So... we have been to the allergy clinic today....

[Chandra]

Well, not exactly a good day today, we went for DS's tests today and things have taken an unexpected turn. I was expecting that they would tell us that DS was ready to try soya and fish again, that they may say he was not really allergic to nuts, and that he would be fine with egg (we knew about his egg allergy because of previous RAST test -very high out of the scale results for egg but we never could point a finger on it before then) and.... the veredict was the following:

He is no longer allergic to milk but was told to continue avoiding it as it was evident he was very intolerant to it.

They couldn't test for fish and soya because... they have run out of serum!!! They said they will test him again in the future when they get it (probably in a few years more, knowing how little appointment space they have)

He is still allergic to egg, so no change in that front.

As for peanuts..... the doctor looked at me and said, "I have to conceed you were right all the time", and proceeded to write a prescription for DS's first epipens. In a way I'm sad but relieved that he finally got them, he will be safer now, but I have this ackward feeling that we shouldn't be going around without one since his first reaction but not a single doctor we saw took us seriously about it, we take them ELISA tests, RAST tests and they insisted they were no good, but even with those result, they dragged their feet for 18m just to tell me I was right... I just have to be thankful that nothing happened to DS in the mean time.

Chandra, re- the epi pens, same story here, they are very loath to prescribe them for young children in the UK. Different story anywhere else.
We got them from the GP against docs advice. Next visit to clinic he was practically throwing them at us.

Welcome to our world, your new motto should be , 'have epi's will travel'!!

Thanks Williamsmummy! you have made me smile

And... forgot to add.... now he is also allergic to wheat!!!

Chandra, even though not the results you were expecting, at least you have the epipens now. We waited 6 months for ds's epipens because my allergy consultant would not prescribe them for a child under 10kg. He was only 9 months when first tested. Did you get a follow up appointment?? Are they going to contact you when they get the soya and fish serum?? That is quite really. Even though they deal with "allergies" daily I don't think they really understand the stress and hardship of keeping our lo's safe from these foods, especially soya.

Mymama, I don't even know whether to laugh or to cry... it took them 18m to give me this appointment even when I asked for it after a reaction to peanuts... For soya and fish... I guess we will have to take him abroad again, I doubt they will make space for us for something like that, after all, when I mentioned to the consultant about the DS's hight results for soya, he said "But... what's the problem with soya? Is not that he can eat soya regularly, is it?" , if there is one ingredient that is difficult to avoid..... That only shows how little doctors know about their own areas of expertise...

Another response that had me in tears was being told that they wouldn't do prick tests on him until he was older because it was cruel to ask for a toddler to stand the pricks, wonder if they don't consider it cruel to have to explain to a toddler why he can not eat birthday cakes, sweets or ice cream, or just join other children during picnics.

at skin pricks being cruel!! My ds has had them at 9 months, 15 months and 2.2yrs and is due again in November. He doesn't even notice them. I am in Oz and once you have your first appt (waiting list is 18 months) you then have an appt every 6 to 12 months for follow up. We only have 2 allergists to service 3 million people but they still manage this.