And the Allergies Begin...

Allergies. I knew they were coming. A small part of my brain kept hoping that by some miracle of genetics he would have grasped some code for an immune system that functions as it should, but alas, he got mine. And then some.

Two weeks ago I gave Quinn a piece of bread (home made bread, Tony bread), about half an hour later, I gave him a little more. Then he tried yogurt for the first time. - Now mind you, I have been obsessive. I breastfed exclusively until 6 months, only doing solids after that point. I normally wait 3-4 days between new foods. I didn't think the bread was new (he'd had wheat cereal, etc.)- He liked the bread, he loved the yogurt...his immune system did not.

His face broke out in a rash. He coughed. I freaked. He vomited. We all freaked. He coughed some more. He vomited some more. He cried. I cried. Tony rushed out for Benadryl. He vomited. He coughed. Snot poured out of his nose. His body broke out in large hives. He breathed slowly and purposefully. We gave the medicine. Immediately his breathing improved and he stopped coughing. 20 minutes later the hives were gone. He cuddled, then got twitchy/fidgety (which is how I get with some meds), then he slept. I put him in his crib only because he was too hot on me. He slept.

His doctor said it was probably a yeast allergy. Avoid yeast and we'll talk about it in 3 weeks at his next visit. I took him to see my allergist.

Scratch test for milk and wheat (yeast does not evidently induce such a reaction typically). Both positive with a very large welt for milk. After seeing the severity of the reaction to the scratch test (and given all kinds of pamphlets, orders for me to cut the offenders from our diets, a script for an epi pen and a follow up recommended in 4-6 weeks) we were sent to the lab for a pediatric RAST to see about any other allergens.

I will not go into the emotional horror of the blood draw. There were 4 people before it was successful. He cried a lot, I cried. 30 seconds after the success and hysterical screaming/crying, he smiled at the lab tech and giggled. I love my boy.

So, in order to continue breastfeeding (which I feel is even more important now), I have cut out all dairy and wheat from my diet. Since doing so, he sleeps. He had been waking up at least once or twice, some nights every hour, crying, whimpering...he hurt. I know that now. He sleeps now, no more waking up hurting. My poor baby. I know I couldn't have known. That fact doesn't make me feel better. My sandwiches and ice cream made his (and our) nights miserable. But we are fixing it.

Hopefully, this will all clear up his excema as well.

The results of the blood test should be back in the next few days. More then.

For now, bed.