Gutted and feeling pretty down about DS's latest round of tests

[trixymalixy]

Last year things were looking pretty positive, he tested negative to milk and nearly passed a milk challenge. I was hopeful of him starting to outgrow things.

Last week he tested positive to milk again and positive to every nut under the sun:-(

I feel quite anxious about it, as the nuts are such an unknown quantity. We've had a few run ins with milk and eggs and know that he mostly just comes out in hives and maybe vomits, but he's never been exposed to any nuts that we know of and I'm just really worried what the reaction might be.

Has anyone got any advice on feeling less anxious about it all? Is it normal to test negative and then positive at a later date?

Oh trixymalixy so sorry to hear that :( I can't really offer any useful advice about being less anxious as I think this is something we all feel most of the time (I'm feeling particularly anxious about DS's flu jab tomorrow). I also don't know if it's normal for allergy tests to improve then worsen as DS's have only ever got worse, never better. Pretty miserable for you though as I'm sure like you I would've been hopeful that he was growing out of them if his results had shown improvement. On the nuts front, I actually find these the easiest one of DS's allergens to avoid as more people are aware of nut allergies and most nurseries/schools tend to ban them these days anyway (not that I really agree with bans but that's beside the point!). Sending lots of positive thoughts and as think you deserve them right now. All the MNers on here know how you're feeling and hopefully one of them will be able to offer some more constructive advice than me!

Trixy how old is your ds?

My ds is 4 and had a milk allergy. He tolerates goat milk quite well and can have small amounts of ice cream and yoghurts and is fine with baked goods containing butter now but does come up in hives if given cheese so we avoid that.

When I was reading up and looking into things that could help my ds, I did read that the tests aren't very reliable and in fact ds milk allergy test used to come up negative when I knew damn well that he was allergic to dairy! (exzema, vomiting, swelling lips from mistakenly eating crisps containing cheese powder)

Ds was allergic to lentils and fish too (swelling lips) and tested postive for peanuts as well. I've never tried him on peanuts but he's fine with the other stuff now.

I really feel for you as I know how difficult it all is. I hope your ds becomes more tolerant soon. Hugs.

He's also 4 Candid, he'll be 5 in January.

His milk allergy has definitely got better as he used to react on skin contact, but no longer does, and got through a whole box of coco pops rocks cereal before telling me at the last bowlful that it made his mouth feel a bit funny!! I know he's still allergic to milk, but after the negative result last time I was disappointed that it was positive again.

DS was also allergic to lentils, and tested negative last time although they didn't test for that this time as they wanted to do all the nuts, I'm not convinced that the testing was done properly last time now, although there were positive results to egg and the control.

That's a good point freefrommum about nut allergy having more awareness and better labelling, that has made me feel slightly better! Thanks!

Have you tried goats milk? I know for some people it doesn't make a difference but it did for my ds.
Thankfully we can get goats yoghurt and goats cheese quite easily too so I just use that for all the family cooking and its made such a difference.

i don't know if this helped him or not but I also took him to a cranial osteopath when he was younger and a homeopathic dr. I was desparate to try anything within reason!

I would love to get to the bottom of why there is such a high propertion of children with allergies. 50%, I've heard! It's far too high.

Good luck and keep strong!

We've been told to avoid goats milk products because the proteins are similar, And tbh we get on ok with Oatly and soya yoghurts and vegan cream cheese. It would be brilliant to be able to give him hard goats cheese though, but I'm too scared to try it at home myself. I will try and remember to ask next year what the consultant thinks!

Really sorry Trixy. I agree with the other though, that nuts are easier to avoid than dairy/eggs/soya. DS2 is off the scale for peanuts and very high result to loads of other nuts, but it's been ok so far (touch wood).

Will they challenge him with milk again?

I'm sorry to hear that trixymalixy. It's rubbish when you get setbacks.
Has your ds been tested for nuts before or was that the first time?

I don't know much about nut allergies (but suspect I might well have to learn ion future as dd2 allergic to milk and egg so it seems likely.... )

It does sound encouraging about your ds's milk allergy though if he can actually eat things with it in...

Sorry you are feeling down.

I think if you are an allergic type person then allergies come and go but you will always have allergies. Myself and ds1 both fall into this category. Between us we have had/still have allergies to milk, fish, shellfish, celery, peanuts and kiwi.

Of these it was ds1's peanut allergy that frightened me most but that was just because you always hear bad things about nut allergy (the upside of this is it tends to be taken seriously). In terms of sheer pain-in-the-arseness milk and celery are definitely worse. In fact if you can deal with milk allergy the nuts will present no problem (just limit the choices slightly more).

If its any consolation, our gastroenterologist inferred that children go through stages - or probably ages - when if they are going to show signs of continuing/not continuing an allergy/intolerance its the best time to test.
My DS1 is desperate for the gastro to re-test him - we shall see on Friday if he gets his wish - but i have a feeling he will be disappointed . It probably has something to do with development and maturity.

Can you clarify that aunteveil, is he saying that there are only certain ages when children are likely to outgrow their allergies?

Whelk, DS tested negative to peanuts at 6 months, 18 months and 2.5. It was only last year at just under 4 that he tested positive to peanuts, so they decided this year to test for other nuts as well.

Likeaninja, they won't do another milk challenge until he has another negative skin prick test.

From a rough guess - and speaking to some parents of older children when DS was tested - it seems to be significant stages within growth (maturation). My DSs were tested quite late - but the gastro told me that DS1 who was dx at 7.5, would not be ready to test again until 11 ish. we have 6 monthly appts so give or take. It also seemed that 16 ish seemed to be the next checking stage. DS2 will be checked again at 8 - from his first at 4.
DS1s results for CMP, fructose and sucrose were through the roof at 7.5. He doesn't think that annual testing will make a vast amount of difference to the result - but that in 4 or so years, his body will mature - and grow. When he is re-tested it should show if the intolerance/allergy is on the wane or staying the same - hopefully it can't get much higher !!
its also worth remembering that any atopic conditions (asthma, eczema, hayfever and allergies) are quite cyclical. I remember reading that hayfever tended to go in 7 year cycles. Some of these children also grow out of as well.

Interesting, thanks.