Allergy test results came back

So I had my girls tested for allergies at there 2 year appt because they have both shown a reaction to peanut butter, I thought it would be just that, maybe some seasonal allergies (like me) and while Harlie really only had the peanut butter, Abbie's results suprised me! She has a high response to dogs & cats (which is odd since we have both, and she shows no symptoms at all?) High to egg whites, moderate to codfish & perch, moderate to soy beans, & low to wheat. Oh yeah and high to peanuts too. So if any of you have tips for what is good to feed her (or really bad that may not be obvious) please let me know! I still have 2 weeks until we meet with the specialist, and while I had a lot of seasonal allergies as a child, Ive never had any reaction to foods (except some fresh fruits), so Im totally lost!

 

Food allergies are not fun, or easy to deal with, especially with the wide range that your dd shows. Check all food labels carefully, even those that you think should be safe (like prepared apple slices in a bag...some of them have other additives), and learn the protein names for each food to check for (for instance, if you are allergic to dairy, then you are allergic to caseinate, which is the milk protein). I imagine the specialist will tell you to remove all the foods that she is allergic to for a few years. Often, if you remove the foods while they are still young, it kind of tricks the body into not being allergic to them again (said in basic terms). That said, removing all those foods will not be easy. Probably, you will find that it is just easier overall to make all the food yourself (including bread). The dr will probably also tell you that each person has an allergy threshold. Basically, you can be allergic to a lot of things, but if you are not exposed to all these things at once, then your allergy threshold is not meant, therefore you do not show reactions. I know this is for seasonal/environmental allergies, not sure about food allergies. Typically, a person with food allergies is allergic to the protein of that food.
*** Get an epi pen....or two***

 

were these blood test results? the way I understand it is that some people might show allergies in blood test but this doesn't mean they will necessarily react to the allergen.
Our dr did blood tests and then will do skin tests and according to those results will do a trial of the allergen food at his office and see what happens.
I would be very interested to hear what the specialist advises you do to.
Please post after you have seen him/ her. I would recommend to you a book called Understanding your child's allergies by Scott Sicherer. it helped me understand things a lot better.
I've found it easier to make things at home rather than shopping or eating out much and worrying about the ingredients. Also, i have found that sometimes restaurant staff doesn't really know what is in the food and I've seen often different dishes are cooked in the same pot or frying pan without washing it in between. Eating in and cooking as much as I can from scratch saves me a lot of anxiety.

 

Dummies guide to Food Allergies By Dr. (Robert I think) Wood - I found it at the library - pretty quick read

He has peanut allergies and is a top pediatric allergist so it is an interesting take on it. There is a geat list in the book to help you interpret labels.

My DS1 had very similar results as your kids, have avoided all nuts - he is able to tolerate eggs in our foods just not scrambled eggs straight. The soy and wheat they felt were not true allergies as he eats this tuff all the time. We are getting him another blood test (1 year later) and then if that shoes decreased levels they will start food challenges (they give him the foods at the office and watch for responses)

The best advice I received - "Don't let them eat any baked good you didn't make yourself"

It can be info overload, if you can read one of the books before your visit it will help you with questions.

Good luck

 

I second the "Food Allergies for Dummies" book. He does mention in the book that not all allergy tests are equal- some do a better job of determining a true allergy than others (the fact that your one child showed as allergic to dogs and cats but has never had any symptoms makes me wonder if she really IS allergic).
I also second getting an Epipen- or two. It's reassuring to know it's on hand (you should carry it with you EVERYWHERE), and it can make the difference between life and death, in some instances.
I also have a child living with an allergy (peanuts), and it's scary, but there's a lot of info out there and taking certain precautions can make everyday living- and eating- a lot safer for your child.
Here are a few websites you might find interesting:
http://www.foodallergy.org/
http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/
http://www.anaphylaxis.org/