So we did the SPT to see which seasonal and environmental allergies my dd has. We also tested some foods just to double check RAST results. I added in Pear, Apple, and Cantaloup because she said they sometimes make her mouth itch.
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There were 53 items tested. Two rows were wiped off as soon as the nurse finished doing all the pricks because her reactions were already huge and she was very uncomfortable.
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She is allergic to all the trees, all the grass except 1, outdoor molds, and weeds (only slight to ragweed, but the others were more). Additionally, she reacted to both pears that I brought, and the apple I brought, but not the apple the office uses, and she also reacted to the cantaloup. She did not react to indoor molds or dust mites, but did to cockroaches and who knows what other inside ones (I'm not sure). She also reacted mildly to cats.
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I am still trying to wrap my head around all the new information.
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Doctor said the fruits were probably OAS. Says she should still be able to eat them as long as they don't bother her. Better to eat them out of season or to have them cooked or canned, but that she doesn't need to avoid them as long as she understands to stop eating it if her mouth itches or she has any other reactions. I have quizzed her on this repeatedly, and I think she understands.
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Because of the allergic reactive breathing episodes she has had, doctor did put her on Flovent 2x per day, and still use the Xopenex if she has an asthma attack (first time a doctor actually called it asthma). We put her back on her daily Zyrtec as well now that the test is done. He said the Zyrtec blocks histamine which affects the eyes (watering) and nasal symptoms, but does nothing for wheezing as that is a different kind of reaction, and the Flovent should help with that. He suggested maybe when she is older to consider allergy shots. Although, I am not sure how I feel about that as we have a religious exemption for vaccines and I don't really know how allergy shots fit in with that.
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Also, her reaction to cats was very mild. But we have 4 cats. I really do not want to re-home them. One of the cats is 13 years old and would be very hard to find a home for her. Plus I think she would be heartbroken to lose the family she's been a part of for 13 years. The other 3 are kittens about 6 months old. While I can find homes for them easier, my kids would be heartbroken to lose their kittens. They have both already lost so much and have been affected greatly with limitations and things taken away from them due to my dd's allergies, I hate to take away their kittens they love. They asked for these kittens for so long (months at least). Then we adopted them, but had to wait 6 weeks. The kids were so patient waiting, and so thrilled when the kittens came home. Everyday they want to be with them. I don't know how I could possibly take that away from the kids too. The doctor suggested some wipes you use to wipe the cats down with to reduce the allergen. He also suggested HEPA filters. We already had one in her room and mine (as she sleeps the second half of everything in my room and that is where the kittens are kept when we are not home). I already wash the sheets at least once a week. The only carpet we have is the stairs. I am not sure what else I can do.
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Is anyone else (or your kid) this allergic to all the outdoor allergies? Any tips? what do you do about OAS? With allergies to all the trees, grasses, weeds, etc, do you have to avoid things with herbs and flower and spices and other stuff in them (lavender, citronella,hisbiscus, rosemary, lemon, rosemary, sage, etc)?
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