Ok Being Excessively blunt here. Drop him and get a new allergist. My ds had one at 18 lbs. It SAVES lives, Period. If he won't give you one, then call your ped. Sorry this is NOTHING to mess around with. Everytime he gets exposed, his reaction will get worse. Zach went from hiving from eggs to contact reactive with in a MONTH. Benadryl works with in 10 min, Epi immediately and ONLY WORKS for 15 minutes before an additional rebound can happen. If his throat clothes Albuterol will do NOTHING. Any severe reaction needs an ER visit period. Basically your allergist is playing russian roulette with your sons life.
Go to yahoo groups and search for Pofak. Sign up, then send an email to the owners asking for rapid approval for your membership. As SOON as I see it, I will approve it so you can get other opinions. Also check out this website.
http://www.foodallergy.org/http://www.foodallergy.org/anaphylaxis.html
Who is at risk for having an anaphylactic reaction?
Anyone with a previous history of anaphylactic reactions is at risk for another severe reaction. Individuals with food allergies (particularly shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts) and asthma may be at increased risk for having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. A recent study showed that teens with food allergy and asthma appear to be at highest risk for a reaction because they are more likely to dine away from home; they are less likely to carry medications, and may ignore or not recognize symptoms.
What are the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction?
An anaphylactic reaction may begin with a tingling sensation, itching, or metallic taste in the mouth. Other symptoms can include hives, a sensation of warmth, asthma symptoms, swelling of the mouth and throat area, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. These symptoms may begin in as little as five to 15 minutes to up to two hours after exposure to the allergen, but life-threatening reactions may progress over hours.
Some individuals have a reaction, and the symptoms go away only to return two to three hours later. This is called a bi-phasic reaction. Often the symptoms occur in the respiratory tract and take the individual by surprise.
If you have an anaphylactic reaction, seek professional medical help quickly. Stay in the hospital for four to six hours to be sure you can get help if you have a bi-phasic reaction. More than one individual's life has been saved because he or she was in the hospital when this second reaction occurred. If the hospital staff discharges you, sit in the lobby and read a magazine. Do not leave and assume you can get back to the hospital on time.
What medication is used to treat an anaphylactic reaction?
Epinephrine is the drug of choice for treating an anaphylactic reaction. It works to reverse the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction and helps prevent the progression of it. It is available via prescription as an EpiPen® or EpiPen® Jr. Epinephrine Auto-Injector. It is important to administer epinephrine as soon as one detects the symptoms of anaphylaxis. Individuals who have been prescribed epinephrine must carry it with them at all times because accidents are never planned.
Antihistamines, such as Benadryl®, and steroids are often used to further improve the recovery of a person with an anaphylactic reaction. Antihistamines and asthma medications may be administered with epinephrine, but never instead of epinephrine because they cannot reverse many of the symptoms of anaphylaxis.
3 R's for treating anaphylaxis
* Recognize symptoms
* React quickly
* Review what happened and be sure to prevent it from reoccurring
Steps for treating an anaphylactic reaction:
If you suspect an anaphylactic reaction is occurring, don't lose precious time! Do the following:
* Act quickly!
* Follow your physician's instructions for treatment.
* Call Emergency Medical Services (or 911) and request epinephrine. Do not attempt to drive yourself to a medical facility. Get to a hospital as soon as possible and plan to stay at least four to six hours in case symptoms return.
And finally I highly recommend a Medic alert Bracelet, it CAN save his life.
