Asthma & How It Relates to Food Allergies

I have had so many parents ask me about asthma with their food allergic little ones lately. 

I grew up with asthma.  I remember standing at the living room window and watching all of friends play in the neighborhood, but I was not allowed to go outside and play because the cold weather would trigger a severe attack.  I remember having to carry my nebulizer to school daily during these times.  I still laugh at the memory of one of my friends thinking my nebulizer was actually a little cage for bringing my pet hamster to school- no, I did not have a hamster- my mom said it would cause my asthma to get worse... as an adult I think that was a great excuse!  But I digress...

Asthma is an inflammatory disease that impacts the airways.  During an asthma attack the muscles in the bronchial tubes constrict because of the muscle spasms in the airway.  An interesting tid bit of information is that boys seem to have asthma more often than girls in childhood.  In early adulthood those numbers seem to even out.  But during middle age, more women have asthma than men.

So how is asthma related to food allergies?  The important thing for every parent to understand is that early anaphylaxis and asthma appear similar.  It is vital to remember that if in doubt use your epi pen and call for emergency assistance.

Please let me tell you, my little Bee has had a very severe reaction that still haunts my thoughts to this day.  Later on, I was told by our Allergist and ENT that it was a reaction I should have used an epi pen.  I was told that the worst that would have happened is that he would have a little guy running around with an extra buzzing of energy.  He followed up with "You will never regret giving your son epinepherine, but you could live with the regret of not giving it to him for the rest of your life."  This statement felt like he had punched me in the stomach- and has allowed me to push past the fear of the epi pen. 

Yet another relation, and one that I do not like to acknowledge, is that uncontrolled asthma can truly be fatal during an anaphylatic reaction.  Most fatal anaphylactic reactions are in people with uncotrolled asthma.  It is vital that you do all you can to get your children's asthma under control- period.

Uncontrollable asthma MAY be indicative of an allergy or intolerance that has bit been recognized.  Please understand the following information is my opinion, not fact!!!   Please, also always communicate with your pediatricians and medical team on what will be best for you and your child.  When it comes to children and their health it is not possible to make a blanket statement that covers all children... each child's health needs are just as different as their personalities.

 My oldest's asthma is much better than it was just a year ago, but asthma is still a huge disability for him that honestly stops him from doing far too much.  He engages in many activities, but we often will pay the price later.  As a mommy, with absolutely no medical degree, I am trying to convince my sweet husband to try three months with no dairy and no gluten to see if our wheezing little guy is any better.  My husband is not on board- yet.  Our oldest is a gluten eating machine!!!  He is our picky eater!  His foods consist of bananas, pancakes, breads, Sunbutter & crackers, and PIZZA, throw in a McDonald's burger once a week and you have HIS menu choices.  See the trend in almost everything?  Yup, gluten.  He will eat (and does every week with a slight power struggle) green beans, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.  He will eat carrots and cucumbers raw.  He likes beef and chicken.... ok. He would prefer being a "carb-atarian"- one who eats only carbs.  So, my Honey is a little resistant to take on such a long-term power struggle.  If the asthma gets any worse, we will be giving this a shot out of desperation.  The thought process behind this is that he did test positive to dairy until just this year when he "outgrew it". Some M.D.s do not beleive that people actually "outgrow" an allergy fully (that is a whole other topic!). Also, my husband is lactose intolerant, I am dairy intolerant, and our littlest buzzing bee is allergic to dairy.  Another thought in this seemingly drastic measure, is that I have celiac disease so he has a good change of either having celiac disease or gluten intolerance too.  His baby brother also has celiac disease.  Yes, we are trying to get bloodwork to confirm.  Actually, we have tried 4 times to get bloodwork.  He was stuck twice- no blood.  The other two times, he was so sick we needed to reschedule.  We are still working towards getting that done.  Until then, he is at least doing well at present time.

So, our little ones will grow up with some of the memories I swore when I was a little one looking sullenly out the window that I would never do to my children.  Sometimes, we have to miss play dates.  There are friends' homes that we will not enter because they have cats.  Often, our little Bee misses his preschool due to illness.  Thankfully, we homeschool our oldest for this and other health reasons.  He would be missing so much school this year! 

But, all is not lost!  Yes, the vision of a small child looking longingly at her or his friends from a window is so pitiful.  But, picture this going on at home: hot teas with lemon and honey, a warm blanket, parents on either side of you snuggled up playing a board game or having a movie night.  Lots of hot showers that loosen your lungs, can also become a warm waterfall on a deserted island with just a little imagination.  Nights that you cannot sleep, mommy or daddy will sleep on the couch in the upright position all night, with you gently prompt up in the crook of their arm.  Feet and chest rubs... even if it is with menthol smelling rubs.  And, when we are feeling better, but the weather is still not right for our lungs- we can ride our scooters in the house.... compliments of parent's guilt.  So, later in life, our little ones will realize their even trade off. 

On a positive note, parents of children with chronic illnesses, asthma, and constant threats of allergic reactions are usually adoring parents that appreciate the miracle of the children they love and know to cherish every moment with them.  I promise they too will look back on the love from you and not regret one moment of the times they could not be outside.  They will remember the LOVE.

Our dragon trainer's infamous rash from the steroids in the asthma medication when sing the mask on his nebulizer.  Our simple solution?  No mask, "big boy mouthpiece" and washing of his face after each treatment.

Snuggling while we were all so sick at Christmas time.

Daddy trying to comfort his tired little Bee while sick.

More snuggling while we were sick

The Emotionally Trying Time of Flu Season with Medically Fragile Children

I am so sorry I have needed to take a little break from you my dearest readers, I have needed a short emotional break to deal with my haunting ghosts.  It comforts me somewhat that I read about other mommy's with special little ones that have exceptional physical needs and/or medical needs seem to share in my same daunting fears, but unfortunately it cannot make them go away.  It at least validates me into feeling I am not crazy... well, at least not certifiable.  I worry about life a little, a lot more than other parents with healthy children seem to. 

Parents with healthy children feel sad and perhaps even frightened when their children get sick.  But, parents of medically fragile children know too much.  We have been informed of too many statistics. We have seen our children get sick with illnesses everyone else can fight off in a week, linger in our homes for weeks on end.  We fall asleep to the hum of our children's medical equipment and we wake with every cough, sniffle, or deep breath.  We get scared because we know too much, remember the last time they were so sick, and we have seen our children struggle too many times.  We feel blessed to have them healthy.  We count the days between the last medical issue and we are grateful for each day in between and we secretly fear the next time and pray it will be better soon. 

We are in the peak of flu season.  Flu season is such a frightening time for me and my family.  I honestly feel paralyzed. I want to keep the children inside and keep them physically healthy.  I would love to ensure their safety, but I cannot for fear of their emotional and mental well being.  (Not to mention my Honey's emotional well-being after just one week with two boisterous boys jumping around the house!)  So while I do everything I can to ensure their physical and spiritual growth... I struggle with the anxiety of allowing them to venture into this big, bad, germ infested world.  While they are blossoming, sometimes, I feel the sacrifice of allowing them the room to grow makes me wither a little inside. 

The boys both have asthma.  Our oldest- our little dragon trainer, has asthma that is not as controlled as it should be.  It scares me so much to hear him struggle to breath and cough incessantly when he is healthy!  The thought of this very scary flu compiled with their asthma and the fact that they are so young is overwhelming to think about.  I have seen the children struggle to breath and it is the most frightening and powerless feeling I have ever felt.

The thought of the flu brings back memorioes and fears.

So lately, I have worried.  Nothing has changed but flu season, the fear of getting it, and fighting the natural desire to keep them safely home has made me a little bit more of  a worrier (and I am a natural at it without that kind of help!)  I suppose this is the "normal" for parents with children that are medically fragile.  That being said, I would not trade my life, my children, or my worries for anything in the world.  These beautiful boys are the most precious blessings in the world- definately worth worrying about.  :)

Our Oldest Miracle Baby's Journey

Our oldest little one was a very wanted baby.  We had tried for 7 years to conceive our little miracle baby.  It was a difficult pregnancy.  I did not even care that I had morning sickness the whole time, or bed rest off and on, or diabetes or preeclamsia at the end- I was pregnant and could not wait to have our little miracle in our arms.

 

I had a bad scare at the beginning when I experienced a rupture of a subchorionic hematoma.  I had gone to use the restroom and I felt something warm run down my leg.  I looked down and saw bright red blood- a lot of it.  I am not sure what happened next.  I vaguely remember a close friend walking in and I was standing in the middle of a public shared bathroom with blood running down my legs and covered my hands. I was crying and asked for another close friend that had gone through infertility with me the whole 7 years too.  She came in and dressed me, washed my hands and brought me straight to the doctors while I called my husband and cried about how sorry I was.  He met me at the doctor's office where we learned that our beautiful little egg was still implanted.  I went back two days later and saw the blessed heartbeat.  I was still pregnant and thrilled to be carrying this miraculous little wonder.  I was on bedrest until 14 weeks.

I went back to work until he was 34 weeks gestation.  I was then told I needed to be hospitalized for severe preeclamsia.  That was a little shock, but I happily obliged and the hospital took amazing care of me.  At 35 weeks and 4 days my blood pressure and the protein in my urine were too high.  I was told we must deliver.  So 24 hours later, my blessed little tiny miracle was in my arms.  I had been told he would be a very large baby due to the gestational diabetes.  When they laid this very tiny 5 pound 14 oz baby in my arms, I was shocked at how tiny he was.  He went home at 5 lbs 6 oz. 

When he was 2 months old I started to get violently ill with uncontrollable vomiting and severe abdominal pain.  I went to the doctor and she said I needed my gallbladder removed.  In true me fashion, I said I was fine and went home to be a mommy.  I then, went home and got so sick I called my husband and told him I needed him home and then drove myself to the hospital.  God must have taken the wheel and dropped me safely at their door.  I do not know how I was able to get there.  The doctor that performed my endoscopy put dye into my pancreas and caused me to develop pancreatitis.  I have never been in so much pain!  My husband got a phone call in the late afternoon from the hospital telling him that would not make it through the night and that he needed to come say goodbye.  This took us both a while to come to terms with after receiving such a beautiful gift of life and then realizing too soon how fragile life really is.

Once I recovered and came home, I almost could not recognize my own child because he had grown so much in a months time. I missed out on so much!  I still mourn this lost time together. How can this beautiful baby with the chubby cheeks be the tiny and frail little one that I had brought home from the hospital!  I still cannot get over how much he had grown!

 

Then, thankfully, everything was status quo until he was 12 months old.  I decided to feed him scrambled eggs with a little shredded cheese.  He began projectile vomiting after about 5 minutes of ingesting his first bite.  Hives swelled around his nose and mouth and then the rest of his body.  I gave him benadryl and then drove to our doctor's office about 10 minutes away- I think we got there in about 5 minutes I was in such a panic.  We were immediately given steroids and thankfully he did not need an epi pen once we arrived. Five days worth of steroids and benedrly for the next 24 to 48 hours depending on symptoms.

Oh My!!!

 

 I do not eat eggs, no reason, I have just never liked them. So he had never been exposed to them during breastfeeding other than the occasional baked-in eggs from cakes or cookies.  In hindsight, there were indications that he was having food allergy issues, but as a new parent, I did not know the signs.  He had horrible eczema and reoccurring MRSA infections that we just could not understand.  He also had severe reflux issues that were barely controlled by medications. After his allergy testing it made more sense.  He was found to be anaphylatic to eggs and severely allergic to dairy with sensitivities to soy.

When he was 5 years old he was bit by a fire ant.  Poor little guy, as he was getting hives all over his body, flushing, and starting to wheeze he was crying emphatically, "I promise I did not eat anything. I did not have eggs. I did not put anything in my mouth."  He had not- it turns out he is also anaphylatic to fire ants. 

Our big boy has always been sickly. I hate that term, but there is just no other way to put it.  He has always gotten sick so much more frequently than any of my friends' children.  I was told our home was too sterile and we should let him get dirty more. Then, we should rip up our carpeting and remove all fabrics and we are not clean enough.... We have done all we can! 

Just recently we asked to have his environmental allergies tested too.  He shows anaphylatic level reactions on the skin testing to oak and pine trees and high levels on so many others.  No wonder his asthma is so out of control!  We will communicate more as we learn how to control these next set of issues and regain his health as we learn and understand more!



 

Until then, hot showers & hot tea.  Now, do we add honey or is that no longer safe due to the newly discovered fear of oral allergy syndrome? 

My little dragon trainer is such a tender hearted, imaginative, creative, and sweet child.  He is the miracle child I yearned for and dreamed of having since I played with dolls as a girl, only he is even more amazing than I could ever had created in my mind.  I never knew how much love my heart could hold until I became a mommy to this amazing little miracle.  He is my considerate little heart who was born with an old soul, my amazing miracle.

 



 

 

We've Been SICK Around Here

 

Our oldest little one got sick 4 weeks ago.  Then my Honey the next week.  As our big boy finished up his antibiotics, I got sick and began prescription medications.  And then, sure enough, as Honey finished his, Little Bee needed to start medications as well.  Then each of us followed the same pattern- four days after completing the antibiotics we got sick, not just sick, but SICK!  Sore throat, fever, respiratory issues, sinus pressures, headache, general malaise and ear infections.  So, we all needed antibiotics again.

We have bleached everything.  Sprayed Lysol everywhere.  Changed sheets. Changed toothbrushes. Cleaned air filters. Vacuumed. Swept. Mopped. And I am praying that we are all on the upswing of things.  B and I were the last two to get sick, so we both are feeling somewhat lousy still.  Our big boy has been feeling better for a whole week, then he woke this morning with a barking cough.  Sigh.  I just want us all to feel healthy again!  I am not sure what else I can do to make this happen!

Our oldest honestly has become the world's pickiest eater and is being a typical child now that his only food limitation is anaphylaxis to eggs.  He is able to eat Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas and McDonald's hamburgers.  I HATE that he eats all that junk!!! I know it is "normal", convenient, and typical of children his age.  I LOVE that he is not as limited as he used to be!  But, I miss being able to feed him sweet potatoes and bananas for lunch and have that be his favorite food before he was introduced to these less healthy alternatives.  Perhaps it is because I have always struggled with being healthy and with my weight that I am more concerned with healthier eating habits. 

We have tried so many times to get our big boy tested for celiac disease... but I seem unable to get him healthy enough to do so! He has been stuck 4 times, but they have missed.  So, we will try again as soon as I we can.  I am also just learning about something called Oral Allergy Syndrome. With his severe level of environmental allergies (it is the same scale as food allergies 1-5; he tested a 4 on most of them, the others were 3.  On the food allergy scale, that would be considered an anaphylatic allergy).  Perhaps this also has something to do with his chronic illnesses and severe asthma?  I realize I am grasping at straws!  But, I desperately want my him to be healthy. I would love to find an answer!  I am also tired of the domino effect it seems to have with the rest of us.

I hope this holiday season finds you all very happy and your healthiest one yet!

Horrible picture!  Shows just how sick we are!!!

A Flu Shot with EGGS?

The boys are sick- again... or is it still?  They seemed to be better for a whole 3 days and then last night they both had a low grade fever, stuffy noses, sore throats, cranky, and lethargic.  How frustrating for them!  It really does break my heart to see them feeling sick and having chronic colds/ sore throats/ respiratory issues.

This years flu and cold season seems to be pretty bad.  I know of several individuals that have been hospitalized this year from the severity of it already.  Understandably, due to the boys frequency of being sick and seemingly chronically compromised immune system (my oldest especially) I am afraid the boys will get the flu and as always the illness will cycle through each family member over an extended period of 5 to 6 weeks. I really just want a healthy and uneventful flu season.  So get the flu shot right?  Did you know that the flu shots are created in the yolk of a chicken egg and that each shot has a minuscule amount of egg protein in it?  You of course remember our boys' life threatening allergy to eggs, right?  Therein lies the dilemma. 

But, don't fret!

After weighing the pros and cons we decided we will get them flu shots based upon our own research and our physician's and allergist and pulminologist's advise.  Luckily, as the population of educated physicians understanding food allergies grow and more medical studies are completed, it does seem to be a safe and wise decision for children with anaphylatic egg allergies to be able to get the flu shots.  So we are scheduled for later on in the week to get it done.

Despite all research and knowledge, I admit I will let out a sigh of relief once I know they are both safe after the shot..... and then I will pray for a prolonged period of health!!!

Our sleeping, sick boys

I just wanted to add an update to this post:  The children had their flu shots.  The doctor wheeled in emergency equipment closeby and laid out epi pens for the possibility of an emergency.  Thankfully, it was not necessary and they both did wonderfully!  They did not even get a little rash near the shot site. They go in after a month to get their second shot.

We researched this very in depth. I encourage you to do your own research as well as I do not want to taint your thoughts about doing so for your family. Please type in "flu shot eggs 2012" and learn about the recent studies. 

In the past, the allergists would give a minimal amount of the shot over hours at a time.  Now however, research shows that a miniscule amount given over a prolonged period is no different that all of the flu shot given at once.  Again, research it.  Ask your pediatrician, allergist, pulmonologists, etc.  Let us know how you did here at Busy Bees Allergies, so we can help even more parents make informed decisions for their babies.

The Calm Before the Storm

I am so grateful that when the children's asthma is severe they can take steroids and puff on their inhalers every 4 hours as needed- which is well, every 4 hours sadly. I know it has helped them recover from asthma faster. I am thankful (that is an understatement) it allows them more air in their lungs. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate modern medicine's ability to literally keep my babies alive.

Yes, here comes the but,....

But, it seems to make them both a little crazy. Yup, just a little crazy. Wow! I had one crying and running to his room in tears over everything tonight. I mean full hysteria. Everything was a catastrophe. Then, a few minutes later getting angry about something very trivial. The other one was bouncing off the walls and climbing everything he could and completely defiant. I am honestly not complaining, but my heart goes out to them. I can see them sincerely trying to keep in control, and well, failing miserably.

Sadly, they are not alone! I am normally a sweet, southern girl but, when I take these medications I actually can be, what's the word, um, ... intolerant. I know it has a warning on the label. I know this is not all in our heads. I am wondering if you have also experienced the ups and downs, tears, bouncing around, anger, hysteria.... craziness too?



Watching TV ever so sweetly.... the calm before the next storm today. 

 

Asthma Again

Yesterday was a beautiful day with perfect weather, lots of cousins running around, and consequently a lot of outside time.  My honey and I questioned the children, okay really our oldest baby, being outside for such a prolonged time.  The children were laughing and playing and running around making powerful memories of the happiness and freedom of childhood. 

So despite the emotional desire to rip the children out of the yard and into the house where I knew we could avoid (possibly) the asthma issues in which we are now dealing with today.  I justified it- he's already on antibiotics.  We've been doing asthma medications around the clock, drinking hot teas, doing everything we can so he should be ok.  I walked the whole yard, foot in front of the other as if measuring the yard, to ensure every square inch was searched looking for ant mounds. I knew that even if I pulled him inside, no other parent would have to yank their babies from the fun and perfect sunny, cool day.  So, we let them play and play and ...PLAY! 

Today we are again on every:
4 hour nebulizer treatments
Hot tea regimens
Hot showers
Vics vapor rub
Humidifiers (despite some doctors opposing humidifiers, for our oldest baby it is a necessary evil)
Saline solution in his nebulizer
and the dreaded decision to start steroids- again

..... all because we allowed him the normalcy of a day playing in the cool fall weather.  He has not complained once.  He has kissed my cheeks and thanked me for the "best tea".  He has just laid around really not doing much, except for tell us he thinks that Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays.

 

 

Asthma Season and a Crazy Rash

My oldest suffers from asthma year around.  At this time we have to do two nebulizer treatments twice daily even when he is "well" and "controlled".  When he is sick or the pollen count is high, we use it every 4 hours and intermittently every two hours we add a saline solution to his nebulizer and have him breath in the saline.  I LOVE this life saving equipment and cannot sing enough praises about how I know it has probably saved both my children's lives and mine as well. 


Now, my dear readers, please know that I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.  I am simply a mom.  I am a mommy with experience of things that have happened to my children, but I am in no way, shape, or form, an expert on all children.  Please understand when I share about our life experiences I am not trying to tell you what to do with your children- YOU, my dear parents are the experts on your children.  I do hope we can learn from each other and that you will take all information gathered from my site and other people's websites/blogs to your trusted medical advisor.  I always double check my information found online with our pediatrician.


Now, back to our crazy story.


When our oldest son was four, he began to get this strange little rash on his beautiful face.  It started in February and was still going strong in October, actually it was looking horrible come October.  We did every cream, steroid, and homeopathic remedy known to man.  We were stumped.  It was so frustrating and it was starting to really bother our little man.  One evening, we were getting ready to complete our nightly ritual of reading to our son & snuggling during his breathing treatment when my husband exclaimed, "It's strange his rash is the perfect shape of the nebulizer mask.  The mommy gut took over, surely this could not be a coincidence right?  Seemingly, he was correct in his observation.  It was the identical shape!!!


So, I did a little research and it appears for us, there was some truth to it.





 



So, after finally getting to the bottom of this issue, we consulted with the pediatrician and they said we must wash his face after every treatment.  They also told us to use the mouthpiece instead of the mask as he is capable of doing so without impacting the treatment. In retrospect we should have been doing that anyways.  But, you don't know, what you don't know- and common sense or not, we did not know. A few weeks later and look at this beautiful face:

It's Ok That I Have Asthma!

The wisdom of a 6 year old is amazing sometimes. He really does blow me away with his insight and the simplicity of his wise words. He was blowing his nose for the umpteenth time and we were putting his medication in his nebulizer yet again and  I said, "Sweetheart, I am so sorry you have asthma." He looked at me like I had sprouted three heads. He said, "Don't be sorry mommy. I am not! This allows you and me a lot of bonding time. You and Daddy make me a lot of hot teas. You both sit with me and have read me so many stories. We have laughed over many movies together snuggling on the couch. I do not like that I get sick a lot- I hate it. But I love that we get to share so many special times and a lot of love when it happens. " I just smiled and said, "I do love every moment with you" and inside I was bursting with pride. I was so proud of his positive mindset. I had never, ever thought of it from that perspective. I still wish he did not have asthma!!! But he is right, we do share a lot of snuggle time nursing our kids back to health that might be lost in the otherwise hustle and bustle of things.

 

So then we played a little game. I said, "you know what, lets play a game of what we are grateful for... things that most people would look at as a sad thing. You are teaching mommy a wonderful lesson today." Here are some of the one's we came up with.

 

1. We are grateful for food allergies as it forces us to look at what we put in our bodies and helps us make healthier choices. (admittedly mine... he would like pizza or bread morning, noon, and night!)

 

2. We are grateful for fire ants because they keep our ecosystem balanced. (That's Steven's- I must admit the crazy, protective mother in me says they should just be extinct!)

 

3. We are grateful for having medical issues that while potentially life threatening allow us to experience being healthy most of the time. (Thank you so much Lord!)

 

4. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with amazing nurses, doctors, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and teachers that try very hard to help our children's needs. Our lives are richer because each one of them is in it.

 

5. We are glad for the continuous fight to make people understand the severity of anaphylatic allergies as it keeps us educated (ok, that one is mine... and I would not be upset if we could fight a little less!)

 

6. We are grateful for shared opportunities to snuggle on the couch while sitting still for our nebulizer treatments.

 

7. We are grateful for B's nightly therapy as it makes us focus solely on his little face and he gazes at ours so sweetly. Often times it is a precious and innocent shared time, while other times we break into hysterical laughter trying to make funny faces to stretch those mouth and tongue muscles.

 

8. We are grateful for food allergies because Daddy has learned to be an amazing chef in order to allow us to eat yummy foods still and it makes us feel so loved.

 

9. We are grateful for food allergies because it has allowed us to help other families with food allergies and then they do not feel alone.

 

The last one made me tear up (ok, I am tearing up again just thinking of it):

 

10. I am grateful my baby brother does not talk well because it has made him a good listener and I can tell him all my secrets and he always loves me after I tell him with a tight hug or by wrestling with me.  It's his way of saying that everything is alright."

 

And tonight, my innocent child reminded me to take a deep breath and just be thankful for where we are at this moment. 

Busy Bees Allergies- About Us

 

There was so much I wanted to share in my profile that I could not fit due to limited character space, so I felt compelled to share it here.  I hope you will get a sense of what Busy Bees Allergies will be about and you will want to continue to share in my life journey.