Allergies *Feb. 2013*

Over the years Elese has experienced random outbreaks of hives.  Around this time she had two different experiences within a short period of time.  Honestly- I don't remember the first.  The second one was at Target.  We ate a cashew sample while we were there and she said "Mmm that's good" and within a few seconds she started crying and saying it was hurting and she wanted to spit it out.  Elese tends to be a picky eater and we had ruled out allergies with her blood test so I was more annoyed than anything...there we were in the middle of target and she wanted to spit food out of her mouth.  I found a tissue in my purse and we took care of it.  While we checked out she kept saying she didn't feel good and thought she would throw up.  We drove home and she ran right into the bathroom.  She didn't throw up but complained that her tongue was itching.  I called the doctor gave her some Benidril and scheduled a doctors appointment. Her doctor prescribed her an epi-pen Jr. and got her a blood test (I may have blogged about that at the time???).  She was very week after so we stopped at Carl's Jr. for some food and then she was back to herself.  The blood test came back normal. 

At her 6 year well child check up it was time for the next phase because she still had food issues-the scratch test.  This was a very long appointment.  This was so frustrating because with being pregnant & with my ear issues I had been spending SO much time at the doctors office and I was having to get lots of sitters for Sam. They had to draw all over her back to see what she was allergic to.  They also tested her for asthma and think she may have a mild activity induced version but can't be sure because it is hard to test a child.  She may also have some gastrointestinal sensitivity.

Elese was a very good patient and she was fine! 

 No allergies.  We were told she may have grown out of it but she was confident Elese was at one time allergic to cashews.  She asked for us to come back for an oral test where she would be observed while eating cashews. 

So back we went on February 28th.  Just as I was about to go check Elese out of school to go to the doctor her school went into lock down!!!  There was a shooting in Midvale and they locked down all the schools as a precaution.  I kept calling and the lock down was lifted just in time.  I was so relieved...the kids were safe and I didn't have to try and reschedule her 3 hour appointment...it was a pain because that's a long time to get a sitter for Sam-plus I had arranged for Max to be picked up from school.  When I arrived I found out they had scheduled me at her doctors other location down town!!!  I was very upset-why would they send me to a different place then I went before?  Fortunately her doctors partner was able to take Elese as a patient.  So we sat in a room-did homework and ate cashews.  I had a few too.  After all- I was pregnant and hungry all the time.  Things looked good.  They let us go after about an hour and a half and 9 cashews.  As we walked out the door I noticed Elese scratching.  Sure enough she had a few little hives on her back.  So we went back in and she was diagnosed with a cashew allergy.  He called it a tree allergy for the school just so they would be extra cautious but we know to keep her away from cashews and pistachios because they are closely related.  There have  been times since this that she has complained of an itchy tongue after eating something at school.  I worry there may be some other allergies that we aren't aware of yet.