feeling a bit down after DDs latest RAST test

[mintyneb]

DD has just turned 4 and is allergic to CMP. When she had her first RAST test at 1 yo it came back with a score of 2; last year (aged 3) it had gone up to 8.2 and today we found out that the test she had a few weeks back has come back at 24.1!

I know RAST tests aren't the be all and end all (and compared to others her results are not sky high) but the physical signs are also showing that her allergy is getting worse not better. We make sure she has a completely dairy free diet but when she accidentally put her fingertip in some icecream back in December within a few minutes she had hives all across one cheek and onto her forehead and a swollen eye, despite me having wiped her finger straight away (all we can think is that there must have been a tiny bit left under her finger nail that did the damage)

So compared to other children on here, I know her allergy is (currently) not life threatening but having been told for the last 3 years that 'most children with a dairy allergy outgrow it by the time they go to school', I am beginning to think that she will never grow out of it.

DD also has a serious life threatening condition for which she will always be taking medication and needing medical care so I was hoping that in at least one area of her life she could be 'normal'

Anyone had a DC with a similar pattern of results and reactions who then went on to outgrow their allergy?

Hi Minty - I don't really know which way my two dds allergies are heading. In fact we don't have the RAST tests, just skin pricks, but didn't want not to reply.

Dd2 comes up in hives on contact to milk and a small amount brushed against her neck unleashed a huge red rash with hives which took me by surprise and horror. It looked a lot worse than her first reaction.

It's just so crappy and the thing we all hold on to is the holy grail of growing out of it and when it doesn't happen it feels pretty rotten.

I'm sorry to hear of dds other medical condition. It all sounds pretty tough.

Have and a along with a hug!

mintyneb I'm afraid I can't help either. DS RASTs all come back negitive.

babybarrister has started a brilliant thead 'the wet fish and slapping' one where we can sound off about the unfairness. Pop over and see us.

sorry for not replying, i ended up heading off to bed early!

thanks for your responses, as always it does help to know other people are in the same position, although in this case it would be much nicer if we weren't

DD has cystic fibrosis so she will obviously never outgrow that :(. We have had our ups and downs since she was born but fortunately at the moment she is really well which is fantastic.

i was just hoping that once she started school this September we could knock the allergy on the head and have one less thing to worry about

Helliumballoons, I've already popped onto the other thread to wave a fish at DDs preschool manager who let her make chocolate Easter nest last week despite being told she reacted to dairy on contact

No doubt i will come up with more potential candidates for a wet fish as time goes on!

thanks nottired, I won't give up hope just yet! Fingers crossed DDs body suddenly realises milk is not an enemy and one day she can tuck into whatever she wants.

I guess I'm curious though, with a set of RAST results like DDs, is her allergy going to get worse so that we could be looking at a more serious reaction in future?

My grandson is just 3 and has been allergic to CMP since birth only not diagnosed until 10mths old. He was unknowingly fed yoghut, cheese etc. when weaning until a food diary showed it to be all dairy/milk causing problems. Hospital consultant prescribed Neocate and said not to worry most children outgrow it by 2.
No milk or dairy has been given since then but he now has asthma and tests show his allergy is severe and he is not likely to grow out of it. 6monthly checks on his height/weight say he is a beautiful "normal" toddler who cannot have milk in his diet or egg/soya/corn and restricted wheat intake but can have alternatives and home cooked dinners. Any problems may come at school - he has an epi pen and we are hopeful he can learn before then what he mustn't eat.
We wish it was different - he is the first to suffer this in the family but his 18mth old sister is the same but his 6year old brother isn't. What started as possible intolerance quickly became a full blown allergy but very very annoyed at food industries adding unecessary milk in any number of foods that do not need it. A few chips at a Sainsburys resturant caused a visit to hospital with massive reaction. Really hope your DD does grow out of it.