No Allergies

Recently one of the therapists visiting Ainsley had asked if she had been tested for allergies. I told her she hadn't but that in the past a blood test had showed a low number of allergen fighting cells and since there were no other symptoms of allergies the doctors never pursued that. Their logic made sense to me and this was one instance where I felt 99% certain that the doctors were right. AND I really think if it seemed like it was a possibility they would have jumped all over it. She was even kind of pushy about it. Several other people had asked if there was any chance that allergies may be contributing to or causing the problem, even suggesting that she was allergic to my breast milk back in the beginning, but in the end the final straw was the therapist who seemed so certain that was the answer. I booked an appointment to have her tested so there was no doubt.

And sure enough, after all the pin pricks she has no allergies. They tested for:

corn

rice

wheat

egg

milk

peanut

soy

garlic

dust mites

cat

dog

grass

They could have tested for more things but it would have meant more pin pricks. It made sense to test the obvious things. We added garlic because she once broke out in a rash on her face after having garlic but it's more likely it's just that garlic is so strong on the skin of a babe. They said that pollen and tree allergies and things like that develop after a few seasons of exposure and that she's not old enough. Also there are no symptoms. So that's the logic behind what we tested for. The doctor was really nice and even gave his opinion that giving the Flovent orally (prescribed for use via trach but that is below the swelling). was best.

So it's great. No one wants allergies. Unfortunately it doesn't help solve her airway issues but

that was what I expected anyway.

Note: Oops this was sitting in my drafts. I'd posted to the trach forum and thought I'd done so here as well.

Right after all the pin pricks.

15 minutes later. The red one on the bottom right is the control to make sure the tests worked.