Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Eczema strikes, again

Our daughter used to have dreadful eczema. In fact, it was an early indication that she was having bad reactions to foods. After we cleaned up her diet (wheat and soy being the biggest culprits) her eczema left and we have not seen it since.

My son has always had very sensitive skin. A few months ago, our allergist suggested that we stop using dryer sheets and encouraged us to use a non-comedogenic lotion all over his body after bathing. He does not appear to have any of the food allergies that his sister has. We skin tested him and he only reacted to pecans, and mildly. After following the doctors instructions, we have seen his skin clear up. But over the past week, he has developed an angry red rash around his chin and cheeks. He has been taking antibiotics to cure a sinus infection, and I wonder if his rash is a reaction to that. Or maybe he could be experiencing dry skin from the oddly dry weather we have been having. But his doctor thinks he might be reacting to the wipes we use to clean him. He also has the rash on his tush. She told us to use only Lanisnoh wipes (the kind made of gold... only kidding, they aren't cheap!) And she prescribed a topical cream, to be used until the rash clears up. On top of this, she wants us to avoid foods like tomatoes that are acidic and might further aggravate the situation, for the time being. Sorry kid, your beloved pizza and spaghetti with marinara are off the table!

All of this is a guessing game and none of it makes me happy. I despise seeing my little guy uncomfortable and I do not like the looks I get when I drop him off at preschool. (Doctor says that it is NOT Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease, nor is it Slapped Cheek Syndrome). But it is a bit of a game; one of elimination. Hopefully we will find the source before we all lose our mind.

Kind of praying that it is the wipes, actually. I would much rather pay for those little purple packages than find out that he has some other kind of crazy allergy. Fingers are crossed...

Sesame allergies; related to nut allergies?


I found this little article from Medicine Journal Feeds, very interesting. It certainly applies to our family. Our daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts and is just as allergic to sesame. But she has no issue with coconut, thankfully. I know that this is not the case with everyone but I wonder if there is a connection. I am terrified of her having any contact with sesame, especially after I saw her reaction following her most recent skin test.


Just as a side note, a few years ago I had to have an emergency appendectomy. My appendix had cracked and was reacting to a small seed that had gotten stuck. Can you guess what that seed was? Yep, it was a sesame seed! Ggrrrrrrr!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Thanksgiving Recipes to Share

Here are several delicious looking recipes for Thanksgiving from Food Allergy Living, as well as links to other helpful articles on the subject...

Thanksgiving ideas

These craft, meal and activity ideas are worth checking out. From Kids With Food Allergies...

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Thanksgiving: What do you serve?


Thanksgiving is right around the corner. There is no question, it is my favorite holiday. My Mom and I cook like lunatics, all day. And then we feast! Having a child that is allergic to so many things can really complicate things. In years past, I have prepared a special wheat free pumpkin pie, just for my daughter. And then last year I bought a mini pre-made version at Whole Foods and she loved that, too. But that is just dessert.

To add to the insanity, I have a kid who hates mashed potatoes. So her meal is usually turkey, cranberry sauce, raw veggies from the appetizer plate and some of my Mom's stellar Jello salad. That is a pretty decent meal by most standards, but this year I am going to try and make something else.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? And how do you handle the stress associated with food allergies on this holiday that is all about eating? Please let me know by leaving a comment or on my Facebook page!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Peanuts and Pregnancy?

Thought this costume was cute,
even if it doesn't totally relate to the topic :)


There has been a lot of research indicating that eating peanuts during pregnancy can possibly contribute to a child developing a peanut allergy. There is a new report out today from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, that suggests that there may, indeed, be a connection. Everyone on the web has been talking about it. Here is a link to an article that discusses the findings...