So we got really good news today, but unfortunately, it doesn't change anything. Emma is only allergic to peanuts, so she can have other nuts. But it is very hard to find nuts that are not manufactured with peanuts. Right now, they are a choking hazard anyway, so we won't worry about them too much. This means that she can also have almond butter. But again, the trick is going to be finding one that is made in a peanut free facility. I also found out that Honey Nut Cheerios are actually made with Almonds, and there is no peanut warning on the box, so those are ok. I have to admit, I am a little nervous giving them to her, so I am not sure if we will try them anytime soon.
A level 3 peanut allergy has a range of anywhere from 3.5 - 17.8. Emma is only a 3.9. So yes she is a level 3 (high risk) but she is a low level 3. With the high possibility of these tests not being completely accurate, the doctors have to look at the entire picture when diagnosing. Because she technically is a level 3, combined with how she reacted to eating a food that touched a peanut, she is considered to have an anaphlyaxis allergy. So because of this we still have to avoid all foods that say "may contain peanuts" or "made in a facility with peanuts" and bakeries, as well as asking lots of questions and making staff aware at restaurants.
Instead of waiting a whole year, we will go back every 6 months to repeat testing...both blood work and skin test. That way we can see what her levels are doing. There is a possibility in as short as 6 months, her allergy could be gone. We will hope for that! As far as her chances for outgrowing the allergy, it is still only 20%. But out of that 20% she is one that has a strong chance. It is all good signs that her levels are low, she is only allergic to peanuts, and she doesn't have eczema, or asthma.
So that is it in a nut shell. We will spend the next 6 months reading every label and making sure we are prepared with our own snacks, benadyryl and epi pen. Then, when we go back to the doctor's, we will hope that if her allergy isn't gone, then at least her numbers will be lower.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment