1. Would you take your toddler to a party where the only food is something he can't eat? I doubt a 7 year old would miss a 2 year old cousin with all his friends around.
Probably not. Is he contact reactive to dairy? If so, definitely not. He's two - he might eat food off the floor or leftover pizza from someone's plate. If you take him, you have to follow him like a hawk. Will he co-operate or get upset?
My DD is 6 and anaphylactic to peanuts, tree nuts and allergic to milk and mustard. I would allow her to attend a birthday party with pizza and bring her own safe food. However, she's not anaphylactic to dairy and is old enough to not eat anything that she doesn't bring from home. She doesn't attend parties with peanuts/tree nuts.
If you go, remember to bring a safe cupcake/Oreo's/treat to substitute for the birthday cake. Also, check the goodie bag for candy made with milk. Either have a plan to throw it away quietly or have a safe lollipop to substitute.
Also, the mom (who knows about his allergy and that I can't eat much dairy either) did not mention the pizza until after I called her about something else and then got offended when I asked her about what food would be served.
Many people who don't deal with FA don't get it. It's not on their radar.
2. Do you call parents about food options before you rsvp a party? Especially a party that is not at a home where other food might be available.
I always call. My DD is contact reactive to peanuts, so we skip any party with a combination of young kids & peanuts. (Kids are messy eaters, and she did have a rxn after a Christmas party. We learned our lesson the hard way.)
3. What is RAST? My son got the skin test for 6 foods last year (eggs, fish, nut, soy, wheat (slight reaction) and milk (strong reaction). This year they just did positive/negative/dairy. My sister mentioned blood tests but neither the allergist or the ped said anything about them. How accurate are they?
From the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network's page: http://www.foodallergy.org/questions.html
Read this link also:
http://www.foodallergy.org/downloads/FoodAllergyTesting.pdf
What is the difference between a skin prick test and a blood or RAST test?
The skin prick test or a blood test, such as the RAST (or radioallergosorbent test), is commonly used to begin to determine if an allergy exists. (The RAST is sometimes called the CAP-RAST or ImmunoCap test.)
A skin prick test is usually cheaper and can be done in the doctor’s office. The doctor places a drop of the substance being tested on the patient’s forearm or back and pricks the skin with a needle, allowing a tiny amount to enter the skin. If the patient is allergic to the substance, a wheal (mosquito bite-like bump) will form at the site within about 15 minutes.
A RAST test requires a blood sample. The sample is sent to a medical laboratory, where tests are done with specific foods to determine whether the patient has IgE antibodies to that food. The results are usually received within one week.
Which test is better?
Although both tests are reliable, there are instances where one is better than the other. Many doctors use a RAST for young children or for patients who have eczema or other skin problems that would make if difficult to read the results of a prick skin test. The results of either test are combined with other information, such as a history of symptoms and a food challenge, to determine whether a food allergy exists. Learn more about Food Allergy Testing (.pdf ~70KB).
I am overprotective about everything that goes in his mouth and any potential dairy. It is hard and makes me a little nuts sometimes but I feel like I am a knight in shining armor protecting him from harm. Dinner out with him is not relaxing.
One of the leading allergists told a parent that "if people point you out on the street and say look at the neurotic parent, then & only then, are you doing your job." I saw a quote that "if you are not the most neurotic parent in your circle, you are not doing your job."
Parenting these kids is a full time job, but it does get a bit easier as they grow. My DD was dx'ed with milk allergy as an infant and peanut/tn allergy at 14 months. She's 6, and I don't have to worry about her putting things in her mouth or eating off the floor:O) Of course, for those in school, it's a different set of worries.
Anne
