RAST results

[Mumfie68]

DS (age 6) got his RAST results yesterday, we already knew he was anaphylactic to milk, has reacted to egg and wheezes like crazy around cats, plus we avoid nuts because it's not worth the risk. So, the numbers were:

Milk >100 (Grade 6)
Eggs 85 (Grade 5)
Dog dander 69 (Grade 5)
Cat dander 66 (Grade 5)
Birch pollen 56 (Grade 5)
Peanuts 4.9 (Grade 3)
Grass pollen negative

So mixed feelings. It's nice to know that we were right to avoid nuts, maybe in another 2 years he'll be low enough for a skin prick test. We despair over the milk though, I'd hoped he might grow out of it one day but now that's not looking likely. Eggs are easier to avoid, so no particular worries there. Dogs though. We have a dog, he's spent a lot of time with dogs at my mum's house and has never had a reaction/worse asthma, so we thought we were OK to get one. Now I think there's a heartbreaking decision to make. Birch pollen makes complete sense, up until last year he'd been admitted to hospital EVERY YEAR since birth around about Mother's Day, which is bang in the middle of birch pollen season! It seems he's becoming more resistant to it though, which is good. Indeed, overall his asthma is well under control now.

The worst of it, though, was trying to explain to a sobbing 6 year old that yes he is normal, we still love him, and just because he's different to all his friends isn't a bad thing. It's worse because all the other children he knows with food allergies (including one born the same day as him with the same allergies - spooky!) have all grown out of theirs.

Any thoughts? What are other people's experiences with RAST results, I'm especially keen to hear that even those with Grade 6 results might, just might, grow out of it (I have to be an optimist!)

[tatt]

well we have had positive tests for foods my child can eat safely - that might cheer you up a little. How about looking at the sprays that are said to make animals less allergenic? Or investing in an air purifier? If his asthma is under control and he's never reacted to the dog perhaps you don't have to rehome the dog - or at least not immediately while your child is already distressed.

It's tough when they are old enough to know they are different. We've always taken a tough line on this - yes you have allergies but other people have other problems and some of those are worse so focus on what you can do not what you can't do. Going to an anaphylaxis campaign meetup helps as your child meets other children with multiple allergies. You don't have to be a member to attend and their website shows where they are held. Your child may come back saying "why couldn't I be allergic to ... instead because I don't like that"

I'm afraid with allergies at the top end of the scale it's less likely they will outgrow them. Since you can't change the allergies the only way to help is to change the attitude to them. I saw on TV a child who had outgrown an allergy say they didn't want to lose their allergy because they said it makes them more interesting . Think they must have told him to say that as I've never met a child who wouldn't give their allergy up immediately, but if they could develop that attitude it would help them.

[Mumfie68]

Thanks for that Tatt - I wrote that when I was still feeling low myself, it's always helpful to have someone else's views to get your own into perspective! The school have been fab about helping him, they're using Building Learning Power in all the classes now which can help the kids have a more positive attitude to their strengths and weaknesses, hopefully we can reinforce that at home and help him through. He's just had a run of bad luck recently (including a broken arm!) so he's 'run out of happy', as he told me!

Still not decided on the dog though, I'd hate to be storing up trouble for a few months down the line. After all, he used to be able to tolerate skimmed milk in food, his reactions took a couple of months to get to the point where we noticed there was a problem. It's hard, isn't it - you get so used to trying to provide a low-risk environment, it's hard to relax and say 'yes, I'll take a chance this time'. More research to be done, I think...

[tatt]

"run out of happy" sums it up well doesn't it? But it's nearly Christmas and children are more resilient than adults, he'll bounce back soon.

It's so hard to know what is for the best. I wouldn't get another dog when this one passes on but how much would it upset him to lose the dog? I wouldn't rush into a decision.

[Mumfie68]

I've done a ton of reading, lucky I have some grounding in biology/chemistry! On balance, it seems that a high RAST result on its own for an airborne allergen isn't necessarily a good indicator of whether you'll react. And as far as I can remember, the skin prick tests he had done when he was two came up negative for dogs. So for now, the dog's on probation! The only slight doubt in the back of my mind is that he came up negative for egg, but he's definitely allergic. Then again that's a food, so maybe that's the reason.

He's well back into the 'happy zone' now, especially with his special Kinnerton dairy-free advent calendar! Ahhh, the power of sweet treats!