And So It Begins . . .: A Deep Breath

I've said before I try to keep my posts light-hearted and weighted to the positive, but we've had a rough couple of weeks and I think it is important to document what has been going on. If you've been following our eczema battle you know that we've suspected Reed may have some allergies and or food sensitivities. We had a projectile vomiting incident after he ate some egg yolks a couple of months ago and the Pediatrician was concerned about a dairy allergy as well. So Reed and I have been on an egg and dairy free diet for the last three months. The week before last, when Grandma was watching him, he had an anaphylactic reaction to some edamame hummus that I had sent as a snack. He never had trouble breathing, thank goodness, but broke out in hives, his lips swelled, his nose started running, he was sneezing constantly, and his eyes were blood-shot and watering. It was horrible and obviously so scary.

Swollen lips and hives on his face

Luckily I had just, the week prior, pressed his Pediatrician for a referral to a Pediatric Allergist so we were already headed in the right direction. Tuesday was the appointment with the Allergist and while I loved the doctor we saw, the news we got was pretty devastating . . . Reed is allergic to Soy, Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, and Dogs. Just writing that makes me tear up. Deep breath . . .

Skin Prick Test Reaction

Because Reed is so young, they only tested him for 14 of the most common allergies (only 5 being foods - he was allergic to everything but wheat). You actually can't say you have an allergy unless you've had a reaction to the allergen before, so the doctor was able to confirm the soy and egg allergies and because of the severe reaction to the peanut and milk pricks it's pretty much a guarantee that he is allergic to those as well. Before I continue I'm sure you are wondering about poor Dodger. The good news is that it is the saliva Reed is allergic to and our dog isn't much of a licker. Yes saliva will end up on his fur, but since Dodger isn't in the house all of the time it shouldn't be much of a problem. As the doctor said, "Reed needs to be able to be a kid as much as possible, and having a pet is a big part of being a kid." Thank goodness, because our family just wouldn't be complete without Dodger.

So here is where I start to get overwhelmed with the thought of feeding a child with so many caveats. It really doesn't change much of what we are doing now, but you expect as your baby turns into a toddler the feeding and food preparation should get much easier, the light at the end of the tunnel if you will. Our tunnel just got a lot longer. The good news is that there is a good chance Reed will outgrow a lot of the food allergies (probably not the peanut). In the meantime we get to experiment with new recipes, learn how to navigate the world of restaurant eating and travel with a child with food allergies, and most importantly take it one step at a time.

My friend Sarah had gotten me in contact with a Pediatric Dietitian a few weeks ago. I have enjoyed working with her so far and now with Reed's diagnosis she has been a great support and resource. We have an Epi-Pen Junior that will be with us a all times and we are educating ourselves as much as possible. I will be adding an "Allergy Information" page to this website in the next few days so anyone that is interested can learn more about food allergies, ingredient lists, and how to use an Epi-Pen.

I've always enjoyed making food from scratch, now it is just going to be a more mandatory part of our lives. When I was little and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I said "A Mommy and A Cooker." My sweet boy has made both of my dreams come true!!!

The good news is that there are still a lot of things in life for Reed to enjoy . . .