her back, and never anywhere else. Sometimes the spots may have been slightly raised. The dots are sporadic and there didn't seem to be a pattern, so I wasn't that worried.

But tonight, the spots looked liked hives. There was about 15 bumps. And now I am worried. I asked Doug to look at the spots, and he also felt like they looked like hives. I took some pictures.

Caroline ate sweet potatos, multigrain (wheat) cereal, and an apple wagon wheel. After dinner, I bathed her. It was in the bath that I noticed the raised red dots.

I am hoping that this is just a random event.

Hives from Play-Doh

2009-05-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

One of today's activities at church nursery was playing with play-doh. Unfortunately, Owen broke out in hives on his face and hands. Luckily, a friend noticed the problem, and wiped Owen down. I gave him some benadryl, and he quickly recovered.

I talked to the Children's director about the incident, and her response was amazing. Since a lot of their activities include play-doh, they said they would obtain gluten-free play doh.

I am so grateful for such great support, and the extent that people go to include Owen.

No Signs of Food Allergies for Caroline

2009-05-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

I hesitantly gave Caroline some wheat cereal and a wheat biscuit. She had wheat on 5 separate occasions, and no signs of food allergies. I am so relieved!

We've Come A Long Way

2009-05-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

I just looked over some of my old blog posts- wow, we are doing so much better now. Thank God! Those were some rough times.

Food Allergy Awareness Week- May 10-16

2009-05-01T18:35:00.000-07:00

From FAAN:

FAIRFAX, Va. (April 28, 2009) – As part of its ongoing efforts to educate people about food allergies and reduce risk-taking behavior during Food Allergy Awareness Week and on a daily basis, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) reminds everyone to CAP It!

Carry your medicine. Avoid your allergen. Plan ahead to prevent a reaction. Simply put, CAP It can save a life.

For the 12th annual Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 10-16, 2009, FAAN is highlighting the need for improved education and awareness about food allergies and the need to "Take Action, Prevent Reactions." These efforts are vital to improving safety and avoiding a reaction, whether it's teaching a child's classmates how to recognize the signs of an allergic reaction or encouraging teachers, athletic directors, or other school officials to learn how to use an epinephrine auto-injector. Though food allergies can be fatal, this is a condition that can be safely managed through education and preparedness.

"Food allergies can be challenging to manage, but we know that reactions can be prevented by taking a few simple steps," said Julia Bradsher, CEO of FAAN. "Adults and children with food allergies and their families can empower themselves every day by taking steps to safeguard against reactions. By sharing their knowledge with others during Food Allergy Awareness Week and throughout the year, we hope to reduce the number of reactions and save lives."

As the prevalence of food allergy rises, particularly among children, there is an increasing need for education and awareness about food allergies as well. About 12 million Americans, including 3 million children, have food allergies. While there are many encouraging research studies underway, there is no cure for food allergies. Avoidance is the only way to prevent a reaction.

"Food Allergy Awareness Week is a really good opportunity for people with food allergies to go out in the community and tell people exactly what they want them to know about food allergies," said Caitlin Krutsick, 17, of Bethlehem, Pa., who is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. She has learned to speak up about her food allergies, and is not only an advocate for herself, but for others with food allergies.

Take time during Food Allergy Awareness Week to help those with food allergies "Take Action, Prevent Reactions." Visit FAAN's website, www.foodallergy.org, to sign up for a free packet of information and to download a wealth of Web exclusive materials – from posters to children's activities to educational presentation templates.

FAAN would like to recognize this year's Platinum Corporate Sponsors of Food Allergy Awareness Week: Food Lion, LLC, McKee Foods Corporation, and Publix Super Market Charities, Inc., and this year's Silver Corporate Sponsor, the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

ABOUT FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has 30,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 62 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org, www.faankids.org, and www.faanteen.org.

Tree Season Already???

2009-03-09T05:35:00.001-07:00

Owen's face was messy yesterday. I believe it is because all the time we spent outside this weekend enjoying the beautiful weather. I believe we will have to give him Claritin every day, and not just on day care days. Owen went on a walk, rolled in the grass, climbed trees, and played with Chrissy (the neighbor's dog). By the end of Owen's time with Chrissy, he needed Benadryl. He had hives around his nose, cheeks, and eyes. Doug still does not think Owen is allergic to dogs. We'll see. I'm pretty convinced because of the raised hives he had.

I have already declared my hatred for peanuts. My hatred for trees is growing very quickly. Hopefully Claritin will get us through this tree season.

Caroline has had a red spot between her neck and chest for about 1 week. It is a 3 inch line that is 1/4 inch diameter. It has not changed much. It looks like eczema. I'm sad to think about what this may mean. But I am forcing myself to think positively.

Shout Out to My Church Nursery & Crusty Mouth

2009-02-21T16:47:00.000-08:00

I want to start by recognizing my church nursery program, and how considerate they are of Owen. The nursery director called me up on Wednesday, and let me know that they are planning to have a party on Sunday with the kids, and she wants me to plan accordingly. See, in the past, Owen would regularly break out in hives when in the nursery during the church service. In order to address this problem, we not only bring in a snack for Owen, but all the kids, so that we don't have to worry about Owen coming into contact with the other kids snacks. My church is a big church, and there are many volunteers in the nursery. All the volunteers know about Owen, and his unique needs. And I am so happy that they let me know about this party, so I can plan ahead, and bring in special food. The proactive nature of their actions mean so much to me.

In other news, Owen has red, crustyness on the left side of his mouth. I have been putting antibiotic cream on it, and it is turning more brown than red. Also, his bum is all red, so we have been using the antifungal cream for that. He has had both of these problems since Friday.

Garlic Allergy

2009-02-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

Garlic allergies make we want to scream and curse!!!

All of these specialty, allergy free foods are available. But it seems like garlic is always the last item listed. It makes me angry.

Food Allergy Reaction- don't know to what

2009-02-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

I have not recorded a food allergy reaction since April 08, which is an eternity for me. But all that ended today. Owen came to the dinner table with redness under both eyes. He played in the basement before dinner. And he has had a stomach virus yesterday, so his eczema was bothering him. Owen ate applesauce, black beans, corn, and strawberry jello. Doug's fingers were "contaminated" and he touched Owen's spoon. While Owen was eating, many little hives developed around his eyes and cheeks. I gave him a 1.5 teaspoons of benadryl. The itching finally went away. When I put Owen to bed, there was no more bumps on his face, but his face was still red and splotchy.

It has been a long time since his last reaction. Even though the reaction was not that bad, it felt awful to feel vulnerable to whatever his immune system was going to do. That is the most stressful part, is not knowing when the reaction is going to end, and what the peak of the reaction will be. With Owen, his reactions have always just involved his skin, and I thank God that it has never affected his breathing.

Oh well. We almost got to 1 year with no food reactions.

Soy Update

2009-01-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

Despite the doctor's advise to "go slow" with incorporating soy into Owen's diet, I gave him one serving size of soy each day. On Friday, I decided to stop giving him this much soy because he was irritated. He had mild skin irritation before the Tuesday challenge. After the challenge his face had increased redness around his eyes, and his eczema has increased. And his facial redness would spike at times, and I could not figure out what triggered the spikes. I stopped the soy, and I used a whole bunch of topical medicine, and now his skin looks good again. I am going to introduce soy more slowly this time, and see how he does.

RAST Score- 2 year visit

2009-01-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

The numbers are what the doctor prepared us for. It is not uncommon for the numbers to increase until the age of 2, and then they like to see the numbers plateau, and then hopefully decrease. These tests don't predict type or severity of the reaction, but it does give you an indicator of becoming more or less allergic.

milk 20.52 (was 11.9 in July '08 and 3.26 in Jan '08)
egg 11.7 (was 8.93 and 1.46)
peanut 13.32 (was 9.19 and 6.18)
barley 43.3 (was 21.8)
garlic 10.7 (was 7.01)
sesame 15.8 (was 10.0)
wheat 86.2 (was 60.1)
lentil 2.12
chickpea 0.92

Not great news. I'm sad. But I am still hopeful for the future.

So The World May Know

2009-01-23T19:32:00.000-08:00

I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at least once a day when I was pregnant. Last year I learned that those sandwiches may have contributed to Owen developing allergies. Needless to say I am very mad at peanuts. I do not tolerate any kind of nuts in my home. Someone threw out a peanut candy bar wrapper in my garbage can, and that was not acceptable. The trash needed to be thrown out immediately.

I hope the salmonella scare that is happening with peanut butter makes people realize how difficult it is to avoid peanuts. It is in everything! All my favorite snacks were made in a factory with other peanut products. Check out those labels- peanuts have infiltrated every part of your pantry. Some think that it is easy to avoid foods that you are allergic too, but I hope that this salmonella scare will open the eyes of some.

1 down, 10 to go

2009-01-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Owen passed his soy challenge!!! He ate soy chocolate pudding with only a minor skin reaction. Owen was such a trooper. He ate the pudding even when he did not want to eat it any more, and he did great during the skin and blood tests. After the skin tests were complete, the nurse put benadryl cream on his back and told Owen it was to help him feel better. 30 Minutes later Owen pointed to his back and said "feel better." He did that a few more times that day. He did great. We are already having so much fun with new foods. And I am trying to proceed slowly like the doctor recommended, but it is too exciting!!!

Soy Challenge & Contact Allergies

2009-01-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

I can't wait till the soy challenge. I can't stop thinking about it, and dreaming about all the opportunities that soy could bring to our lives! I don't want to be hopeful, but like I said in an earlier post, I just can't help it! In church today, I was reminded how Owen's life is in God's hands. I need to trust God's sovereignty with Owen. No matter what, Owen will be fine, and he will have and get everything he needs, because he is in God's hands. But I still just can't wait to find out Tuesday's results!

We went over a friends for dinner this evening. We provided Owen's food, of course. Owen eyes and parts of his face became more red throughout the evening. By the time we got home, it was worse. Normally, I would have given him benadryl, but if I gave him benadryl, we would not be able to have the Soy challenge on Tuesday (you can't give benadryl within 5 days of the challenge). I was uncomfortable putting Owen to sleep since the redness was only getting worse. But I listened on the monitor for a while, and he seemed to go down ok. Owen has been doing so well with his food allergies. I was wondering if he really has contact allergies, or maybe his food allergies were getting better. But today was a reminder that he still has contact allergy problems. Oh well.

Animal Cookies

2009-01-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

I found another food product that I love- Orgran Vanilla Animal Cookies. They are gluten, egg, milk, soy, nut, etc, etc, Owen allergen free! And most importantly- Owen loves them. I can give Owen a bunch without having to think about the cost of each bite. It is not cheap, but at least there are more than 9 cookies in the package. Try them. Your kids will love them!

Soy Food Challenge- keep us in your prayers

2009-01-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

I promised myself never to get too excited about food challenges. But I can't help it! Owen has a soy food challenge next week. I can't help but be optimistic. I think he is going to pass. His soy RAST score is fabulous. I just have a feeling that we are going to pass. The thing is that I promised myself that I would not get hopeful. But I just can't help it.

I am not looking forward to the actual test, and having to be at the doctor's office for a few hours. Owen is only 2. What am I possibly going to do with him? I am going to go to the library and load up on books and DVDs. I will bring crayons and craft stuff. It is going to be a very long morning!

Some Relief

2008-12-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

After a few days of itching, I smothered him with steroid cream, and he is a new child. He looks so fabulous, I need to make sure I take the family Chirstmas card picture soon!!! Although his back looks awful. It is all scratched up and he has a bunch of scars. It looks like he got 40 lashes.

Eczema Continues

2008-11-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

Well Owen's eczema continues. He face looks pretty bad. He has redness around his mouth, under his eyes, and sporadically on the cheeks. I checked in with the doctor today, just to make sure I was doing everything I could be doing for Owen. We continue to use a million creams on him, use the humidifier, give oral medicine, etc.

I need to learn to take the pictures for the Christmas cards before the winter season begins!

Messy Face Days Continue

2008-11-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Owen's face got irritated (red around the eyes, nose, and mouth) just before dinner when he started crying for a cookie. We didn't give him anything, and it improved after a hour. We gave him benadryl before bed since his face was still pretty red. He woke up with red, thick skin around both eyes. Today at a playdate, on of his cheeks got red. His eyes are still irritated, so I gave him some more benadryl after lunch. I hate not knowing the cause of this problems.

Frustrated Mom

Messy Face 3 Evenings in a Row

2008-11-18T16:28:00.001-08:00

The last 3 days have been interesting. 3 days ago, his face got a bit red during dinner, but there were no hives, so I didn't do anything. Yesterday, his face was slightly red in the afternoon, and his face got more red around dinner, and his lower lip looked slightly swollen. We gave him benadryl and it cleared up. Before dinner his face was slightly red again, and during dinner he had slight itching, redness, and slight swelling around his mouth. We gave benadryl and it resolved. The only thing consistent about the last 3 days is Cranberry Grape juice. But the swelling doesn't happen immediately after drinking. And Doug gave him the juice in the morning, and nothing happened. I hope he is not getting a new allergy! I wonder if it is a contact allergy from touching my hand while we said grace. Very frustrating!!

Doing Great

2008-11-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I have posted anything for a very good reason- Owen is doing great. His food allergies seem to be under great control. We have a soy food challenge scheduled in Januray, which I am excited about. He struggles with environmental allergies, but does well on Claritin and Nasonex.

Another reason I have been "away" for a while is that reading about food allergies made me VERY upset. I was very pregnant, and my pregnancy hormones were in high gear. One night I got so upset thinking about food allergies, that I got myself scared silly about Owen going to the Zoo. I clearly need a break from thinking about allergies.

I had a little baby girl, Caroline Grace, on September 29th. She is just beautiful. She looks a lot like Owen. We are just praying that she doesn't have the food allergy genes.

One thing I notice is that any time we go bowling, to a restaurant, etc (which is extremely rare because of Owen's allergies) Owen gets red splotches around his mouth. They are not raised hives. Sometimes he itches, sometimes he doesn't. Some times we give him benadryl, other times we don't. It is no big deal, but it is something we observe.

Swelling and Redness Around Both Eyes and his Right Cheek

2008-09-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

When I picked up Owen at day care today both eye lids were swollen with redness. And he had redness on his right cheek. He was not itching it. It happened when he woke up from his nap. It is frustrating because we increased his does of Claritin, and he is still bothered by the cat.

The redness decreased when we got home, but when we went for our evening walk, it increased again. I gave him Benadryl before bed.

Food Allergy Video on YouTube

2008-08-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

I found this video on the Food Allergy Buzz blog. The person who produced the video did an amazing job, and really helps you understand what food allergic kids go through. The story that touched me the most is the little boy with glasses who talked about what it feels like to be excluded.

Kids Living with Food Allergies Video

Update on Rashes

2008-08-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very bad rash day for Owen. Owen woke up with some redness around his mouth, but not bad. When I picked him up from day care, his face was pretty irritated. He had redness under his eyes, around his mouth (especially near the sides) and on his cheeks. I called the doctor, and he said that he believe it is a fungal infection in Owen's diaper area that has Owen's immune system in overdrive. He prescribed Nystatin (an anti fungal) for the diaper area, hydrocortisone ointment for his face, and an antibiotic cream for around the mouth. (we have about 15 different creams on his changing table right now. I never imagined that there were so many skin creams out there.)

Owen slept horrible, waking up every hour or two.

He woke up looking much better. His diaper area really improved, and the irritation in his face decreased. When I picked him up from day care, he looked good. He had some redness under the eyes, and the sides of his mouth were a bit crusty. His diaper area continues to improve.

It is amazing how everything is tied together. That the fungal infection in his diaper area is causing a rash on the face. Thank God for good doctors and nurses who understand these connections.

Owen fell asleep really easy tonight. I am praying for a better night tonight.

Owen's Face is Red, Splotchy, and Swollen

2008-08-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Last night Owen's face was slightly red and splotchy. He had a hamburger for dinner. Owen's face was red enough that I decided to give him some benadryl before bed.

Today when he woke up from his nap his face was red and splotchy. It improved after 45 minutes. After dinner, his face became red, splotchy, and slight swollen. I gave him some benadryl. He did have a beef hot dog for lunch and dinner, and he had strawberries for dinner.

I also want to note that Owen has been fighting a fungal infection in his diaper area, so I don't know if that is kicking his immune system into high gear.

I love Organic Market!

2008-08-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

I think I am so blessed to have Whole Foods only 25 minutes from my home. Whole Foods offers some great food alternatives for Owen, since his diet is quite restricted. Well, Organic Market recently opened up about 2 minutes from my home. I could practically throw a rock and hit the store. Originally, I was skeptical that they would have anything for Owen since it is a smaller store. But it is great! They have my favorite brand, Enjoy Life Foods which makes great Chocolate Chip Cookies that Owen loves. And they have a bunch of other treats, that I have never seen before in stores. I also found a bread that Owen can eat- ENER G. I gave Owen a sandwich yesterday for the first time- Sunbutter & Jelly sandwich. Owen is not fond of the bread. He licked the Sunbutter and Jelly off the bread. Hopefully he will get used to it.

Now if I could only do something about the high prices... :)

RAST Results Are In (Drum Roll)

2008-08-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

We recently received Owen's RAST results from his 18 month check up. Unfortunately all the numbers have increased, but the doctor prepared us for that possibility. The doctor said that most allergies escalate until about 2, when they hopefully start to plateau.

After reading other people food allergy blogs, and reading about all the highs and lows on the food allergy journey, I have decided to keep a mind set that I am in this for the long haul. I am just preparing myself that he won't grow out of anything (except soy) for the next 15- 20 years. If he grows out of anything sooner, I will consider it a miracle. I have a tendency to set my expectations low, so I don't get disappointed. I do this as a coping mechanism. But I need too. It hurts too much to get my hopes up, and then be so disappointed. And not just my disappointment, but feeling the disappointment of a little boy is overwhelming.

So here are the latest and greatest numbers. Not that bad, compared to some other kids.

Milk 11.9 (was 3.26 in Jan)
Egg 8.93 (was 1.46)
Peanut 9.19 (was 6.81)
barley 21.8 (was 14.0)
wheat 60.1 (was 24.1)
sesame 10.0 (was 7.03)
garlic 7.01 (was 8.54)
pea 1.13
soy 0.56
beef 1.02 (was negative)
cashew 0.36

Owen is meant to live at the beach

2008-08-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

We brought Owen to the beach for a long weekend. I was concerned about bringing Owen to the beach because of all the skin irritations- heat, humidity, sand, sun tan lotion, etc. It was not that hot (70's-80's) and very low humidity. Owen did amazing. Owen did so well that we didn't have to give him Claritin (which is amazing). I think it is a sign that we should sell everything, and buy a beach house. :)

Owen had a very itchy/ splotchy face day on Monday. It started when he was in the car without the air conditioning on. Doug and Owen were waiting for me, and during that time, Owen's face got all red. But it stayed splotchy throughout periods of the day. It didn't seem to be related to anything specific (like eating). I put protopic on his face, but it didn't improve. Tuesday and Wednesday his skin was back to a great condition. (Just a note, which I hope doesn't mean anything, but I didn't feed him beef on Tuesday or Wednesday)

I've Been Tagged

2008-07-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged on my blog (quite exciting really!).
Here are the rules:

* Link to the person who tagged you.
* Post the rules on your blog.
* Write 6 random things about yourself.
* Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
* Let each person know you tagged them by leaving an entry on their blog.
* Let your tagger know when your entry is up on your blog.

Now, 6 random things about me:
1. I have 2 men in my life- my fabulous husband Doug, and the best little buddy, Owen
2. I only wanted to live in one place my whole life, but Doug has expanded my horizons to be a world traveler. I lived in Europe for 3 years, and each month it was our goal to visit a new location.
3. Pregnancy gives me heart burn. Otherwise, I just have a big bump on my tummy, that I forget about most of the time.
4. My mom was a nun (and yes, there are good stories ;)
5. I hate running.
6. My son's food allergies have changed my life. Owen was diagnosed with food allergies at 4 months of age. He is allergic to wheat, soy, milk, legumes, barley, peanut, sesame, garlic (which is a bigger pain than you can imagine), egg, and environmental allergies. He has contact food allergies, and reacts when I can't see any of his triggers. I am completely sympathetic to other moms with food allergic kids. I wish I could put a protective coating around Owen to protect him from this world that he is allergic too, but I so desperately am trying to integrate him into many social things as well. I hate feeling like the crazy, over protective, hypochondriac mom. My faith in God and his providence keeps me going.

Tags- Rachel's Recipe Box (I get stuck in a cooking rut so easily because of Owen's limitations. Food Allergies have take the joy out of cooking), MyKidsAllergies (I have touched by the recent bumps in the Food Allergy journey that she has shared), Food Allergy Buzz (a fabulous source on information), and Team Cress (this is my family blog, that I get to share the joys and fun in my life)

Support Team Cress in Food Allergy Walk

2008-07-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

FAAN is hosting a Food Allergy Walk on October 4th. Team Cress plans on being there to support this cause and raise money for Food Allergy research. If you would like to support Owen and the Team Cress team, please click on the links below. The links bring you directly to a website that supports Team Cress. Please join us on October 4th, and help us fight the food allergy epidemic.

July Just Won't Go Away!

2008-07-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

When I picked Owen up from daycare on Tuesday, July 29th, it started out so normal. It was really hot and humid outside, so the Owen was in the house all day. Cheryl said she thought he might be coming down with a cold because he was sneezing all day. We forgot to give him Claritin that morning, but he was inside all day, so I was surprised that it mattered. Owen woke up from his nap (2:30) sounding congested and slight runny nose. He had minor irritation over his left eye. During the 20 minute car ride home, Owen's face had increased redness, Owen was saying "itch", and itching his legs and face. (Owen was easily distracted by the DVD player in the car) At 3:00, we were home and I noticed raised red bumps on the left side of his face. I gave him .5 teaspoon of Benadryl. At 3: 25 there was no improvement of symptons, and the raised, red bumps spread to the right side of his face. I called Dr. Banks office. They instructed to give him another .5 teaspoon of benadryl and go to Dr. Banks office immediately.

At 3:50 we arrrived at Dr. Banks office. Owen's rash was no long spreading. It was a deeper red, but it was improved. By 4:30, Owen's face had greatly improved. Eczema on trunk and legs are worse. We gave him a third dose of Benadryl at 1900 because of some lingering redness and ezcema.

Dr. Banks believes that Owen is growing increasingly allergic to cats. There are 2 cats at the day care. I was surprised that he thought it was a cat allergy because the rash did not occur until he had left day care.

Today we remembered to give him Claritin before day care. He had a good day at daycare. He was inside again today. Cheryl said that Owen was completely fine all day. There was just a minor spot of redness on the left side of his mouth when I picked him up. But just like yesterday, the redness and itching increased in the car. He got one 3 mm red hive on his right check, just like he did the day before. Owen was sneezing and his nose was running at this point. I thought here I go again! When we got home, I got Owen some juice and an allergy free cookie (Everyday brand, which is my favorite company in the world!) He was out of breath while drinking his juice, but I think that was because his nose was no congested. He had some minor redness around the hive for about an hour, but it all cleared up on its own.

Owen during his reaction (sorry for the scary picture, but I need to document these things for myself):

Eczema Improved After 5 Days

2008-07-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Owens skin finally looked good again. Each day there was an improvement and today he was back to his baseline. I realize that ezcema is just as stressful as dealing with hives. If I had a choice, I would much prefer that Owen would get hives over the eczema, because the hives can be relieved with Benadryl within 15 minutes. Eczema takes days to clear up.

On Thursday, I took some time for myself. It was wonderfully relaxing. I started the day visiting blogs and websites to get ideas on what things I can cook for Owen. Then I got my hair cut, which I have not done since Mother's Day '07. Then I went to Whole Foods and spent 2 hours looking for things for Owen and reading labels. It was so much fun. One of my greatest finds was EveryDay brand soft chocolate chip cookies. Owen loves them! He thought they were the greatest. And I was so happy to give him a yummy treat. At least I think they are yummy. I have not dared to take any of Owen's cookies, not even a little bite. I also purchased Sunbutter. It is similar to peanut butter, but it is made from sun flower seeds. Owen really enjoys it. I think he just enjoys some new flavors, since he eats almost the same things every day. Below is a picture of him enjoying dipping food into the Sunbutter. Tomorrow I am going to cook a chicken and pasta dish (I found a corn pasta, that Owen has not had yet). I also hope to make Apple muffins. I had such a fun time at Whole Foods, coming up with all these ideas for food.

Picture of Owen enjoying Sunbutter.

Itchy, irritated face continues

2008-07-23T15:56:00.001-07:00

Today was another day of an itchy irritated face. It might have been slightly improved from yesterday, but nothing to get excited about. I contact Dr. Wood's office, and they told me that eczema flares up when the immune system is triggered. Owen had a high fever on Sunday and Monday, and it triggered the eczema. They told me to keep him cool, bath frequently to clean off sweat, moisturize with aquaphor, and use prescription cream as needed.

I got approval to give Owen Jello. I was concerned about the gelatin ingredient, but I was told that Jello's gelatin comes from cows or pigs. Apparently, gelatin can also come from fish. I am going to make Jello tomorrow, and give it a try. Hopefully we will be able to eat soy soon, and that will open up a lot of opportunities for desserts.

I was reading a bunch of blogs about kids with food allergies. It started with Doug reading me a story from mykidshavefoodallergies.blogspot.com. The story he read me made me cry, and not just a little. I sobbed. The mom has 2 kids- Owen and Max. Over the past 5 months they have been undergoing food challenges, and have failed them all. I decided that I am just going to decide that it will take 20 years to outgrow the allergies, so that I don't get so disappointed with all the ups and downs that food allergies bring. Sometimes skin tests and blood test results can get your hopes up, only to be crushed by a food challenge that goes wrong. Food challenges are not fun. You eat a small bit of food, and then wait for 20 minutes to see what happens. If you tolerate it, they give you a slight bit more, and then you wait again. You need a lot of patience. And then when you fail, they load you up with Benadryl so you are exhausted and are very disappointed. I do not look forward to these events. We already have been through a wheat challenge, and Owen failed within 5 minutes after they put a dab of cream of wheat on his cheek. So I guess if you are going to fail, it is best to fail up front, just so the anxiety does not drag out.

Itchy Face

2008-07-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

All right, I have some catching up to do.

On Friday, July 18th I went to the Columbia Mall indoor playground, and Owen did not have any problems.

On Monday, June 21st I went to the Marley Station mall playground and Owen developed hives on his face after playing at the indoor playground for 1 hour.

On Tuesday, June 22nd, Owen's face was "messy" all day. He woke up with redness around his eyes. He became splotchy and itchy around his face and on his head. We had his well baby doctor's visit. The doctor gave him Benadryl, and his face improved. But when we got back into the car, his face became itchy and splotchy again. When we took a walk, his face became itchy again, so we turned around and went home. I gave him some more Benadryl before he went to bed, and his face seemed to improve.

July has been a rough month for Owen.

Yikes, what a mess!

2008-07-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

One of the most frustrating things about Owen's allergies is not knowing what is going on. That is exactly what happened today. When I picked Owen up from day care, his skin looked clean. I didn't do an inspection, but I was not concerned. Although there was a "soreness" to his skin, but it was mild. I brought Owen to the mall to play at the playground, since it is a hot day. Owen played at the playground for 30 minutes. Then he started coughing a dry cough. He kept coughing, so I went to check on him. And I heard him wheezing, which is a first. I thought to myself this can't be. I listened to him for a minute, and the wheezing continued. I took Owen off the playground and bought him some juice. (I always give him a drink when he shows signs of a reaction. It gives me a chance to evaluate him without his hands getting in the way. It also serves as a "time out" to evaluate the situation). Owen was not interested in the juice. I gave him benadryl. He continued to cough, and his nose started running slightly. His face was red and slightly puffy. I started getting very concerned. I decided to get the epipen handy(which I thought was in my car, but it was in my purse the whole time). On my way to the car, I thought I should notify mall security, so they can be prepared to help me if I needed it. Security called 911, and an ambulence met me at my car. By the time the ambulence arrived, his coughing and wheezing stopped. His face was still red and puffy. The paramedic evaluated him, and said that he didn't hear any wheezing, and said it was my choice if I wanted Owen to go to the hospital. Since there was no respiratory issues, I just went home.
Owen's face continued to be slightly puffy. He has horrible eczema on his legs, chest, arms, and underarms. When I brought him upstairs to put cream on him, it seems like his face got worse as I was applying cream.
When he ate dinner, he sounded congested again, but did not cough or wheeze. I gave him Nasonex. He already had Claritin earlier that day. I gave him benadryl again before I put him to sleep.
It is so hard to judge what to do. I felt like I over reacted when I got mall security involved, but if I was helping another mother, I would have done the same thing.
What happened today??? What is happening with my little guy?

Irritated eyes, leg, and diaper area

2008-07-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

Ms. Cheryl reported that Owen had itchy eyes during a time at day care. She said there were no welts or anything, just itchiness. She also said he had a itchy spot on his thigh. He looked pretty good when I picked him up. There was slight signs of facial irritation, but no red flags. Just before dinner, his eyes became itchy again. There were no hives. Doug said that he saw some bread crumbs on the table where he was playing. So it might have been that. We gave him some benadryl. His diaper area was also very itchy tonight. I put on some protopic and aquaphor. Once his diaper was on, he didn't try to scratch. But when his diaper was off, he could not stop itching.

Red, warm, splotchy face

2008-07-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Owen's face was red and splotchy when I picked him up from day care at 2:15 today. The redness improved during the ride home, and the redness and thickness seemed to congregate around his eyes. He played in the basement for a while, and his whole face flared up again. It continued all evening long.

There is a part of me that wonders if it is a skin infection that set off this eczema. He got several cuts while he was in the church nursery on Sunday. Sunday afternoon he went swimming in a lake. So maybe a cut got infected and set off this chain of irritation. The irritation did not start till Monday afternoon.

I applied antibiotic cream, protopic, and gave him benadryl. He fell asleep, but was still red and itchy when he was dozing off.

Itchy, Itchy Ichabod

2008-06-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Owen has had quite a bit of eczema on his arms, legs, and trunk. Yesterday he was itching his neck, there there were no signs of a rash. It seems like the cream helps a bit, but it doesn't take the eczema away. When I was driving home from the mall today he was itching the whole ride home. My heart breaks when there is nothing I can do. When we got home I gave him benadryl and rocked him for a while. Then he was fine the rest of the evening, and he didn't itch.

Left Cheek with Red Rash

2008-06-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

Owen had a red rash on his left cheek during dinner. I didn't see him itch it. And it went away 30 minutes after eating. It never seemed to bother him. Owen ate beef, broccoli, and potato for dinner.

Doing well, but holding my breath for Monday

2008-05-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Owen has been doing great. My mom has been watching him, and we return to daycare (and the daycare mulch) on Monday. There has been a lot of rain since the last incident happened, so his allergist believes that with the help of Claritin, he will do well. I am just praying. Owen had some minor itching (especially last Thursday), but nothing significant at all.

Significant redness and swelling around eyes

2008-05-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Owen woke up from his nap at day care with significant redness and swelling around the eyes. They were very itchy. I gave him .5 teaspoon of benadryl, and he seemed to get relief. Then during dinner, redness and hives developed again around the eyes. It had only been 3 hours since I gave him benadryl, but since he was symptomatic, I gave him another .5 teaspoon. The redness and swelling has gone down, but did not disappear.

I called Dr. Banks and he is concerned that it might be the new mulch that the daycare just put down in their playground. I sure hope it is not that.

3 Hives on face after eating beef

2008-04-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Owen got 3 hives on his face when he started eating his burger. There is always the possibility that the food was contaminated with another allergen that was not cleaned up. When he started eating the burger, he immediately started rubbing his eye, where a hive developed. I have him some juice, and he stopped itching, and the hive eventually went away on its own. I did not give any Benadryl.

Owen has 2 teeth breaking through right now.

Owen has ~5 small spots (less than a dime) of eczema on his legs.

Redness around his mouth, but no hives

2008-04-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

I gave Owen a Bubba burger tonight. After he was 75% done, he started to develop some redness around his mouth, and some minor itching. I wiped his mouth. He finished the burger. No hives, no more itching. He was fine.

Hives during dinner

2008-04-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

For dinner, Owen ate beef, rice with coconut milk, green beans and carrots. Owen started with beef and I saw some minor redness around his lips. It wasn't until he started eating the other food that the hives developed, and it was itchy. I gave him benadryl and it cleared up immediately.

I am concerned that he may be allergic to beef. But he ate beef during lunch which did not effect him and beef hot dogs never bother him.

Hives during dinner

2008-04-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

Owen had a food reaction while eating dinner. He ate beef, broccoli, avocado, strawberries, and blueberries. I am suspicious if it was the fruit. Owen got hives all around his face and itching. I gave him benadryl, and the hives cleared in 20 minutes.

I am going to give Owen the fruit again tomorrow to see if it was the fruit. But there is a big chance that it may have been cross contamination. I thought I was being careful, but I was eating food he was allergic too, and then interacting with him. Also, there were a bunch of people at the house who may have inadvertently exposed Owen to one of his allergens.

I do have to report good news. Owen's played outside all morning, and his seasonal allergies didn't bother him. Apparently the allergy count was off the charts today-4000. Yet Owen did great. Yea!!!

Eczema at day care

2008-04-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Owen woke up from his nap at day care with eczema on his left eye. The eczema was improved by evening time. Today he just has a mark that looks like a scratch.

Hives after bathtime

2008-04-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Owen ate beef, rice, carrots, and broccoli tonight. After eating for 30 minutes he started to rub his face. It was time for bedtime, so I just brought him upstairs. During bath time, which was very short, I didn't notice any problems. When I was putting on his eczema cream, I notice some redness under his right arm. I decided to get some more cream and I realized there were 7 hives and redness under his arm. At that point he started itching. I gave him some benadryl. I didn't notice the hives until 1 hour after he ate. It might have been something I ate and then I kissed him. I don't know. That is the most frustrating thing about this whole experience.

I talked to Kim from Dr. Woods office today. She asked me if he is showing any signs of asthma yet. I was discouraged by the question, even though I have been warned that Owen has a 100% chance of getting asthma. She said that asthma is SO much better than eczema because it is easier to control with medicine. Eczema is unpredictable and difficult to manage. Kim said she would take asthma any day over eczema. I was quite surprised by the conversation.

Kim was also very impressed with how well Owen takes Nasonex. She said she never heard of a toddler tolerating the Nasonex. She said they always need to give Claritin or Zyrtec. I am so proud of Owen and how well he tolerates all his medicine. Thank God!!

Itchy face during dinner

2008-04-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

Owen got an itchy face at the start of dinner. I didn't see hives. There was some minor swelling in both his eyes, but I don't know if that is because he was rubbing them. He was also itching behind his left ear. When the itching started, I wiped his hands and face. I then gave him some juice. I didn't take his food away. When I gave him the juice, he stopped itching, but his eyes were still slightly swollen.

He ate avocado and carrots before the itching started. I didn't see him eat anything else, although he may have. He did have beef, french fries, broccoli, avocado, and carrots on his tray.

He is getting more eczema on his feet, and other parts of his body. He still looks nothing like he did one month ago- thank God!!

Rash on the Abdomen

2008-04-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

I feel like I need to just thank God that Owen looks as good as he does. Really it is amazing how far he has come. But I can't help but cringe when I see a little eczema around his left eye and around his mouth. He also had a red rash on his upper left abdomen just a bit smaller than the size of my hand. He also had some very small spots on his arms.

I gave him Nasonex yesterday, and I didn't hear him cough at all. Well that is until 3 am. He coughed a whole bunch from 3-4am. Then he was quite for about 1 hour. And at 5 am, he was ready to get up for the day. When he does get up early, I just remind praise God that he is willing to go to bed so early.

Owen is on his second day of Nasonex. He is coughing less, but his nasal drainage has not slowed down at all.

Owen has seasonal allergies- big shocker!

2008-04-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

The allergist, Dr. Banks confirmed today that Owen has seasonal allergies. He prescribed Nasonex for relief. Owen has had a runny nose since 3/14 and a cough for a week. The doctor also told me today that Owen has a 100% chance of developing asthma. Oh well. I have been warned.

Owen skin still looks great, although he is getting trace amounts of eczema around his eyes. I HATE when he gets eczema around his eyes. If I had to choose, I would want the eczema on his cheeks. To me, eczema around the eyes look so much more painful.

Random Hives

2008-04-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

Today Owen played at the park for over an hour and a half. Just before we left the park, Owen got 2 hives on this forehead. They just popped up out of no where. There was no food around. I didn't see him put anything in his mouth.

Owen's nose has been running since 3/14. The congestion seems to be getting worse. Tomorrow I have an allergist appointment to see if it is allergies or a cold that won't go away.

Trying to Integrate Owen Into the Church Nursery

2008-04-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

The staff at our church nursery have been very supportive in accommodating Owen's food restrictions. But for the past 2 weeks, despite our best efforts, Owen has broken out in hives in the nursery. I stayed with Owen today in the nursery, I provided Allergen free snacks for all the kids in the nursery, but Owen still got hives. He didn't get hives until the last 5 minutes of the church service.

Owen is extremely sensitive to his allergens. He didn't eat any food that he was allergic too, but he still had a reaction.

I really would like to continue to keep Owen in the nursery program. He is certainly way too busy to join us in the church service. I am at a loss, but I will keep trying each week to protect Owen in the nursery. This is going to be tricky.

Owen has tested negative for beef. But the last few time Owen has eaten beef, he has developed itching and redness around his mouth. And today I thought I noticed a few hives. But the redness disappeared within 10 minutes. Also, he didn't develop the itching until 20 minutes into the meal. He usually reacts within a few minutes of eating an allergen.

On a positive note- Owen's skin still looks fabulous. Owen has been off steroids for 1 month, and his skin looks completely normal. There are no signs of eczema. We praise God for every day of relief that Owen get from eczema.

Introduction

2008-04-13T16:14:00.001-07:00

Owen was diagnosed with Food Allergies at 4 months of age when he reacted to a milk based formula. At that time, Owen tested positive for the major food allergens- Milk, Wheat, Egg, and Peanut. As Owen's diet expanded, so did Owen's allergies. We discovered new allergies each time Owen would try a new food. Owen's current list of allergies include the following: milk, wheat, egg, peanut, soy, sesame, barley, and garlic.

My family is blessed with great medical care. Dr. Banks has been fabulous with treating Owen, and helping us through the minefield of feeding time. Owen has joined a food allergy study at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Dr. Woods and Nurse Kim have also been a huge support to us. Dr. Woods is a rock star in the food allergy community. He has dedicated his whole career in finding a cure for food allergies. And Kim has been a fabulous support to me, answering my million questions. She has given me a great education, and has helped me with the anxieties that go along with raising a child with food allergies.

I want to blog Owen's food allergy experience to help keep track of how he is doing, and maybe help someone else who is going through the same thing. Food allergies can be very overwhelming, but thanks to our great support system, things are getting better.